November 16, 2001

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

eveningsout

M is for the many things she gave me

My Son Divine

by Frances Milstead

with Kevin Heffernan & Steve Yeager Alyson, $19.95 trade paperback

Reviewed by Kaizaad Kotwal

I remember watching John Water's cult classic Pink Flamingos in my mid-20s. It was my introduction to the zany world of this queer director and to the larger-than-life per-

MY

SON

DIVINE

frances Milstead

vn Kevin Heftenan and Steve lenger

that when Glenn was growing up as a confused and gay youth, the family did not have the luxury of groups like P-FLAG and other support and civil rights systems.

Divine got his now (in)famous moniker from director John Waters. In addition to Pink Flamingos the two worked together on other Waters classics like Female Trouble, Hairspray, and Polyester. Even when Divine was playing particular parts in a film, he was still always closely identified with the per-

sona of Divine, something he had very carefully cultivated and packaged over the years. Divine was just on the brink of cross-over stardom with the success of Hairspray, when he met his untimely death.

The book is a sundry collection of reminisces by his mother and other family members. Also included are newly published interviews with Waters, Ricki Lake, Mitch Whitehead, Mink Stole, Zandra Rhodes, and other celebrities who had worked with Divine.

The book has also collected over one hundred photos from Divine's childhood all the way through the time of his death. These pictures, black and white as well as color, are themselves an interesting look into the life of this star who managed to repulse as many

people as he was able to attract into a lifelong, cult-like following.

Fans of Waters' films and followers of Divine will find this book a very compelling and intriguing read. It is a candid and straightforward journey into the life of a man who was complex and convoluted. But as much as this is a biography of Divine it also allows the reader a revealing glimpse into an amazingly forward-thinking and compassionate mother, a supportive family and an astonishingly loyal and loving group of friends, fans and co-workers. The book ends with a compre-

hensive filmography and discography of the star's career.

Milstead ends her book by writing: "Just a couple of years ago, John Waters told an interviewer that the field in Phoenix, Maryland, where the house trailer scenes in Pink Flamingos were shot is now a suburban housing development. He hoped that Divine's spirit is still there, giving strength and courage to the misunderstood and tormented kids in the neighborhood. Amen, John. Amen."

Divine indeed had a huge spirit and this book captures that largeness of life, heart and soul with love and understanding.

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sona of one of its stars, Divine. While I found many of the images in the film very hard to stomach, it was clear that Divine was a compelling individual.

Now there is a book about Divine, written by the mother of this enigmatic and outrageous celebrity. This is a biography that allows us an insight into what made Divine who he was and what made this star tick.. Written by Frances Milstead with help from Kevin Heffernan and Steve Yeager, this is a brave bit of story-telling that is done with honesty and clarity.

Divine was born as Glenn Milstead on October 19, 1945 to an all-American family in Lutherville, Maryland. His mother chronicles in detail what turned this effeminate and chubby choirboy into a brash, bawdy and bodacious drag queen, the likes of whom the world has never seen.

Milstead also acknowledges that, “Although he was blessed with many talents and abilities, he could be very moody and demanding." It is also poignantly pointed out

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