John Waters on Letterman, Part 2 of 3: 1983-86

[@v.a.993]

I love John Waters. He is an American treasure.

[@mytzlplk5929]

“Life is nothing if you’re not obsessed” Just wonderful.

[@chartaiwan]

Global not just American

[@DungeonStudio]

I like John because he just revels in life. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And he's just fearless with his anecdotes.

[@Obiter3]

In the 80s these Letterman/Waters interviews were must watch. Mr. Waters was so functional in mainstreaming this fascinating community on Letterman throughout the years. My folks were always MIA and I learned "tolerance," as stupid a term as that is, through interviews like this.

[@MichelleUS66]

John Waters is such an engaging guest! You can tell Dave really enjoys interviewing him. (Can't wait for part three!)

[@jayham____fromgeorgia]

Dave seems to be really intrigued with a lot of counter-culture people through the years. This show was great because Dave is kinda wacky anyway. These appearances are brilliant.

[@OmnipotentDog]

Up until the point where John took the candy out.

[@angelas.9717]

By this episode, Letterman had totally relaxed into the whole John Waters zeitgeist experience. It was good to see then, and now. Would love to see Letterman interview Waters on his Netflix series "My Next Guest..."

[@ThreadBomb]

Yes!

[@karlreinke9653]

I was at this show in 82’ and saw John waters and Quinton crisp plus a musician that I don’t remember. I was in the green room as there were no seats left in th audience. My collage roommate got me in as he worked for NBC. It was very cool!

[@dongiller]

Not a musician but a stand-up comic - Mark Schiff. August 24, 1982.

[@MattieCooper10000]

14:25 It's practically palpable how the audience is opening up to Waters as a collective consciousness, compared to the previous Letterman appearances.

[@jesseaguilar9315]

MattieCooper In the first clip Dave couldn’t “get” to John since John has a self depreciating demeanor anyway and as you watch part 2 & 3 you can tell Dave warms up to him throughput the years.

[@manuelkong10]

also, John gets sharper with these interviews

[@mytzlplk5929]

And Letterman too, this trilogy is simply fascinating so far.

[@ThreadBomb]

@@manuelkong10 Yeah, I think his public speaking engagements turned him into a better chat show guest. No one is born with that level of affability.

[@Vincent1808]

Man, I wish Flamingos Forever could have been realized

[@AtyPical1313]

Hair hoppers = 1988 movie "Hairspray" One of my most favorite movies ever!

[@tomatopastekevin8552]

R.I.P. Flamingos Forever. Never seen, always remembered.

[@egglady]

These are fabulous! Thank you! I love that even as early as 1983, John Waters predicted that Pia Zadora would appear in Hairspray.

[@giuseppelogiurato5718]

I'm glad that J. Waters' films are still revellant.

[@mickiakalovi996]

Baltimoreans would feel right at home in Texas. The higher the hair, the closer to God.

[@AntoinettexKitten]

The bigger the intolerance

[@sardonicus76]

That “Rosenbergs” line was pure Waters. 10/10

[@arielgerardo]

Letterman´s face LMAO

[@mgpm17]

Love John Waters! Baltimore loves it's favorite son!

[@BaccarWozat]

Holy frag, suddenly I remember having candy bullets when I was a kid. The shell was plastic and continued to smell of the candy for a couple weeks afterward. What a thing to be reminded of! Thanks Mr. Waters!

[@tg995nation6]

That " yeah" from the band is awesome.

[@jameslawson6245]

Really Loving John Waters!

[@katiezee2]

He did a funny little cameo in the 90s on Homicide Life on the Street, which was filmed in Baltimore. It had Mike Logan from Law & Order delivering him as an extradited prisoner who wanted to do his time in Balto rather than NYC

[@fromthemoonraccoon]

September 19, 1983 0:41 June 19, 1985 9:19 October 16, 1986 17:39

[@eleni1968]

"They called me the Fellini if the Gutters"; How terrific and is that?

[@annawreckshit866]

john talking bout the MOVE bombing is rad. love this man

[@DanielleStarry]

“If Barbie’s gettin on your nerves, FRY HER!”

[@shantebarze1068]

😂😂

[@rsf3119]

thanks again for sharing some amazing cult history

[@jeffclement2979]

Disappointed with that last novelty from his bag...I thought it would be way worse! He's an American treasure

[@beatlemaniac909]

24:02 okay I love this man

[@kelliwhite9794]

It's so funny how square Letterman is, John Waters obviously annoys him with the Dingleberries candy.

[@searchingforlostatoms7191]

@Mastema He's not a phony, and in media that's an asset. He doesn't get Waters but is intrigued by him

[@searchingforlostatoms7191]

He looks square talking to Waters, I never noticed it before. You're right. I'm from Baltimore and Waters IS Baltimore

[@flwrfan1752]

David invited John on his show a few years before Hairspray,not that square.

[@clericduran]

I wonder what John thinks about “The Room” labeled as the greatest worst movie

[@urzathehappy72]

He probly dropped a ton of acid and saw it in the theater laughing his plastic tits off

[@SaintMartins]

14:56 Letterman: "How about the Von Bulow trial ?" Waters: "Oh... that's too P.B.S. for me."

[@cyclo1224]

My grandpa always called them "kunk bungles" instead of dingleberries. lol

[@jeffdawson2786]

John at his best. “Barbie’s getting on your nerves, fry her.”

[@donmajestic5258]

The Karen Carpenter Story starring Divine LOOLLLLOL He SHOULD HAVE!!

[@ThreadBomb]

"I'm down to 20 stone! I'm wasting away!"

[@bilbobolsonaro1316]

The karen carpenter story lol

[@karlreinke9653]

Thanks for the correction. Now I remember , I think Paul McCartney was on the earlier in the month and tickets became impossible to get. It was a comedian That was on.

[@dongiller]

Impossible re McCartney. Maybe you’re thinking of Pete Best, who appeared on July 14, 1982.

[@stevenroby1667]

how come waters never made those two films? although at one time I had a book called trash trio that did have the script for flamingos forever

[@dongiller]

As I posted in the description, the latter was, most likely, an early version of "Hairspray."

[@MothraBlues]

'Hairhoppers' was what John originally called 'Hairspray', I believe. Yr welcum! :-)

[@mangoshadow2026]

Divine passed away same year Hairspray was released; no Pink Flamingos sequel without Divine.

[@karlreinke9653]

Well I guess I’m wrong. There was a lot of buzz about it. For whatever reason McCartney was in town? Don’t know.also on that visit with my friend , He got me into a taping of Tony Randells show Here’s Sidney. Helen Hayes was on as a guest star. Tony Randell was very pleasant.

[@ThreadBomb]

I can't believe Letterman thought a candy called Dingle Berries was worse than a working electric chair for Barbie dolls.

[@itsiwhatitsi]

What a Genius

[@michaelmcgee8543]

I'm wondering if those two films ever materialized.

[@timothyarchibald7479]

Is Hair Hoppers.... Hairspray (1988)? Also, that READ!!! omg... the karen carpenter story lmaooooo... the dingleberries.. lmaoooo

[@mongrelhalfbreedobern]

Disco era walking tourists bounced between The Mission, Salvation Army and the Vineyard which had a large collection of used paisley polyester shirts... bottom 2 buttons for timeless style

[@FlockOfHawks]

20:45-21:15 and that's exactly why this european *loves* the USA

[@kinianina9956]

wait what, europans loves USA? XDDD No we don't, we never did XD

[@FlockOfHawks]

Hi@@kinianina9956 , maybe not _all_ europeans , but this one definitely does ! Usa is Anarchy and Energy , which both appeal to this old punk :o)

[@michaelmcgee8543]

Fun!

[@williamshaw9047]

"We'll be right back with Dennis Haskins..." Belding was on Letterman?

[@dongiller]

At the time, he was an extra. In this appearance, clips from “Cutter to Houston” and “Trauma Center.”

[@mournblade1066]

@1:54 Well, Pia Zidora (sp?) DID, in fact, end up being in that film.

[@khunopie9159]

It's The Jonz!

[@judydoyle1124]

John is 1 year older than Dave

[@arricammarques1955]

''Caged Heat'', be his next film?

[@lettherebemorelight]

My love dont give me presents

[@giuseppelogiurato5718]

I heard that too... "She's a Woman"

[@JacobLomax]

The Hair Hoppers aka Hairspray

[@AntoinettexKitten]

I had candy lipstick that looked like those bullets

[@Pravindaswani74]

What a CONTRAST..Letterman & Waters omg

[@dannyguillory8941]

You know, the fact that he said, "This just shows how great America is" tells me about how our present state is so sad. Back in the day, when Mel Brooks released 'Blazing Saddles' : he said that this movie couldn't be made in America today. He was so right. This country of ours has fallen under a dark cloud. And this is a dangerous time. Characters, like Donald Trump (a wannabe dictator) don't care about this country, don't care about democracy, or put their own needs (pathological narcissistic need) before the good of this country, we are in trouble.

[@girliboi]

wait, who are the "moo people"?

[@davidadams2395]

fr3@kb!+¢h sorry, the MOVE people.

[@GodEmperorSuperStar]

Look for the documentary Let the Fire Burn kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXuyoHpvqpqnhc0

[@dianekimball6812]

MOVE was in Philadelphia. Google it.

[@badabingbadaboom6333]

10:26 Can anyone please explain this comment Waters made and why everyone gasped?

[@sara-bx9rw]

Karen Carpenter was anorexic

[@thetotallynon-suspicioussh4126]

Apparently Karen Carpenter is a singer who lost her life due to anorexia. John waters says since Divine lost some weight perhaps they would make a movie about Karen Carpenter, starring divine. They probably gasped because of the offensive nature of the joke.

[@RobotWillie]

Iceberg lettuce is one of the only kinds of lettuce I like lol, although with Butter. I don't even like romaine. Aside from that tiny difference in opinion I really enjoy this guy.

[@ThreadBomb]

It's definitely good shredded on Mexican food. You can't do that with rocket or spinach leaves.

[@rualert1602]

Dingle berries, I think there could be a market for that. Look, Honey - - -

[@michaelmcgee8543]

Oh yes hair spray.

[@AntoinettexKitten]

I hope he left those dingle berries with Divine

[@bubblybubbles4326]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@tertommy]

George Kuchar did it better Johnny.

[@GaitaPonto]

"The Karen Carpenter Story" would be a great John Waters' movie.