Role Models Paperback – January 1, 2014

Those of you who are familiar with John Waters' work (including Role Models) will understand the significance of the above phrase. I must confess, I am generally appalled by his movies. Last night I watched Female Trouble and much of it was a turn-off, albeit a brilliantly conceived turn-off. (I did enjoy Serial Mom, Polyester, Hairspray, Cry-Baby, and Pecker, though.) But hearing John Waters speak about his life (you simply MUST get the audio version of this book) is a refreshing experience for me. I first read about John Waters in a book called Midnight Movies (which I had purchased at a used bookstore because it featured a chapter on my favorite cult classic, Night of the Living Dead). There I got to read about many other cult classics, including Pink Flamingos, and I still remember reading about its eccentric director, who at the time filled me with a mixture of horror and glee. Now I'm just full of glee as I ponder Role Models, which I listen to frequently and with relish. My favorite chapter is "Bookworm," where John describes five books that he thinks are worth reading for anyone who "has something basically the matter with him." It's set me on a path of seeking out the mostly obscure literary titles (authors include Denton Welch, Ivy Compton-Burnett, and Jane Bowles).In a particularly poignant chapter, John discusses Lesley Van Houten (ex-Manson follower, now rehabilitated); He also talks about Tennessee Williams, Johnny Matthis, fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, artists such as Cy Twombly and Mike Kelley, as well as some of his favorite Baltimore personalities such as Lady Zorro. He mostly neglects one of his biggest influences, William Castle, although Castle received a whole chapter in John's earlier book, Crackpot.If you love eccentric, you'll love Role Models.

This work is so entertaining and good hearted and funny, I immediately ordered a copy for a friend. There were times when I had to phone people to read out passages so we could laugh together. It is perhaps not for everyone, but if you already know and like John Waters, you will love this book; it was so absorbing and delightful, I had to read it almost straight through. If you don't know John Waters (where have you been?), and have a sensitivity to language as spoken and heard away from church, your mind may be too pure to process his special brand of "filth" which includes interviews with criminals, celebrities of special note, trivia, information and particular advise on how to realize or expand your own personal filth. I wish he lived next door; it feels as if we are friends already. I'd love to have him over for a drink.

Wow. Where to start. This book was seriously whack-a-doodle. On the face of it, it is a semi-autobiographical story of the people that influenced, and still do influence, John Waters when growing up and beyond. It gives you a real insight into the inner workings of the man, where his ideas come from, and who he is. It sheds light on the fact that most of the world is far more screwed up than most people realize, and there is a dark, seedy underbelly that lies underneath the one that we all think we already know about, and suggests, strongly, that there are more layers of filth underneath that. I am also convinced, now more than ever, that Baltimore is the filthiest place in the United States, which, I believe, is Mr. Waters point. Casual readers should be warned: this book delves into some pretty dark places. While far from the worst stuff I've ever read, Waters does take the reader to some graphically filthy places, with language, imagery and ideals that many people might find objectionable. However, even at his worst, he manages to turn the subject around and bring out a laugh, forcing you to embrace the absurd filth and laugh with him at the absurdity of it all. Mr Waters writing style is eclectic - he jumps from topic to topic in a seemingly random, if energetic fashion, often raising a point, jumping to another idea or two, then circling back around to the original subject, which makes him a little hard to read, especially when he wanders off topic for a long time. I do believe that he went a little off the rails in the final chapter, in which, I guess, he was casting himself as a role model. And while that certainly fit the theme of the book, hardly matched the style. A slightly tighter editing would have resulted in five stars. If you are a hardcore Waters fan, then this book is a must. If you are an average Waters cultist, then read it. If you are a fan of his most popular works and not a homophobe, then go ahead and read it, it will be enlightening.

This is the first book I have read/listened to by John Waters (I got the audio book) and I haven't seen many of his films (I think just Pecker), but I have always loved his interviews on NPR's Fresh Air with Teri Gross. And, I think it is because I know him for his wonderfully personable conversational style and broad interrests (art, reading, creativity, music, people, etc, etc) that I decided to purchase this book and see what it had to offer.Excellant. What a pleasant conversational way to hear about John's interresting personal life and his tastes through his appreciation of his role models. Yes, yes, we all know about his film exploits or public image with sex and shock, but if that was all he had to write about the book would feel very flat and two dimensional. The fact that he is so well rounded as a person and in his interests made this book my favorite of the year.And, yes, there's plenty about sex, some wonderfully unihibited and some that is a little bit shocking for my taste. But, this just adds flavor to the soup.Now, I'm just waiting while Amazon ships the next book I ordered from John's back catalog.