One Christmas, Dennis Dermody, the movie critic of 'Paper,' gave me 'Rock Hudson: A Gathering of Friends,' the master invitation list from Rock Hudson's memorial service. It's so great. Everyone's in it, with personal addresses all bound into a book. Someone else once gave me Ike Turner's will. I get great stuff.

In this quirky quote, John Waters reflects on receiving unique and unusual gifts, including Rock Hudson's memorial service invitation list and Ike Turner's will. Waters highlights the eccentricity of his gift-giving experiences, which show his deep involvement in the worlds of cinema, celebrity, and pop culture. The mention of Hudson’s memorial list being bound into a book, with personal addresses, emphasizes the intimacy and exclusivity of the gift, underlining how Waters is connected to significant figures and their personal histories.

The quote also reveals Waters's appreciation for items that are distinctive or carry special significance. While most people might receive more conventional presents, Waters enjoys gifts that reflect his outspoken and avant-garde sensibilities. Both items he mentions — the memorial service invitation list and the will — offer a unique glimpse into the personal lives of iconic figures, making them intriguing artifacts in his collection. For Waters, these items are not just gifts; they represent his ongoing fascination with celebrity culture and the more unconventional aspects of fame.

Waters’s mention of these gifts reveals his humor and love for the absurd, which are central to his artistic identity. As a filmmaker known for pushing boundaries and challenging social norms, Waters has always been drawn to the unexpected and subversive. His collection of such items is a reflection of his lifestyle and artistic vision, one that often celebrates the marginalized, the outsider, and the taboo.

The origin of the quote lies in Waters’s appreciation for the strange and the unusual in both his personal life and his art. He has always embraced eccentricity and finds beauty in objects that tell a deeper, sometimes bizarre, story. The mention of receiving such gifts from figures like Dennis Dermody and the stories behind the gifts further highlights the connections Waters has within the world of film, celebrity, and the counterculture.