Mae West: # 1893 Encore

The MAE WEST BLOG is celebrating a special anniversary this week — — in honor of blog post # 1893. To mark this occasion, a number of Mae-mavens offered their Westian wisdom inspired by the Brooklyn bombshell who was born in the year 1893.
• • • What is Mae West's legacy, in your opinion, and is she still relevant?
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• • Muir Hewitt, Art Nouveau glassware specialist, City of Bradford, England
• • Regarding her LEGACY and her relevance — — It was during the making of "Myra Breckinridge" that I first became aware of this astonishing American. I was fascinated by the photographs taken by Terry O Neill during the production of this movie (based on Gore Vidal's bestseller). Those photos showed her apparently ageless look and the glamour she exuded. Then I watched "I'm No Angel" and loved her persona — — the fearlessly clever gal from the wrong side of the tracks always equipped with a ready comeback.
• • I also liked the sassy brassy nature of her one-liners, her f-off attitude. And in her approach to men, Mae West was almost a gay man in a woman's body offering lines such as "Never mind about the six feet — — let's talk about the seven inches!" and "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"
• • She acknowledged the desire in sex, she wasn't afraid of censorship, and she was Madonna Ciccone-like long before that newcomer from Michigan came on the scene. Mae West was sexually forthright and not afraid to speak her mind — — remarkably "modern" for a female born in 1893.
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• • More guest commentators to follow tomorrow!
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• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • Neo-burlesque performer Dita Von Teese was interviewed by an Irish reporter, who wrote this: One of the focal points of Dita Von Teese’s residence is the bedroom. The star says that some of its features were inspired by the iconic, sassy actress Mae West. “I wanted a legendary bed. Mae West had lots of mirrors in her bedroom. Mae would say, ‘I always like to know how I’m doing.’… I was worried about my bed being a scratching post for my two cats Aleister and Herman, but it seems to be OK,” Dita added. ...
• • Source: Article: "Dita Von Teese: I don’t want a modern man" written by staff, The Independent [Ireland]; posted on 8 April 2011
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started seven years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 1895th blog post. Unlike many blogs, which draw upon reprinted content from a newspaper or a magazine and/ or summaries, links, or photos, the mainstay of this blog is its fresh material focused on the life and career of Mae West, herself an American original.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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