Carsick | John Waters | Talks at Google

TL;DR

John Waters talks about his new book "Carsick," in which he hitchhiked across the country, and discusses his love for hitchhiking and the inspiration for his characters.

Transcript

MALE SPEAKER 1: Ladies and gentlemen, give a big hand for John Waters. MALE SPEAKER 2: Keep it going. The man came a long way. JOHN WATERS: Has anybody in this room ever actually read from a book? I mean, it seems like at Google, everybody would read it, you know, on Kindle and all that. OK. MALE SPEAKER 1: This is a relic from yesteryear. It's cal... Read More

Key Insights

• 🦺 Hitchhiking has become less common due to safety concerns and the portrayal of hitchhiking as dangerous in films and media.
• 💦 Waters believes in the basic goodness of people and had positive experiences with those who gave him rides during his trip.
• ❓ People's perceptions of themselves and their own beliefs can be vastly different from how others perceive them.
• 💦 Waters is fascinated by and teaches in prison because he is interested in human behavior.
• 🫠 Waters enjoys reading and finds inspiration from many different authors and genres.
• 📽️ The independent film industry has changed, and it is challenging to secure funding for low-budget projects.

Questions & Answers

Q: Did anyone try to talk you out of your hitchhiking adventure?

As the trip approached, even Waters' employees and criminal friends expressed horror at the idea. However, younger individuals were more open to the idea, though they had never hitchhiked themselves.

Q: Is hitchhiking still common?

Waters observed that very few individuals hitchhike anymore and that throughout his journey, he only saw one other hitchhiker.

Q: Did anyone recognize you while hitchhiking?

Waters recounts one occasion when a family picked him up and the child in the car asked his father who Waters was. This embarrassing incident highlighted how hitchhiking has become unfamiliar to younger generations.

Q: What inspired you to write "Carsick"?

Waters wanted an adventure and to break free from his planned and controlled lifestyle. He hoped that hitchhiking across the country would boost his reputation and provide inspiration for his work.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• John Waters explains that his mid-life crisis led him to hitchhike across the country as an adventure.

• He talks about the three parts of his book "Carsick," which include a fictitious account of the best outcome, a dark road horror story, and what actually happened during his hitchhiking journey.

• Waters shares his experiences with hitchhiking, from encountering disapproval and attempted dissuasion from friends and criminals, to the lack of hitchhikers on the road.