John Waters
Live at City Winery, New York City 6/22/2012
by Michael Sherer
Posted: Jul 2012
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John Waters - photo by Michael Sherer
For forty eight years, John Waters has been directing what have been become the most well known of U.S. independent, unconventional and exploitative films. With 1972’s Pink Flamingos being John’s first hit, it afforded him name recognition and a degree of cult status, which has grown a great deal over the decades since. It was the ‘70’s that John also embarked on a side career, that being stand up comedy.
I personally respect the ability for one to do two or more challenging crafts well, as John does. Stand up comedy is not only a difficult endeavor, it also takes a tremendous amount of courage and confidence, as one is all alone up on stage and has nothing to hide behind.
I caught this side of John for the first time at the classy and cool venue called City Winery, located just north of Canal Street in lower Manhattan. John is proverbially lanky and tall, which was the first thing that struck me. I also noticed quickly that John carefully prepares his entire set, in a script fashion, as that’s what works for him. While some comedians use elements of improvised material, John is one that operates along highly developed and guided lines. John noted later that as with most all comedians, he’ll modify his material as he sees how the audience reacts to the bits, as well as when new experiences occur.
The content of John’s act touched on many subjects, many of them sexual and pornographic related, and his openness regarding his homosexuality was a part of much of it. Drugs was another topic that was probed a few times, as was political related material. Another was the differences between the genders and how they function and behave. A through line of the whole performance is his hometown of Baltimore, and the ethos of this city that borders on where the South begins. Through his jokes, which are based on true stories, John essentially takes the audience through his colorful and extensive career. He had me laughing several times, and has solid timing. As with a musician, timing is absolutely essential in comedy, but not nearly as easy as it seems when one has it. Perhaps John had to work on having it, but if so, that’s testimony to his dedication toward this part of his life. He’s also an author of five books as well as a photographer, so he certainly has a lot on his plate.
The immediacy of stand up comedy is much more inherent than in any of John’s other pursuits. A particularly funny, concise and true anecdotal bit was delivered as the last thing John said, which was during the Q & A that follows his act. Someone asked John for a good Baltimore story. He replied that he witnessed a family walking down the street, and the little boy asks his father, ‘Why is mommy crying?’ The dad responded with the following: ‘Because you’re an asshole.’ Classic and streamlined as John’s pencil thin mustache, that one.