Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Character Actor and John Waters Muse Divine.

Character actor Divine. Divine was the most famous character in John Waters' movies...a 300 hundred pound transvestite who stared in such Waters classics as "Pink Flamingoes" and "Female Trouble." In "Hairspray," Divine played two roles--a man and a woman. Toward the end of his career, Divine appeared in two movies independent of Waters and also started to land T-V roles. Divine died shortly after he and Terry spoke. (Original date 2/23/88).

11:29
Queue

Guest

Host

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on December 26, 1989

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, December 26, 1989: Interview with Spalding Gray; Commentary on music in the year 1980; Interview with Divine; Review of Thor Heyerdahl's book "Easter Island, the Mystery…
Queue
22:56

Find the Perfect Moment.

Monologuist Spalding Gray. In the 80s, Gray went from New York cult status to something approaching fame as more people discovered his autobiographical monologues, as his acting roles increased, and in the wake of his movie, "Swimming To Cambodia." In mid 1986, when Terry and Spalding did this interview, Gray had appeared in the movies "The Killing Fields" and "True Stories," and then had headed out to L.A. to make big bucks as a T-V actor. (This interview originally broadcast on the weekly national version of Fresh Air on 11/4/86).

Interview

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
09:40

Ricki Lake Brings Attitude to the Big Screen

The actress had her big break in John Waters' movie Hairspray, as the teen star Tracy Turnblad. Lake is larger than many of her peers, but has successfully landed roles written for skinny women. She joins Fresh Air to discuss her early influences, her post-Hairspray work, and her relationship with the late drag queen Divine.

Interview
Queue
09:33

The Best and Worst Movies of 1988

Film critic Stephen Schiff talks with Terry Gross about this years movies. He says 1988 was an unusually good year for American films, though his favorite Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. His least favorite movie was Willow.

Interview
Queue
04:01

A Tamer John Waters.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Hairspray," the latest film by director and writer John Waters. "Hairspray," a satire of the teen dance shows of the early 60s, follows a long line of wildly eccentric films like "Polyester," "Pink Flamingos," and "Female Trouble." The cast includes Divine, Debbie Harry, Pia Zadora and Sonny Bono.

Review

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

See All Recent Segments

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue