John Waters returns as host of Independent Spirit Awards

Following his hosting duties last year, out filmmaker John Waters will make it two in a row as the emcee of the 2002 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards, according to Variety. (He also previously served as keynote speaker in 1999.) The awards will be presented March 23 under a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, Calif., and the proceedings will be broadcast live on the Independent Film Channel. Waters, whose films include Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, and Cecil B. Demented, said, "All independent directors need a bad influence, and I hope I can live up to my tawdry reputation again this year." Waters is currently writing a new screenplay, A Dirty Shame.