Academy Awards Museum to host Drag Queen Story Hour event honoring 'Pope of Filth'

An exhibition honoring "Pope of Filth" filmmaker John Waters at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will include a Drag Queen Story Hour event.

The exhibition, titled "John Waters: Pope of Trash," will debut on Sept. 17 and run until Aug. 4, 2024.

According to the Academy Museum website, it will be the "first comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the artist’s contributions to cinema" and spotlight "his filmmaking process, key themes, and unmatched style." The exhibition will also include a "kid-friendly" Drag Queen Story Hour featuring scene readings from Waters’ often profane films.

"This fall’s slate of programs at the Academy Museum are designed to tell immersive and dynamic stories of moviemaking for visitors of all ages and abilities," Amy Homma, chief audience officer of the Academy Museum, said in a statement. "Visitors can experience the John Waters: Pope of Trash exhibition, then join us for Drag Queen Story Hour to see kid-friendly live scene-readings from his films."

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The Los Angeles museum was developed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, organization behind the Academy Awards, in 2021. The museum will mark its second anniversary on Sept. 30 with complimentary admission to all visitors.

While it is unclear which of Waters’ films will be read, one of his most famous films includes the 1972 X-rated movie "Pink Flamingos." The movie among other things features a drag performer eating dog feces on camera.

Several GOP lawmakers have taken steps against drag queen events involving children. 

A recent Texas law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott is set to go into effect on Sept. 1, restricting "sexually oriented performances" in front of children. The bill defines a "sexually oriented performance" as a performance featuring "a male performer exhibiting as a female, or a female performer exhibiting as a male, who uses clothing, makeup, or other similar physical markers and who sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience" and "appeals to the prurient interest in sex."

The ACLU filed a lawsuit to have the law blocked earlier this month.

In an interview with "The News & Observer" in February, Waters voiced his support for Drag Queen Story Hours, claiming them to be funny.

"I just picture little Billy coming home from school and Dad saying, ‘How was school today?’ And he says ‘Oh, Little Miss Hot Mess taught me how to put on bottom lashes!’ Get it girl!" Waters said.

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He also celebrated efforts by Republicans to allegedly "ban" books, adding that it’s the "best thing" for his works.

"I built a career on being banned. Nowadays if they ban a book, it’s the best thing that can happen, because there are sections in bookshops — right up front, near the cash register — that say ‘banned books,’" Waters said.

According to the Academy Museum website, the exhibition will include "costumes, set decoration, props, handwritten scripts, posters, concept designs, correspondence, scrapbooks, photographs, film clips, and more."

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The description read, "John Waters is a visual artist, author, and a revered film director who shapes every aspect of his production process. Aimed at skewering traditional institutions, his work has led novelist William S. Burroughs to anoint Waters as the ‘Pope of Trash.’ His daring dismissal of social norms and the status quo has been celebrated and adored by audiences for more than 50 years."

The Academy Museum did not respond for a comment.

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