The Fox program, Married With Children, had booked Divine to play Bundy relative, Uncle Otto - a character Fox hoped would become a regular. He'd broken his habit of pot smoking, been widely praised by fans and the press for his role as Edna Turnblad in John Waters' Hairspray, and was finally going to play a role out of drag on network television. He was also reportedly addicted to marijuana, passing out where he sat, exhausted from pot and chronic insomnia.Īt age 42, he was just about to branch into television when he met his demise in Southern California. His weight, among other problems, led him through cycles of depression. After Orlando, Divine worked with the Stock-Aitken-Waterman team who's roster later included Kylie Minogue and Dead or Alive.ĭue to his weight, Divine had a plethora of problems with his body including the sleeping disorder sleep apnoea, in which chronic violent snoring results in memory loss, mood swings, heart attacks and strokes. Starting with a couple trashy rock songs for legenday label Wax Trax, he went on to record a bevy of 80s gay disco songs with New York producer Bobby Orlando, famous for giving Pet Shop Boys their first break. Not only did he act, but Divine had a career as a recording star and club attraction. But throughout his career, he longed for a way out of that mask, wig and dress, and in fact, did play a few roles out of drag later in life. Through Waters' films, Divine became synonymous with vile, repulsive acts with an attitude to match. He worked for five or six years as a hairdresser, even running his own salon, a gift from his parents.Īround 1966, Glenn was cast in his first Waters film, being remodeled by John and his makeup artist, Van Smith, into the bizarre character that would forever be known as Divine. In high school, his interests leaned toward horticulture, cosmetology and of course, acting. Glenn was a fat boy, always being picked on by the other boys at school for being plump and effeminate. Years later, John and Glenn would thrive off each other's talents to acheive notoriety and eventually fame. There are people who want to expose their children to the kind of entertainment and the kind of culture that they wish to celebrate, that's distinctly queer.The actor known as Divine was born Harris Glenn Milstead on Octoin Towson, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore, to father Harris Bernard and mother Diana Frances.Īt the age of 12, the Milsteads moved to Lutherville, another nearby district, just six houses from a boy the same age named John Waters. There are members of our community who want to be married, who want to have children, and who are raising families in a world with very few family-friendly queer role models. If you don't like my drag, then maybe it's not for you. We no longer have the luxury of such infighting. But what I've heard from some drag peers, including some of the biggest names in drag, is that I'm "Disneyfying," and making drag "too accessible" to families. Allies and friends, we must be united in our fight for queer representation. I have come to accept that there is nothing we can do about people who lie about us for political gain, which is why this letter is not addressed to these folks, it's addressed to my community. They want to scare us back into the closet. I had forgotten what it was like to be afraid for my life because of my sexuality, and that is exactly what these bigots want. A far-right wing faction has been successfully targeting and harassing drag queens and labeling us as "groomers," which I fear will lead to more bloodshed. Two weeks later, armed members of the recognized hate group Proud Boys-terrorists-effectively shut down a drag show in Columbus, Ohio, through intimidation. Of course, all this sounds trivial in the wake of the massacre during a drag show at Club Q in Colorado Springs.
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