Mae West: Lewdness, Smut

On Wednesday, 10 October 1928, Variety published a long editorial in order to scold MAE WEST.  Her offense was that she had written a play about homosexual men. But even worse was the indisputable fact that the public wanted to see it. Variety's publisher was incensed. He wrote this scathing head-shaking, finger-pointing essay. 
• • "Is Show Dirt Box-Office Pay Dirt?" • •
• • Lewdness, Filth, and Smut • •
• • Variety wrote:  That the theatre in its efforts to strike pay-dirt at the box office through the medium of lewdness, filth, and smut, whether delicately or indelicately treated, or whether humorously, dramatically or preachingly presented, is treading on dangerous ground in inciting the wrath of the official legislators, is quite obvious.  Why it should not be content with reflecting saner contemporary situations Is open to question. If the stage is supposed to mirror life as it is, why it should reflect the baser, viler, perversive things in it is, of course, explained by the box office.
• • Variety wrote:  That theatrical dirt strikes pay dirt is true — — for a time; a very limited time. A play must have sturdier basic merit than filth behind it. Especially today.
• • Perversions of "The Pleasure Man" • •  . . .
• • This is Part 3. Part 4 continues tomorrow.
• • Source: Editorial in Variety (page 44);  published on Wednesday, 10 October 1928.  
• • On Friday, 30 October 1925 • •

• • Vaudeville News wrote:  Mae West is to be seen in a new act by Ted McLean, entitled "Salomy on Broadway," under the booking direction of Alf T. Wilton. A special set is to be carried with the supporting company consisting of eight people. The act opened at Red Bank, New Jersey this week.
• • Source: Item in Vaudeville News; published on Friday, 30 October 1925.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • Governor Ruby Laffoon made a Kentucky Colonel of Mae West, professional voluptuary.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:   "I'd advise all American women to hang on to your curves."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A NYC trade paper mentioned Mae West.
• • "Three Shows Out!" • •        
• • Variety wrote: "PLEASURE MAN" by Mae West — — Opened Oct. 1. Pannings took the form of denunciations.
• • Littell (The Post) headed his review:  "They don't come any dirtier" and said "three tiresome and unspeakably slimy acts, smeared from beginning to end with such filth as cannot possibly be described in print."
• • Gabriel (The New York Sun) found this play a "brutal, unsalted bore." ...
• • Source: Item in Variety;  published on Wednesday, 10 October 1928 
• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 13th anniversary • •  
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past thirteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 3,800 blog posts. Wow!   
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started thirteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 3820th 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/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml   
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • song sheet in 1923 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC  Mae West