“Shut up after you’re 30”: John Waters bestows life advice on Search Party’s Charles Rogers
In a decades-long pursuit of his #1 role model, the comedy auteur finally sits down with the Pope of Trash for an introspective profile.
Words by Charles Rogers for A Great Gay Book (ABRAMS) Photography by Julian Buchan Makeup by Ally McGillicuddy Makeup Assistance by Lawrence Mercado Styling by Orchid Satellite Styling Assistance by Sailor Gonzales Hair by Amy Marie Wilson Production design by Megan Mantia Lighting by Taylor Galloway Lighting Assistance by Rob Padillas “I know you don’t have a lot of time.
So first . . . I’m going to spit out my gum.” I wondered why I was saying this. I was stalling and it was only drawing attention to my uneasy hands and the fact that I knew there was nothing in my jacket to spit my gum into.
My nerves were making me stupid. As I fumbled for pretend napkins inside of empty pockets, I heard my artistic hero and all-time idol fill the pointless time that I was making us live in, “My mother was always so anti-gum.” “Are you anti-gum?” I asked, afraid that I might already be disappointing him.