Mae West: Crazy or Genius?

Many great minds have contemplated MAE WEST — — but great minds don’t think alike. Academic and author Chase Dimock has written an interesting article on Mae as a playwright. This is Part 19.
• • Why Don’t You Come Up Sometime and Queer Me? • •
• • Reclaiming Mae West as Author and Sexual Philosopher • •
• • Should the law criminalize the psyche? • • 
• • Chase Dimock wrote:  In “The Drag,” the Doctor says: “When he differs from the course laid down by the rest of us, we call him crazy or a genius. And then, we say, all geniuses are insane. And perhaps he thinks the rest of us are crazy.”
• • Chase Dimock wrote:  The doctor rightfully criticizes the law’s vague, overly broad category of insanity and its claim to criminalize the psyche. This launches the doctor and the judge into an argument over science and the law as epistemological paradigms:
• • Doctor: “All a judge thinks of is his law. Everything he does is measured by the law, and when he gets through measuring there is nothing left to measure.
• • Judge: It’s nonsense! What do you know about law?
• • Doctor: And what do you know about fact? You base everything on theories — hypothesis. When it comes to facts, you’re groping.
• • a rigid structure • • . . .
• • His article will be continued on the next post.
• • Source: As It Ought to Be
• • Chase Dimock, who teaches Literature and Composition at College of the Canyons, is Managing Editor of As It Ought to Be.
• • On Thursday, 27 September 1934 in Boston • •

• • A review of "Belle of the Nineties" — — starring Mae West and using that familiar 1890s setting once again — — appeared in the Boston Herald newspaper on this date: September 27th, 1934.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • The first time Mae West was busted, she got third billing. She made sure that never happened again.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "I had to come in like a streak of lightning."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An article from abroad discussed Mae West.
• • Public indecency and the making of Mae West • •
• • Dr. Will Visconti wrote: Mae West — — comedienne, dancer, singer, actor, playwright, director, producer, novelist and sex symbol — — had a career that lasted more than 80 years [sic], which included performances that were famous, or infamous, for their power to shock. …
• • Source: Talking Humanities; published in December 2017
• • The evolution of 2 Mae West plays that keep her memory alive • • 
• • A discussion with Mae West playwright LindaAnn LoSchiavo — — 
• • http://lideamagazine.com/renaissance-woman-new-york-city-interview-lindaann-loschiavo/

• • The Mae West Blog celebrates its 14th anniversary • •  

• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past fourteen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,000 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fourteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4052nd 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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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • a publicity photo in 1933 • •
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