A night with Director John Waters ...

"Irreverent" certainly doen't do it justice ... saying it "shocks the conscience" is maybe a bit better ... but more, it is the stuff of legend. The plain and everyday, the usual and humdrum, we all know are all forgotten with ... the next big rain. John Waters has a permanent legacy steeped in counter-tradition, stirred with an anarchical shovel, laced with insanity and presented in humor with a splash of causticity yielding his desired effect: an audience in aftershock, laughing reflexively, mouths agape, masking the impact of their sudden awareness their reality, or at least their Christmas reality, has been forever altered.

Regardless of your upbringing, education or beliefs, artists such as John Waters should be appreciated, if for nothing else, for proudly embracing the First Amendment. Even the most prudish, if they could look past the vulgarity (as I do when encountering a canine mid-defecation) would see the impressive talent of this man and better respect what he has brought to, or wrought in cinema.

John Waters has always been on my "bucket list" of "People to Meet" and I am so elated I was able to not only get a personalized autographed copy of his book but a photo with the legend himself.

The pre-show staff at the Florida Theater were superb, helpful and accomodating. The post-show (security?) staff obviously lack "people skills" - brusquely corralling those who purchased the book and awaiting the signing and then barking directions to us regarding which page to have the book turned to when approaching Mr. Waters. The rudeness of that portion of the staff was a topic of conversation among those waiting, many of whom I assume were "Friends of the Theater". Goes to show Florida Theater still has a ways to go in personnel training, volunteer or not. Understanding they have probably "seen it all" in downtown JAX, it still would have been better for them to say, "Hey, we're WAY out of our league here -  please bear with us since we are not quite smart enough to provide security and follow the artists demands in a professional and friendly manner".

That part of the overall expereince was tainted - not too much unlike being in the que of an exciting Disney ride and sensing a foul odor being released in the room. Note, this will not keep me from returning to Florida Theater - it just killed any motivation I had earlier of checking into what it takes ($) to become a "Friend of the Theater".