John Waters Marks 80th Birthday While Keeping Mosswood Festival Wild

John Waters celebrated his 80th birthday by emceeing the 12th edition of Mosswood Meltdown, the Oakland punk festival he founded, where he introduced performers like Iggy Pop, Bikini Kill, Pavement and a Ramones tribute band with his signature filthy one-liners. Speaking backstage, Waters described his work as always punk, noting that even his early films mocked liberal values and that he writes every joke each morning without a writing staff.

He praised the Academy’s museum exhibition of his work and the National Registry’s recognition of Pink Flamingos, while also observing that today’s sexual revolution feels more extreme than his own era. The director expressed enthusiasm for micro-budget filmmakers breaking through, warned that studios often co-opt them, and mentioned several stalled projects, including a children’s animation titled Fruitcake. He concluded by emphasizing his preference for punk bars over mainstream gay events and his ongoing love for the fringe communities that have sustained his six-decade career.