Mae West: Ethel Merman

MAE WEST draws a bead of sweat in an earnest review of an Ethel Merman bio.
• • Like Mae, Ethel Merman was born and bred in New York City; fibbed about her birthdate; remained close to her family; was not the introspective type; did not interrupt her strong work ethic with the missteps of drug abuse, recreational pill addiction, breakdowns, nor a stint in rehab. Nevertheless, the two entertainers were quite unalike.
• • Newsday's book maven Liz Brown observes about the Astoria native, who died in 1984 of a brain tumor: "The performer didn't exude the vulnerability of Judy Garland, nor the subversive carnality of Mae West. For all the intimate testimonies, there's very little tension in Merman's personal makeup. Not much evolution, not much growth — — maybe she applied Gershwin's advice [i.e., to never take a singing lesson] too broadly — — and ultimately not enough complexity to grip the reader. ..."
• • We have not yet seen the tombstone-sized biography churned out by Professor Caryl Flinn — — Brass Diva: The Life and Legends of Ethel Merman [University of California Press, 556 pages] — — but if you enjoy reading about dames reeking of "subversive carnality," we recommend authors Jill Watts and Emily Wortis Leider on the ever fascinatin' Brooklyn Bombshell.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
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NYC
Mae West.