Mae West struts into the spotlight in I’m No Angel (1933), the pre-Code sensation that saved Paramount and scandalized the censors. Co-hosts Bill and Jess welcome Sara Shea of Shea Cinema to talk about Mae’s wit, sexuality, and the double entendres that made Catholic watchdogs sweat. Along the way we meet Joseph Breen and Will Hays, the moral gatekeepers who tried to rein her in, and discover how Cary Grant was launched into stardom with her assistance. From her Broadway scandal Sex (and a stint in jail) all the way to her campy swan song Sextette, we trace Mae’s career of outsmarting the men, proving why her comedy still feels dangerous today.

Mae West struts into the spotlight in I’m No Angel (1933), the pre-Code sensation that saved Paramount and scandalized the censors. Co-hosts Bill and Jess welcome Sara Shea of Shea Cinema to talk about Mae’s wit, sexuality, and the double entendres that made Catholic watchdogs sweat. Along the way we meet Joseph Breen and Will Hays, the moral gatekeepers who tried to rein her in, and discover how Cary Grant was launched into stardom with her assistance. From her Broadway scandal Sex (and a stint in jail) all the way to her campy swan song Sextette, we trace Mae’s career of outsmarting the men, proving why her comedy still feels dangerous today.

Mae West: I’m No Angel (But the Catholic Censors Might Think Otherwise)

What Makes a Film “Morally Offensive”? Ex-Catholics Bill, Cisco, Jess, Kevin (and Reform Jewish co-host Stephanie) ask this question every other week as they tackle the list of films “Condemned” or considered “Morally Offensive” by the Catholic Legion of Decency (RIP) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each week, they explore the production history of these movies while also exploring topics relevant to their ex-Catholic backgrounds and relevant, contemporary social issues. Not just for former Catholics, Morally Offensive is a podcast for anyone interested in social issues, film history, as well as the history of censorship in the United States. It's a podcast for people who watch dirty b-movies on Tubi, Italian cinema classics on the Criterion Channel, TCM devotees, or even your cousin who owns every Fast and the Furious movie on 4k.

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What Makes a Film “Morally Offensive”?Ex-Catholics Bill, Cisco, Jess, Kevin (and Reform Jewish co-host Stephanie) ask this question every other week as they tackle the list of films “Condemned” or considered “Morally Offensive” by the Catholic Legion of Decency (RIP) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each week, they explore the production history of these movies while also exploring topics relevant to their ex-Catholic backgrounds and relevant, contemporary social issues. Not just for former Catholics, Morally Offensive is a podcast for anyone interested in social issues, film history, as well as the history of censorship in the United States. It's a podcast for people who watch dirty b-movies on Tubi, Italian cinema classics on the Criterion Channel, TCM devotees, or even your cousin who owns every Fast and the Furious movie on 4k.

What Makes a Film “Morally Offensive”? Ex-Catholics Bill, Cisco, Jess, Kevin (and Reform Jewish co-host Stephanie) ask this question every other week as they tackle the list of films “Condemned” or considered “Morally Offensive” by the Catholic Legion of Decency (RIP) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Each week, they explore the production history of these movies while also exploring topics relevant to their ex-Catholic backgrounds and relevant, contemporary social issues. Not just for former Catholics, Morally Offensive is a podcast for anyone interested in social issues, film history, as well as the history of censorship in the United States. It's a podcast for people who watch dirty b-movies on Tubi, Italian cinema classics on the Criterion Channel, TCM devotees, or even your cousin who owns every Fast and the Furious movie on 4k.

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Mae West: I’m No Angel (But the Catholic Censors Might Think Otherwise)

Mae West: I’m No Angel (But the Catholic Censors Might Think Otherwise)

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