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Just Do Yule

Photo by Greg Gorman John “The Pope of Trash” Waters puts the “X” in Xmas, in his terribly inappropriate holiday solo show.
Photo by Greg Gorman
John “The Pope of Trash” Waters puts the “X” in Xmas, in his terribly inappropriate holiday solo show.

A JOHN WATERS CHRISTMAS
From having doggie doo for dinner to fending off the unwanted advances of a giant lobster, John Waters has a knack for making bad taste feel good. Of course, in Waters’ capable hands, there’s a big difference between celebrating bad taste and elevating what’s just plain distasteful. You need look no further for an example of that than the nearest “Housewives” reality show. Their trashy, train wreck shenanigans are far less appealing than the Baltimore-born filmmaker’s self-proclaimed “celluloid atrocities” in early works such as “Multiple Maniacs” and “Pink Flamingos.” Waters’ up-for-anything drag collaborator Divine may be gone — but the renegade aesthetic they cultivated is alive and well, and placed under a tree that’ll be toppled if Santa doesn’t deliver on those coveted cha-cha heels (see “Female Trouble” for that incident, based on Waters’ childhood memory of the holiday tree falling on Grandma). Create some precious memories of your own by attending “A John Waters Christmas.” Performed only twice this December, the filmmaker, essayist and bane of the Catholic League’s existence will “cruise into town on his sleigh full of smut, spreading yuletide cheer and lunacy.” That boils down to, we’re told, an evening in which the troubled Waters discusses everything from his “compulsive desire to give and receive perverted gifts, to his religious fanaticism for Santa Claus, to an unhealthy love of real-life holiday horror stories.”

Fri., Dec. 13 and Sat., Dec. 14. At Stage 48 (605 W. 48th St., btw.  11th & 12th Aves.). Doors 7:30pm, show 8pm. For tickets ($45, $99 for meet & greet), visit stage48.com/events.

Photo by Rafael Infante Get out for the holidays: The Youth Pride Chorus sings pop and seasonal tunes, in their Dec. 7 concert.
Photo by Rafael Infante
Get out for the holidays: The Youth Pride Chorus sings pop and seasonal tunes, in their Dec. 7 concert.

YOUTH PRIDE CHORUS 
With all due respect to Lady Gaga and the Muppets, this may be the tune-filled holiday spectacular we’ve been waiting for. Yes, Gaga had Elton John and Joseph Gordon-Levitt on her Thanksgiving special — but the out and proud singers of Youth Pride Chorus have the visionary post-religious gospel stylings of Our Lady J and the fierce physicality of youth dance troupe New Agenda. Comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight youth ages 13-22, YPC will tear up the stage with their own formidable set list of pop hits (plus a few electrifyingly queer takes on classic holiday tunes).

Sat., Dec. 7, at 6 & 8pm. At The Kitchen (512 W. 19th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). For tickets ($20-$45), visit youthpridechorus.org.

—  BY SCOTT STIFFLER