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Life's a Drag

Divine as Babs Johnson, Pink Flamingos (1972)
Sure, John Travolta's delightful as a dino-sized dame in Hairspray, but don't forget drag diva Divine, who originated the role and who played the heavyset heroine of many a John Waters film. The plus-sized performer took his portrayal of Waters' troubled women to a level of commitment far beyond camp. Performances certainly don't get more committed than Divine's turn as Babs Johnson in Waters' Pink Flamingos, in which she earns the ''Filthiest Person Alive'' title by dining on doggie-doo deposited moments before on the sidewalk. To elicit sympathy and you-go-girl rooting interest amid disgust — well, that's the kind of acting achievement for which they still haven't invented a fitting trophy. — Gary Susman