Role Models
Category: Books,Biographies & Memoirs,Arts & Literature,Actors & Entertainers
Role Models Details
Role Models is filmmaker John Waters's 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 American 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.
Reviews
The eccentric world of John Waters is definitely not for everyone. He is, refreshingly, as far away from the mainstream as one can get without being stark raving mad. Sadly, there is currently no one in my life that I would recommend this book to. But I have often used Mr. Water's work, specifically the brilliant and zany movie, Polyester, as a barometer in assessing a potential friend or lover's tolerance of my own lunatic sense of humor. I am filled with nostalgia for the days when I'd sit in front of the VCR with that movie and with the few select people who "got it", laughing my ass off.There is a genius beneath the penciled on mustache, garish clothing and apparent fetish for feces. What makes Mr. Water's writing special in this particular book is that he exposes his role models, however bizarre and raw their innards may be, with a sense of reverence and compassion, despite their obvious shortcomings. His kindness and ultimate belief in the goodness of people is apparent, and although I did not laugh as much as I thought I might while reading Role Models, I have a renewed appreciation for his work.