Mae West: Banned

MAE WEST was on the mind of a British gentleman, who named his daughter after the controversial starlet.
• • The Englishman wrote this piece for the Hackney Gazette: I was discussing with my daughter last week how I chose her name — — the first being after Ray Charles's version of "Georgia On My Mind" and the second after 1930s film star Mae West.
• • I explained who Mae West was and how she had been instrumental in pushing the limits of what could and couldn't be said at a time when censorship was so strict that books now considered to be classics could be banned and actors in films or plays couldn't even be seen lying on a bed together.
• • You would think that we had moved on from those times, but apparently not. . . .
• • There's a disturbing puritanical streak running through the media . . .
• • But suddenly now it seems that no one dare say anything because even if no one hears it at the time, apparently it's OK to be outraged through hearing about it from a third party after the event!
• • This has to stop. Mae West was locked in the cells on at least one occasion for things she did or said. Lenny Bruce was persecuted so that our opinions and sensibilities could be stretched.
• • Are we seriously going to allow ourselves to be pushed back to a time when "Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me" had people reaching for the smelling salts?
• • Of course, we're not. Get a grip. . . .
— — Excerpt: — —
• • Article: "YOU THINK THAT'S FUNNY? WELL, YES, ACTUALLY"
• • Byline: Unsigned column
• • Published in: Hackney Gazette — — www.hackneygazette.co.uk
• • Published on: 14 December 2008
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
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Mae West.