Here, from the incomparable John Waters, is a paean to the power of subversive inspiration that will delight, amuse, enrich—and happily horrify readers everywhere.
Role Models is, in fact, a self-portrait told through intimate profiles of favorite personalities—some famous, some unknown, some criminal, some surprisingly middle-of-the-road. From Esther Martin, owner of the scariest bar in Baltimore, to the playwright Tennessee Williams; from the atheist leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair to the insane martyr Saint Catherine of Siena; from the English novelist Denton Welch to the timelessly appealing singer Johnny Mathis—these are the extreme figures who helped the author form his own brand of neurotic happiness.
Role Models is a personal invitation into one of the most unique, perverse, and hilarious artistic minds of our time.
J O H N N Y A N D M E
I wish I were Johnny Mathis. So mainstream. So popular. So unironic, yet perfect. Effortlessly boyish at over seventy years old, with a voice that still makes all of America want to...
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John Waters on The Leonard Lopate Show
In Role Models, filmmaker John Waters profiles his favorite personalities—some famous, some unknown—who helped shape his unique worldview.
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Work in Progress » Blog Archive » John Waters on Bad Taste and the Ideal Death
caption] To mark the paperback publication of Role Models, John Waters answered a few questions about taste, the art world, and death. - FSG's Work in Progress