Today in Labor History February 4, 1974: The Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) kidnapped Patty Hearst, granddaughter of American publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, in Berkeley, California. One of the SLA’s demands for releasing Hearst was for her family to pay for millions of dollars’ worth of food to be given out free the poor and unhoused of the San Francisco Bay Area. Hearst complied, with various community organizations distributing 100,000 bags of groceries at 16 sites in 4 counties, before violence brought the program to a halt. The violence occurred because the crowds were bigger than expected and workers started throwing boxes of food off of moving trucks. As a captive, Patty Hearst was held in a closet, blindfolded, with her hands tied, raped and threatened repeatedly with death. She was later offered the choice of freedom, or joining the SLA. She chose the latter. Consequently, she was later sentenced to 35 years in prison for her complicity in SLA robberies. After several years in prison, her sentence was commuted by President Carter. President Clinton later pardoned her. Congressional Representative Leo Ryan was murdered by the Jim Jones cult in Guyana several weeks after collecting signatures for her release. Actor John Wayne, of all people, expressed frustration that everyone accepted the idea that Jones had brainwashed hundreds of his followers into mass suicide, but wouldn’t accept that the SLA could have brainwashed a teenage girl. After her release, Hearst went on to become an actress, appearing in several John Waters films, as well as many others.

#PattyHearst #unhoused #JohnWaters #sla #torture #rape #freefood #johnwayne #JimJones #berkeley #homeless #symbioneseliberationarmy

It’s interesting looking back at which films outgrow their original release. Hairspray is clearly one of those.
I would have gone to see the original because it was a John Waters film, but I don’t really remember how much I enjoyed it.

I’ve never seen the stage musical nor the 2007 remake.

#admitonedaily #hairspray1987 #johnwaters #movies #tickets #ticketstub

"I wrote the script, they liked it, Aubrey [Plaza] likes the script, wants to be in it, I want her to be in it, and every person said, ‘No, we don’t have a penny of the budget.’ That is where it is today. Hopefully, that will change. But the answer as of today? That’s it."
https://medium.com/prismnpen/my-christmas-wish-queer-filmmaker-john-waters-makes-his-next-film-1d6947a9cee2?sk=c4d7bbcfeece566718d9d38ae4bcea51

#LGBTQ #QueerFilm #JohnWaters #AubreyPlaza

Goals.

#divine #johnwaters

The Worst of My Prophet

Only one of my Prophets, John Waters (Filth be upon him.) still lives.

I would very much love to see this art show in New Orleans.

Not going to happen, but oh to have been there that opening night with him talking about all of his art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNMCMK7oaag

#JohnWaters #YouTube #NationalTreasure