“I consider myself a lower-case gay, not screaming like my good friend [porn director and drag queen] Chi Chi LaRue. I love all my friends in the community, and if the moment came [for induction into the Hall Of Fame], it would be a tremendous moment, not just for the band and our fans, but for the whole LGBT community.”
— Rob Halford, vocalist of heavy metal band Judas Priest, when asked whether his being gay may be why the band hasn’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Xtra!, Nov. 21)
“I’m for gay marriage. I don’t want to do it, but I certainly think people should be allowed to, and I wouldn’t vote for anybody that would be against it. But at the same time, why do we have to be good now? Why can’t we be villains in movies?”
— Gay cult film director John Waters (“Hairspray, “Cry-Baby”) on the mainstreaming of gay culture (Slate.com, Nov. 20)
For more than 40 years, John Waters has been one of the most original voices in contemporary pop culture. His films, including “Pink Flamingos,” “Desperate Living,” “Polyester,” “Hairspray” and “Pecker,” brought the underground and independent creative spirit to mainstream audiences.
Waters is also the author of several books, including his latest, “Role Models,” released last month. In “Role Models,” Waters pays homage to the people, some famous, some not, who helped to make him who he is today.