At 76, the 'Pope of Trash' John Waters has more jobs than ever

By Lauren Gilger
Published: Friday, October 14, 2022 - 12:30pm
Updated: Friday, October 14, 2022 - 2:57pm

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Greg Gorman
John Waters

John Waters has been called a lot of things in his long career in Hollywood: The “Sultan of Sleaze,” the “Pope of Trash” — to name a few.

They might seem like insults, but not to Waters. The 76-year-old actor, writer, producer, director and lifelong provocateur is famous for his thin, lip-lining mustache, colorful suits and his penchant for shock value.

Waters is known for his so-called trash epics — “Pink Flamingos,” “Female Trouble,” “Cecil B. Demented” and, of course, what would become the Broadway hit “Hairspray.”

He’ll perform his one-man show, “False Negative: An Evening with John Waters,” at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix Oct. 14.

Before that, The Show spoke with him to learn about the performance and his storied career, which seems to be taking off now more than ever.

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