Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Mae West: Sex Taboos

MAE WEST had her share of coverage from Variety, whose publisher Sime Silverman was invariably scornful, condescending, and critical. In 2021, Variety’s editorial viewpoint turned tail, deciding they’d come this time “not to bury Caesar but to praise him.” The task fell to Tim Gray, who had this to say. This is Part 2 of 10 segments.
• • Mae West: The Sex-Positive Old Hollywood Icon Who Was Far Ahead of Her Time • •
• • Mae West: How she challenged taboos about sex • •  
• • Tim Gray wrote: That doesn’t provide a lot of clues, but the phrase Mae used in her vaudeville publicity ― “her way is all her own” ― sums up her style and her work.

• • Tim Gray wrote: Mae West took charge of her life and career.
• • Tim Gray wrote: She challenged taboos by dealing with sex in a comic tone, when America’s Puritan streak was in full flower.
• • Tim Gray wrote: Her frank and bawdy humor opened doors for subsequent generations of comics and she was always in the driver’s seat with her career, never beholden to anyone.
• • Tim Gray wrote: Mae West perfected a slow sashaying walk and a deadpan delivery of one-liners, which were often double entendres.
• • Mae West: Most remembered films • •  …  
• • Tim Gray’s article will continue on the next post.
• • Source: Variety; published on Tuesday, 17 August 2021.
• • On Monday, 14 September 1931 • •
• • On Monday, 14 September 1931, Mae West's Harlem drama "The Constant Sinner" opened on Broadway. Mae took the role of Babe Gordon.
• • Overheard in Hollywood • •
• • The Hollywood Reporter wrote: Mae West is to do a modernized version of "Du Barry," from a story now being developed by the William LeBaron unit.
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "Don't try to make me respectable.  My public expects me to be bad."
• • Quote, Unquote • •
• • An American newsman interviewed Mae West.
• • Madame Binner, New York's famous corsetiere • •
• • Willis Thornton wrote: Corsets? Sure! They go with the hour-glass figure. But Mae West feels they needn't be an encumbrance. Mae likes a figure which has identical hip and bust measurements, with a waist 10 inches smaller. But (in 1928) when she was about to create "Diamond Lil" she went undulating right down to Madame Binner, New York's famous corsetiere, and had herself designed a corset that encouraged an upward curve for the bosom, but was short enough not to interfere with freedom of the knees.
• • Willis Thornton wrote: The main thing, according to Mae West, about corsets, is "You got to have something to put in 'em. Know what I mean?" The whole world knows  — — or at least it will when the new fashions appear. …
• • Source: "Go West Young Woman, Go West," a syndicated feature, appeared in various newspapers starting around Sunday, 10 September 1933

• • 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 17th anniversary • • 
• • Thank you for reading, sending questions, and posting comments during these past seventeen years. Not long ago, we entertained 3,497 visitors. And we reached a milestone recently when we completed 4,800 blog posts. Wow! 
• • By the Numbers • •
• • The Mae West Blog was started fifteen years ago in July 2004. You are reading the 4,821st 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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• • Be sure to bookmark or follow The Mae West Blog
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • on the vaudeville circuit
in 1918 • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest

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