Cleaner waters: April 24, 1990.

As John Waters's latest film--A Dirty Shame, starring Johnny Knoxville--graces the cover of this issue of The Advocate, we look back 14 years at a cover story in which the openly gay director talked about becoming a mainstream Hollywood success. "The idea of luring in unsuspecting people with the facade of commerciality ... is all right with me," Waters said. No longer wanting to appeal only to the audience that came to see his countercultural hits, Waters said he preferred to create humor that could entertain people living in "East Bumfuck, America." "I've always wanted my movies to make money," he said. 'I'm a capitalist."

At the beginning of his career, Waters said, he was making a point with extreme obscenity. "But the times were so different." he said. "There was a war then, and I was 24. I'm 44 now, and that makes a big difference.... I have a nice career and a nice house. A 44 year-old man who was so angry that he could produce Pink Flamingos would be sort of a moron." At 58, however, it seems he's come full circle.