Mae West: Allowed Me

In 1964, after dodging reporter Lewis Lapham for months, MAE WEST granted an interview. Ten years ago, he fondly recalled the experience in his piece “Transits of Venus.” Then a 31-year-old freelancer, Lapham discovered this: “At the age of 71, Miss West still possesses overwhelming sexual force.” Let’s join his in his journey. This is Part 3.
• • “Transits of Venus” written by Lewis H. Lapham [born on 8 January 1935]
• • Mae West did not entertain questions • •
• • Lewis H. Lapham wrote: Miss West didn’t entertain questions. She spoke as if from an altar or a throne, revealing what she deemed to be within reach of a masculine — and, therefore, limited — intelligence.
• • Lewis H. Lapham wrote: One took what one was given and was grateful, and it wasn’t until several hours later, reading through my notes in the bar of the Beverly Hills Hotel, that I understood what it was that Miss West had allowed me to see.
• • What Mae West allowed me to see • •
• • Lewis H. Lapham wrote: If she was a force of nature, she was also a work of the imagination, her own as well as that of the company of the elect admitted to her dressing room or her anatomy.  Her face never could have been thought beautiful, even at the age of seven in 1900, when she made her debut on the Brooklyn vaudeville stage. Her voice was as rough as sandpaper, her terms of endearment as blunt as stone.
• • How was Mae West an expert at floating a veil of seduction? • •  . . .
• • To be continued on the next post.
• • Source: Lapham’s Quarterly; published in the Winter 2009 issue.
• • On Monday, 16 January 1950 • •

• • Newsweek readers who opened their issue dated 16 January 1950 [Vol. XXXV, No. 3] saw this article on page 46: "The Return of Mae West."
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • There was a fascinating article published that’s the talk of Tinseltown: "Wealthy Americans: W.R. Hearst and Mae West Head the List of Largest Salaries."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said:  "Like men? Sure, I've known lots of them. But in later years I've never found one I liked well enough to marry." 
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • A London daily mentioned Mae West.
• • "Films that make you feel good" • •
• • Geoffrey Macnab writes: Historically, the best feel-good movies have often been made at the darkest times. The early 1930s in Hollywood, the height of the Depression, were known as a "golden age of turbulence." It was in this period that the brashest Mae West comedies, the liveliest musicals and the most explosive gangster movies were made. ...
• • Source:  The London Independent [UK]; posted on Friday, 16 January 2009

• • 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 4,100 blog posts. Wow!  

• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fourteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4128th 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 • • in costume in 1950 • •
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