Flashback Friday #6 ON A WEDNESDAY!

Sorry I have been silent for a while. I've been trying to get a job.

I haven't gotten one yet.

# 6 Mae West

I've known about Mae West for a long time. Watching older Looney Toons cartoons I was familiarized with the characterized big tit woman with the sensual voice saying famous phrases like, "What's happening Big Boy?"

I used to watch these old toons and thought they were funny, but I didn't know why they were funny. I knew what these people looked like, but I didn't know who they were based after. Mae West is an example of one of those people. 

Truthfully, I have never seen a Mae West Film. I really should take an initiative to see one, but I am just too ADDish right now. 

For those that don't know anything about Mae West, I will do a brief bio. Mae West was born August 17, 1893 in Brooklin, New York. In 1907 Mae West was performing in Vaudeville under the stage name Baby Mae. Overall West became quite popular and an overall big name in the preforming arts. Being a "controversial" artist, Mae West began writing her own plays. She wrote a play called "Sex" but she got arrested on "moral charges" and was sent to jail for ten days for "corrupting the moral youth". Despite being close to 40, movies started offering her roles in 1932. She stared in 11 films and sang in so much more. In 1959, she wrote an autobiography that became a huge success.  She passed away in November 22, 1980.

Mae West wasn't anything special to me until I found out how amazing she was.  Writing about things during a time where you would go to jail, West gave the finger to the prim and proper. Mae West was a big advocate for homosexual rights as well as women's rights. 

She lived most of her time in her penthouse at the Ravenswood apartment building. She had several boyfriends while living there. One of her boyfriends was William Jones, a famous boxer. One of my favorite stories was that the former owner of the apartment building banned her boyfriend William Jones because of his African American heritage so Ms. West gave him the "fuck you you racist bastard" remark by buying the building and lifting that ban. 

Mae West became also well known for her fights against censorship. Some of West's movies had to be heavily edited, and most of West's lines had to change into obvious sexual innuendoes. However that censorship became her image. In response to censorship, West said, "I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it."

I find Mae West amazing not because she was an actress but because she was a star that stuck to her morals. When she knew something was wrong she wouldn't stand by it even if it gave her a bad reputation. She was an innovator and a free thinker who saw gems in what was considered immoral shit.