I’ll admit, I was intimidated. I’d interviewed famous people before, in person, by phone and even via Zoom in more recent times.
But never John Waters. The filmmaker, author, actor and star of a one-man show would pull no punches. He’d tell me if I asked a stupid question. He wouldn’t be polite and humor me just because he’s talking with the media in advance of his latest one-man show, “A John Waters Christmas.” (Waters will present his one-man Christmas show at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14 at the Key West Theater. )
Plus, I’d been instructed by Waters’ media representative, who scheduled the interview, that I should record our conversation, as “Mr. Waters speaks rapidly and will not answer questions twice.” Suddenly I was back in a classroom, feverishly scribbling notes, but knowing I was so far behind the professor, I’d never catch up.
I was also told that my subject only does “project-specific interviews.” In this case, the project was his annual Christmas tour. I was not to ask him about his career or current events, and he would not provide lists or recommendations.
“This oughta be interesting,” I told myself and everyone in the office, while rolling my eyes and expecting to be taken to task by Waters’ acerbic wit and biting replies.
I could not have been more wrong.
In all fairness, by the time our call connected, my sentiments had already softened a bit, as I had just read the October issue of “Town & Country” magazine, thanks to my colleague Stephanie Mitchell, which features Waters on its cover and includes an engaging profile of a man who for decades has proudly carried the moniker Pope of Trash and boasts about decorating the electric chair that’s in his living room with Christmas lights each year. (The chair is a prop from his 1974 film “Female Trouble” and, he told me, remains in his home to this day.
“I don’t even notice it any more,” he said.
Our conversation opened with the usual chit chat about Key West, as Waters has been here several times. I told him I’d seen him holding court at La Te Da maybe 17 years prior.
“I wrote ‘Shock Value’ while I was in Key West,” Waters said, asking me how the island has changed with the wealthy second and third homeowners, and comparing it to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he had just spent his 59th summer.
“The graying of P-town is happening, certainly. But I like some of the rich people,” he said. “I stay at their houses.”
When I asked about his upcoming Christmas show at Key West Theater, he replied honestly.
“Opening night is always the scariest,” he said. “I use no notes and stand on stage, speaking for 70 minutes — and no jokes I wrote before COVID work today.
“But come the holidays, everyone has to go home and see all the relatives they don’t usually see, the Trump supporters, the anti-vaxxers, all of them.”
Asked whether it’s more difficult today to shock people, which is his usual brand of humor, Waters said, “It’s not harder. People are shocked by everything these days: pronouns, diversity. Back when we used to make fun of being PC, we made fun of ourselves first. That’s what changed, the righteousness of today is what’s horrible.”
I told him I couldn’t agree more and found myself thoroughly enjoying the conversation.
“I’m an equal opportunity offender,” he said. “I’m marveling at what I don’t understand. But I try to look at the wrong side of both sides.”
He was gearing up for a 16-city tour for his Christmas show and was relieved to have turned hundreds of Post-It notes into an actual script.
“That’s why I don’t post anything on Instagram,” he said. “I wouldn’t have any material left for my show.”
After an engaging and hilarious 15-minute interview, I came away smiling, changed and entirely excited for Waters’ Dec. 14 appearance at the Key West Theater.
And for that, I thank him.
