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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
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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…
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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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