It was just a matter of time before the law caught up with John Waters—Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, that is.

This month, the Baltimore-based writer, filmmaker, and sometimes-actor will have a guest-starring role on the police procedural, created by Dick Wolf. It will be Waters’ first appearance on the NBC-TV series, now in its 21st season.

Waters said in a phone interview that he has a brief part in the episode and doesn’t want to give too much away. He said he got a call about the show from his agent and the filming took place in the studios at Chelsea Piers in New York City. “I was thrilled to be asked to be on it,” he said.

According to a synopsis by TheCinemaholic.com, a website for TV and film buffs, the SVU detectives will investigate “a case of sex-trafficking at a performing arts institute, wherein a bunch of male ballet dancers are recording the female dancers in their moments of passion and are using the videos to blackmail them.” The episode also involves a case that could force one character, Chief Christian Garland, “to put his friendship aside and arrest a corrupt pastor,” the website says.

NBC recently released a trailer for the show, which will air on March 19 at 10 p.m.

“A case of online extortion,” an announcer intones, ominously. “John Waters guest stars in a new SVU.”

The trailer features a distraught-looking Waters, confronted by the detectives. “Nothing disappears from the internet,” he tells them. “The male dancers are secretly recording the women having sex,” reveals actress Mariska Hargitay, in her role as Captain Olivia Benson. “This isn’t just blackmail. We’re looking at sex trafficking.”

Dum-dum.

The ballet-blackmail storyline is reminiscent of a real-life 2018 scandal involving the New York City Ballet, which fired two principal male dancers after they were named in a lawsuit for allegedly sharing sexually-explicit photos and videos of ballerinas.

The incident was an early test case of the limits of disciplinary action in the #MeToo era, and an arbitrator later ruled that the male dancers must be reinstated if they receive counseling. Since it began in 1999, the Law & Order series has been known for its ripped-from-the-headlines plots.

Waters’ role is one of the first scripted TV appearances that he has had since he had his head chopped off by Jessica Lange when he portrayed movie director William Castle in a campy 2017 performance on the FX series, Feud: Bette and Joan.

In addition, he’s been on The Blacklist, as well as Real Time with Bill Maher, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and other talk shows. He also contributed to the latest Hollywood Vampires album with Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, and Joe Perry.

In 2017, FX kept Waters’ Feud appearance a secret until a few days before the show aired, but NBC is doing the opposite. Waters said Law & Order: SVU is the kind of mainstream show he likes to be in, where his appearance is unexpected: “I’m proud to be exploited by NBC,” he said.

Does he play a bad guy on the show, or a victim? He won’t say exactly, but he offers a hint: “I’m an unsympathetic, unsavory character. Typecast once again.”

Along the harbor this past week, curious runners, dog walkers, bystanders, and tourists all paused at Rash Field to gawk at the machines, cranes, and steel beams coalescing together to form what will be the American Ninja Warrior course, which competitors will run this Sunday and Monday.

The popular NBC show chose Baltimore as one of its city regionals this year. The top 30 advance to Monday’s final, and the top 15 from there will compete in Las Vegas against qualifiers from around the country. The Baltimore episode will air on June 17 at 8 p.m. and some local competitors are excited to have the home-field advantage.

Nicholas Green, an Army veteran who lives in Bel Air, has worked for the Baltimore Fire Department for nearly 15 years. When things were quiet during his 24-hour shifts in Southwest Baltimore, he would watch a lot of American Ninja Warrior on the station’s TV. He started thinking: “I can do that,” and began to train.

“My first year I was like, ‘This is all just strength,’” says Green. ‘I’m just gonna hit the gym as much as possible and just pick up and put down any amount of weight I can.’ That was a total mistake. You have to be strong to do the course, but it’s a lot more technique than strength. You don’t see bodybuilders on the course just crushing it.”

Green got on the show, competing twice in Philadelphia, once in 2016 and again last year. He’s grown leaps and bounds since those two unsuccessful runs, devoting himself to studying tape of past ninjas who have excelled. He’s read books on kinetic energy, focusing on technical aspects that he didn’t pay attention to before. That he is a firefighter—a job that requires snap decision making and demands fleet feet—certainly helps.

“Being able to stay calm and think through and not panic and work the problem quickly is the exact definition of what I do for a living,” he says. “I use the job to help train me mentally to help me adapt and overcome in case things go wrong.”

Green’s fire station has a fully equipped gym, and he’s been able to work a schedule out to where he feels he is “100 percent ready” to be featured on the popular NBC show.

Over the years, American Ninja Warrior has turned into sort of a phenomenon. For starters, attempting something like this, and being good at it, isn’t something you can really do with one foot in. Those who excel on the show are people like Green who study meticulously and mold their entire lifestyle around the competition.

There are even gyms centered around training for the show, like the Kinetic Ninja Warrior in Bel Air, one of three that Green knows about in Maryland that has recreated obstacles from the show for devotees to practice on.

Another local competitor is Daniel Eiskant, a 22-year-old UMBC student, who participates in both ninja gyms and an acapella group on campus. This will be Eiskant’s second consecutive appearance on the ninja course after an attempt in Philadelphia last year. He had dreamt of being on the show since he was 16 and has now dedicated himself to his goal.

“Being a young new face surrounded by competitors with many more years of experience is as challenging as it is fun,” he says. “It can be intimidating, but I learn a lot from them.”

For both Green and Eiskant, an American Ninja Warrior course in Baltimore presents a unique opportunity to share their passion with friends and family, as well as put their hometown on a national stage.

“I feel really honored to be on the show and to represent Baltimore,” Green says.

Say it ain’t so! Last night, viewers of NBC’s The Voice voted off Park Heights native Davon Fleming. The proud Baltimore resident made local headlines back in September when he wowed the judges with his rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Me and Mr. Jones” and quickly became a fan-favorite on team Jennifer Hudson with his effortless singing during every performance week to week. 

After a stellar performance on Monday night of “Gravity” by John Mayer, and an unbelievable rendition of The Weeknd’s “Earned It” with Brooke Simpson on team Miley Cyrus, Fleming was in the bottom for the second week in a row. He was ultimately eliminated from the competition and, to put it mildly, fans weren’t too pleased. 

Although his fans were saddened by the results, in typical Davon Fleming fashion, he thanked and encouraged his supporters with this uplifting message.

Jennifer Hudson threw her shoe at him. Adam Levine refused to sit down. Miley Cyrus’s jaw dropped. And Blake Shelton said, “You deserve to win this show.” All four judges were equally impressed with Baltimore native Davon Fleming’s blind audition for season 13 of NBC’s The Voice. Singing his rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Me and Mr. Jones,” Fleming wowed the audience and coaches, receiving the coveted four-chair turn.

“You’re praying that they turn around,” Fleming told Baltimore. “When they do, you can’t get excited and stop singing—so I just smiled really big and kept going.”

Each coach was given a turn to plead for him to join their team, but after singing a Whitney Houston song with Hudson, there was no doubt in Fleming’s mind that she would be his coach. Since then—under JHud Productions—he’s won his battle round and, most recently, the knockout round. Next he will compete in the playoff rounds which air on November 13. Should he make it through, he will perform on the live shows that begin November 20. 

On Fleming’s recent visit to the Baltimore magazine, we learned so much about him—he has a twin brother (Tavon), he wasn’t accepted to attend the Baltimore School for the Arts (gasp), and he wants to be the male Whitney Houston. (The magazine’s staff was also lucky enough to witness an intimate performance of his right in our lobby.)

Back in Los Angeles, Fleming has had plenty of memorable moments, namely meeting Hudson’s musical advisor, singer Kelly Rowland. Fleming’s reaction to seeing Rowland was a mix of shock and raw emotion, crashing into the door as he caught a glimpse of her.

“We didn’t know about Kelly—they don’t tell us who the advisors are,” he said. “Kelly was so sweet. It’s so cool to see that the people you grew up listening to are actually like that in real life. I couldn’t help but cry—it was humbling.”

Aside from meeting new people, making life-long friends, and working with some of the most successful artists in the world, Fleming has grown as an artist since being on the show. He’s more assured than ever of his true purpose in life.

“Win or lose, I’ve already exceeded my expectations,” he said. “My goal isn’t to win, it’s to just be a light and inspiration in my community—to let people all over know that you don’t have to be a product of your environment.”

Having grown up in Park Heights, with a background rooted firmly in the Bethel Temple Church of Christ on Rogers Avenue, Fleming took a chance when he chose to perform a rendition of MercyMe’s “I Can Only Imagine.” The advice he received from guest advisor, singer Kelly Clarkson, helped him to win the round and stay true to his beliefs at the same time.

“I knew it was risky doing a gospel song, but I wanted to show my faith,” he said about his performance. “She told me that I’m the ‘vessel for my message.’ I started in the church, and I want to be able to cross over and still bring Christ to them.”

Since the episode of his blind audition aired, Fleming has returned home but will be traveling back to California for the live shows this week. His life has been forever changed since being on the show—including pure pandemonium on a routine visit to Mondawmin Mall—but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I love the love,” he said. “I will never turn down a picture, or an autograph because I’m always going to be that little kid from Park Heights that wanted to sing.”