Conor Williams in the Los Angeles Review of Books:
While his filmography is now iconic — his mainstream hit Hairspray (1988) has spawned both a remake and an acclaimed musical — the 76-year-old provocateur hasn’t made a picture since 2004. Waters has instead occupied himself with other projects, namely fine art and writing. His more recent books include Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America (2014) and Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder (2019). The so-called “filth elder” has now written his first novel, Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance, released this May by Macmillan Publishers.
To celebrate this latest endeavor, Waters speaks with me over the phone from his getaway in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Winding down to the end of a whirlwind press tour, he sounds relaxed. Provincetown, after all, has become something of another home to him over the years, his first home being, famously, the city of Baltimore. He speaks softly, but his voice retains its charismatic warmth.
More here.