What does it say about the state of cable television when someone like notorious film director John Waters starts doing a series?
"It's just my mustache clawing itself into the (public's) consciousness even more," deadpans Waters, 60, host of the true-crime anthology "Til Death Do Us Part," premiering at 10 p.m. today on Court TV. "It's like Pamela Anderson's (breasts). It gets work on its own."
When Waters made the theatrical movie "Serial Mom" in 1994, he tried to get Court TV involved in the production and promotional efforts. But "they were a little too new, a little too young," he says. "They were probably a little nervous about getting involved with me then."
But that's no longer the case.
Court TV is now a different animal altogether. No longer is it just a channel for court cases.
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On "Death," Waters is a Rod Serling-like character, referred to as "The Groom Reaper." He's a master of ceremonies who introduces and ends each week's dramatization.
The series focuses on spousal murders — starting from when the couple met, to their wedding, to the point it all went wrong.
"These aren't celebrity murders or things you have read about in the news," he says. "These are normal people, like the people watching it at home."
Today's Court TV is a place where "legalese" is a broad term. And Waters, with his trademark thin mustache and quirky sense of humor, reflects the channel's evolution.
"I guess we have both wormed our way into the middle," Waters says with a laugh.
But, my, my. Look at how times have changed for Waters, too.
Once considered the master of bad taste and an underground filmmaker, Waters is now more than an acquired taste. He's an icon for cool.
Now, 30 years later, we are welcoming him into our homes.
"I'm a fan of Court TV. It's the only channel I turn on if I am in a hotel room or my house. It seemed like a good fit for me."
On TV
"Til Death Do Us Part" airs at 10 p.m. Mondays on Court TV.
