Court TV Informer Stupid Crimes & Misdemeanors Best Defense

Court TV Host: Chat with iconoclastic film director John Waters, the star of Court TV's new series, 'Til Death Do Us Part, a darkly humorous look at marriages gone very wrong. The series airs Mondays at 10pm and premieres March 19 - get a special preview in a chat with Waters himself on March 13 at 2pm ET/11am PT, right here.

Court TV Host: That's right now! John Waters is here! Welcome, John Waters, thanks for being our guest today.

John Waters: Good to be here with all these crime hags.

Question from kk: Welcome, Mr. Waters!!! I understand you subscribe to 80 magazines - which are your favorites?

John Waters: Well, it's actually 160 magazines now. And yes, I read them all. I guess I start with the high and the low. Maybe New York Review of Books to the National Enquirer to French art magazines to the California Lifers' newsletter - which is a legal journal concerning parole for people with a life sentence. By the way, I do recycle. First, the gay magazines go to my gay friends. The fashion magazines go to a woman I know who owns a shop. And the rest are picked through by my staff, and what's left over is recycled.

Question from too: I CANNOT wait for your new show, whoever thought in 1970 that you would be on TV!!!

John Waters: That's true. Even in 1970, the only TV I thought of was transvestite, not television. But I did come to Court TV right when it began and tried to get them involved with "Serial Mom." They told me they were a little young to get involved with me. So you see, it just took a while. We're both feeling more confident about our image. "'Til Death Do Us Part" is maybe the first Court TV show with a sense of humor -- definitely, the first one to parody itself.

Question from SweetPea: Mr. Waters, what made you want to do this type of show?

John Waters: Well, I felt that the character of the Groom Reaper was right up my alley. He "enables" the viewer to feel less guilty about enjoying the terrible things that can happen to a married couple. Actually, my motto has always been, "Stay single and stay alive."

Court TV Host: In 'Til Death Do We Part, you appear as a kind of host/narrator to the stories that we see each half hour in a way reminiscent of Hitchcock in the TV series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" - was that a conscious inspiration?

John Waters: Certainly. But also, Boris Karloff in "Thriller," Rod Serling in "The Twilight Zone," and unfortunately, a hint of Paul Lynde.

Question from tribe: Do you use actual true murder cases, and if so, isn't that demeaning the crime, and to the victim?

John Waters: They are based, sometimes loosely, on true crime. It's a matter of record, not a matter of debasement. The murderer, however, DID debase his partner, which isn't my fault. I doubt this show will encourage anyone to kill their spouse. In fact, it may STOP couples from murdering each other, since nobody gets away with it on our show. Curiously enough, it seems the average sentence handed out is 25 to life, which proves that even the judge and jury understand that murder is possible in any marriage.

Court TV Host: Your motto Stay single and stay alive" - has suggested these questions...

Question from IceLady: It would seem that is a good motto to "live" by nowadays.

Question from SweetPea: Love it - I might have to "borrow" your motto - so you yourself have never had a horrific marriage gone bad?

John Waters: I have certainly been in relationships that have had moments of sadness, and everyone has imagined murdering someone they're in love with, if only for a second. "I could just kill him (or her)" is a common expression.

Question from jason: Have there been any villains to replace the Manson women as your faves after all this time?

John Waters: That's a very complicated question. "Faves" is certainly not how I would put it. The kids that became members of the Manson family were also victims of Charlie. Naive, suburban hippies who met one of the most notorious madmen of our time in one of the most volatile years of the '60s decade. Most of the so-called "Family" looks back on the crimes with horror and sadness. Leslie van Houten deserves parole, and almost all the psychiatrists and prison representatives agree with this. She has a sentence of life, not life without parole. And therefore, without any irony, I support her parole plan.

Question from Laura: I'd love to know some of the true cases John Waters bases his stories on!

John Waters: I don't pick which stories get turned into screenplays. I'm just an actor, the Groom Reaper showing up for work. However, we don't do famous cases, only "average" American stories. So if you have one, send it in! And if you're planning to kill your husband or wife, don't do it.

Question from JamesFalcon: John, do you think that 'Til Death Do Us Part will serve as an influence for future projects?

Question from nancyx2: My question...Was there a case in your CTV show that was so bizarre or strange it could inspire you to write a film or play about it?

John Waters: Who knows what can happen? I did a guest shot on "My Name is Earl" recently, and I think there's two reasons I got cast in the Court TV show: "Seed of Chucky" and my mustache. I don't ever base my own movies on real-life incidents, certainly not one that's already been done on this show. I think both "Female Trouble" and "Serial Mom" were my "true crime" genre pieces, and I doubt I'll do another one. I'll leave THAT up to Court TV.

Question from Laura: What ever happened to the great true crime rags? Will you start your own magazine?

John Waters: I think Court TV put the true crime magazines out of business. There was one I had a subscription to recently called "American Justice," but it must have failed because I only got two issues, and the second one was the size of Reader's Digest - and the premiere issue was full-sized. It died quickly, I guess. Who can compete with Court TV?

Question from tribe: Do you read true crime novels?

John Waters: Sorry, there's no such thing as a true crime novel. However, I do read true crime a lot. My favorite one recently was entitled "Murder in the Heartland," and it's about the alarming trend of what the New York Post called "womb raiders" -- women who follow pregnant women, cut out their babies and take them home. That's a new kind of hysterical pregnancy.

Question from MaryB: Do you have a favorite fiction author, and if so, who?

John Waters: I can't pick a favorite, but I certainly like Tennessee Williams, Jean Genet, James Purdy, Bruce Wagner, Ivy Compton-Burnett, Grace Metalious, and Dennis Cooper.

Question from too: How did this show idea come about?

Question from Jackie: What inspired you to do this series?

John Waters: Jeff Lieberman thought up the concept of the show and had me in mind for the part.

Question from Rachelle: Do more husbands or wives kill their spouses?

John Waters: I don't know the scientific answer, but our show is an equal opportunity employer. Part of the "fun" of the show is that you know somebody's gonna die, but you don't know if the bride or groom are going to do it until the end of each episode.

Question from Balmer_Boy: It seems like your values are now regular in pop culture. Is it hard being fresh now that you're in the mainstream?

John Waters: Isn't it the ultimate irony that I'm now an "insider" rather than an "outsider"? Ah, sweet revenge?

Question from Scott: What is your pick for the most bizarre or most creative murder you came across in the episodes so far? Which one made you cringe the most?

John Waters: Well, anything that takes place in a funeral parlor is creepy, but yet, for a funeral director, being around a dead body is no big deal. That episode has a bizarre twist that I don't want to give away the ending.

Question from Eric: Will you continue to follow in Vincent Price's footsteps and publish a cookbook!? Could you name a few of your favorite recipes?

John Waters: I never met Vincent Price, but I was a huge fan of his, and I gave an interview to one of those biography channels when they did his life and said nice things, and he actually called me to thank me! I was really honored, and, after his death, I met his daughter, who wrote a first-rate biography of him. Yes, I can cook, but I'm not a cook, because I follow recipes, not make them up. I doubt a cookbook is in my future. But there is an amazing one I suggest for you, called "Unspeakable Recipes," which is one of the most appalling cookbooks in print.

Question from MaryB: Do any of the story lines include children to the marriage and how it affects them?

John Waters: In our series, as far as I can remember, no one kills their partner because of their children, while in real life, unfortunately, this is not true. Remember, we only do entertaining murders. So children and their reaction to horror would definitely put a damper on this. Try to understand.

Question from ForensicChic: With all these real life spousal tragedies do you think your show may offend people?

Question from kiara: Mr. Waters, I do appreciate dark humor, but with all the recent cases of hubbies killing wives, it does not seem appropriate.

John Waters: I'm sure there will be some people that are offended by this show, and I know that it's a gray area for humor. A show about spousal abuse would never happen. But isn't that odd? 'Cause I'd much rather be beat up than murdered, if I had to pick. It's because a murder throws it in to a completely different league. Some of the most famous novels, movies and TV shows are murder mysteries. And this is why I think it is fair game. The characters that aren't the murderer or the victim are disguised and changed. So certainly, this will make it harder to identify for the people who are living with the aftermath.

Question from Balmer_Boy: What would Edith Massey or Divine have to say about all this?

John Waters: They'd both want a part. And God knows, Divine's character in my films murdered many people and was still loved. Edith was only married once, and on her wedding night, her husband didn't return -- which seems enough of a reason to kill him, in my book.

Question from shell: Need your opinions on: Phil Spector, Scott Peterson, Anna Nicole, did Howard do anything criminal?

John Waters: Phil Spector: great producer, unthanked by Ronnie Spector last night at the Grammys, the only producer who wouldn't answer our queries about using one of his songs on my "A Date with John Waters" compilation CD. I'm looking forward to whatever hairdo he wears to the trial and assume that day one's look was somehow to establish an insanity defense. Scott Peterson: looked better as a blonde -- the best porno star on death row. Anna Nicole: well, as they said about Elvis, "Death was a good career move." I think the father of her baby is the cute one, and I don't mean Howard.

Question from too: Can anyone really make John Waters cringe?

John Waters: Cringe? Oh, God, yes. Overproduced, overly market-tested, Hollywood romantic comedies. Many of our country's current leaders. All censors. Especially liberal ones.

Question from outtahere: Are any of the marriages in the series between same-sex couples?

John Waters: No, because for it to be legal, gay marriages would have to be in Massachusetts and so far, there hasn't been a gay couple that's killed one another and when that happens, it will be a very famous case. So basically, our show would have to wait for the third or fourth killing. I personally am a single man, and plan to stay that way, because I want to stay alive. Every time you fall in love, you also possibly fall in hate. Your marriage day could always mean murder, and nobody's worth it.

Question from too: Do you watch a lot of TV -- Court TV of course -- but what else?

John Waters: I don't watch a lot of TV, but I do turn on Court TV just to get obsessed. I watch "The Wire," I watch some of the talk shows, the news if we're at war, but basically, the real reason I have a television is for pornography.

Question from too: Do you have any new feature films in the works?

John Waters: I do. It's a children's film -- the kind of movie I wish I could have seen as a child. But since I haven't made it yet, I think it's bad luck to talk about something before you've done it. The movie of my one-man performance show, "This Filthy World," is currently available on Netflix and comes out on DVD in June.

Question from jason: Do you think that the upcoming "Grindhouse" films will help bring back the midnite movie?

John Waters: I think "Grindhouse," Quentin's new movie, is going to be just great and a huge hit. There isn't much real exploitation left, except for the Chucky movies and the "Final Destination" series. I want to be in "Final Destination 4."

Question from igottaknow: Is it strange that someone else is directing the movie musical version of the play of your movie, Hairspray?

John Waters: No, because a "passive" income is a wonderful thing to have. I've read that Adam Shankman, the director of the new "Hairspray," came to Baltimore. We've had many talks, I've read the really good script, seen about 25 minutes of the footage, and think he's done a great job. I'm in it, too -- I play the flasher -- typecast forever, I guess.

Question from daleeff: Why do we have a guest in a G rated room encouraging porn?

John Waters: Because G-rated people grow up and cross over. And I would say this is a PG-rated room. What are you letting your children read about murder for? Violence is OK, and sex isn't? Maybe we disagree on parenting. I'd rather have my kids watching porn than murdering each other.

Question from jason: Any plans to make Divine's life story?

John Waters: No, but maybe someday somebody will bring to life "Shock Value," my autobiography. Hopefully I won't be alive to see it.

Question from jason: Do you have a candidate you like for '08? And do you see yourself as a member of a party?

John Waters: Yes, I'm definitely a Democrat, although I'm weary of Democrats who just whine about Bush and don't do anything. Riot! That's what I did when I was young.

Court TV Host: Thanks, John Waters, for being our guest today! Come back soon!

John Waters: Thanks, don't murder your spouses, and tune in! Yours in crime, John Waters

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