Kinja reply list

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deadkittensRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 3:39pm
I'm a thief, and a shitkicker. And, I'd like to be famous!

Divine was a genius. 'You Think You're a Man' was Stock Aitken Waterman's first hit, just before 'You Spin Me Round'
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  Rich Juzwiakdeadkittens
  4/09/14 3:47pm
  Yeah! And I'm pretty sure that I read that Pete Burns specifically requested material in the style of "You Think You're a Man" and "I'm So Beautiful" because he loved Waterman's work with Divine so much. Without Divine, Dead or Alive would have been very different.
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  deadkittensRich Juzwiak
  4/09/14 4:03pm
  And without 'Spin Me Round', Bananarama would have never signed up with PWL, so, be extension, we have Divine to thank for 'I Heard a Rumour' and 'Love In The First Degree'.
  
  There's a brilliant interview with Boy George and Pete Burns kicking around on YouTube. Once upon a time, stars had personality. RIP.
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abrasax2Rich Juzwiak
4/09/14 3:32pm
I get that lot of the 'old school' gays complain a lot about how we're losing some of our culture in assimilation and all that, but part of it is simply the expansion of the gay community. As more and more people from diverse racial, economic and social backgrounds come out and become part of the LGBT community, the 'old school' gay culture isn't big enough to appeal to all of them, so necessarily gay culture becomes more mainstream because that makes it easier for people from widely different backgrounds to participate.

How much of a place would a gay Latino have had in the gay scene of the 70s and 80s, compared to now? Not that things are perfect now, but I think for a lot of gay guys who don't fit to the mainstream twink-like image (in fact, media representations of gay men always seem to be a decade or so behind) - especially for gay PoC - the old school gay culture holds no appeal because it was essentially produced by a very narrow segment of gay men, and it's those who belong to that segment that mostly complain about this.
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  Rich Juzwiakabrasax2
  4/09/14 3:44pm
  Yeah, one thing that I started thinking about after watching this documentary was that a lot of people like Divine were out when they were because there was no way they could be in (see Waters' quote above re: passing as normal). So yes, as it becomes safer to come out, those who can pass as straight have less and less of a need to do so, and as a result, what gay "looks like" becomes a lot more diverse and integrates so-called "normalcy."
  
  The thing about Divine is that while identifiably gay, he otherwise fit no sort of pre-drawn image. I think what's really inspiring and relevant about him is he showed how liberating it can be to come to terms with not fitting in. That kind of vivid individuality is a beautiful thing, and I see a lot of conformity happening amongst gays (regardless of whether they could pass as straight or not).
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  PrayForDentonabrasax2
  4/09/14 3:51pm
  Gay culture is not and never was this monolithic thing. Latinos had their own gay scene in the 70s and 80s. (Although, I'd argue that they weren't as segregated in the 80s as you are implying.)
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selmabouvierterwilligerhutzmcclureRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 3:35pm
My favorite Divine role was Francine Fishpaw in Polyester.

"I wish I could be more like you, Cuddles, always optimistic! I look into my future and all I see is a long, dark highway, filled with endless tollbooths and no exits."
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  Drillpressselmabouvierterwilligerhutzmcclure
  4/09/14 3:52pm
  I look into my future and all I see is a long, dark highway, filled with endless tollbooths and no exits.
  
  GET OUT OF MY HEAD, DIVINE!!
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  Cam/ronselmabouvierterwilligerhutzmcclure
  4/09/14 4:17pm
  Best moment:
  
  Protester: Our children are going to hell because of your theater, what do you have to say to them?
  
  Elmer: Children under 12 are a dollar fifty!
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YourExFutureWifeRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 3:32pm
I'm fascinated with John Waters, and (to a bit lesser extent) Divine. I can't think of another successful duo who seem so refreshingly honest/comfortable in their own skin, but at the same time manage to seem incredibly contrived.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll seek this out.
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  Jerry-NetherlandYourExFutureWife
  4/09/14 8:01pm
  John Waters' "This Filthy World" is one of the funniest, most candidly irreverent monologue ever recorded. A must see ( I think it's streaming on Netflix, but here's the Amazon link)
  
  John Waters: This Filthy World John Waters: This Filthy World John Waters: This Filthy World
  
  Amazon.com: $9.99
  
  Buy now 8 readers bought this
  
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rudi_freudeRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 3:26pm

GIF

And he gave us this immortal Disney creation, as well.
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kai rhymes with kRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 3:47pm
I think the people who do the most for the queer community are those who take the most widely accepted parts (marriage & 2.5 kids/drag that appeals to cishet men/etc) and shit all over it. Expanding what is "acceptable" is how we redefine normal to mean whatever the fuck we want and whatever the fuck makes us comfortable.

Divine is a bit of a fashion icon to my fat queer self and I love love love the way he and Waters push boundaries within and beyond the queer community. I don't want to be normal and I don't need to be but to not feel constantly at odds with Normals by including more of who/what I am in the definition is comforting.
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ExecutorElassusRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 4:19pm
My parents' prize possession among their various souvenirs is a photo of my dad in between John Waters and Divine at some vaguely seedy and pornographic film festival sponsored by some shock-therapy hippie radical professor in Baltimore. They laid that shit out in front of every date I brought home to meet them as a test ("So this is right before they shot that film where the Divine here eats real dog shit right on fucking camera. By the way, how long have you been dating our little Executor?").

The other treasured possession is the Smell-O-Vision cards.
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P Timotheus BrooksRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 4:03pm
Not sure if it has been reported on Gawker, but Leee Black Childers, another artist bemused by Divine, passed this week.
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YourExFutureWifeRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 4:31pm
This feels appropriate - the found photos of a mid-century, middle America drag ball culture:

http://www.privatebirthdayparty.org/
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  Never_NudeYourExFutureWife
  4/10/14 12:16am
  That was amazing! Thanks for sharing. I want to go to there.
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ArthagRich Juzwiak
4/09/14 6:16pm
I do outdoor art shows. This season I displayed two paintings, always side by side, one of Waters and one of Divine. Divine is painted ala DaVinci and Waters is based on a Van Gogh self portrait. (With abstract flamingos in the background, naturally)Of course, I screwed with them a bit. Two things I learned, one is that fans of these men have no money to speak of ( i still have them, unsold despite the praise) so I will have prints made, two is that I have met a shitload of folks who worked with Waters at one time or another and everyone has nothing but the highest praise for him as a person. John is a treasure and I miss Divine very much. While RuPaul's beauty is undeniable, I know in my gut that if it weren't for Divine, Ru would be working in a department store.
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