The first examination of Mae West's meaning in American popular culture. Before Madonna, before Marilyn, there was Mae. The impact of Mae West--through her films, attitude, and aphorisms ("Too much of a good thing can be wonderful"; "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?")--continues to reverberate through American popular culture fifteen years after her death. In Too Much of a Good Thing, Ramona Curry examines the interplay between West's bawdy, worldly persona and twentieth-century gender ...
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The first examination of Mae West's meaning in American popular culture. Before Madonna, before Marilyn, there was Mae. The impact of Mae West--through her films, attitude, and aphorisms ("Too much of a good thing can be wonderful"; "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?")--continues to reverberate through American popular culture fifteen years after her death. In Too Much of a Good Thing, Ramona Curry examines the interplay between West's bawdy, worldly persona and twentieth-century gender and media politics. Although West has remained an important figure, her image has fulfilled varied cultural functions. In the thirties, she was a lightning rod for debates over morality and censorship. In the seventies, the complexity of her portrayal of gender made her a controversial figure for both the gay rights and feminist movements. Curry analyzes the symbolic roles West has occupied, arguing that she represents a carefully orchestrated transgression of race, class, and gender expectations, a transgression expressed through West's spectacular costumes, her distinctive performance style, and her on- and off-screen relations with African Americans and gay men. In addition, Too Much of a Good Thing takes a historical look at West's disruptive power as a comedian, a primary source of her continuing appeal. Moving beyond a detailed examination of Mae West's place in American popular culture, Curry illustrates how icons of pop culture often distill contested social issues, serving diverse and even contradictory political functions. Curry then proposes a model for cultural studies that integrates history, media, and feminist theory. A pithy and innovative look at what Mae West means, Too Much of a Good Thing is must reading for fans, film buffs, and anyone interested in how popular culture evolves and circulates in the United States.
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Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing: Mae West as Cultural Icon to cart. $2.96, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by University of Minnesota Press.
Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing: Mae West as Cultural Icon to cart. $2.96, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by University of Minnesota Press.
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Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing: Mae West as Cultural Icon to cart. $7.00, like new condition, Sold by Powell's Books Chicago rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by University of Minnesota Press.
Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing: Mae West as Cultural Icon to cart. $7.00, very good condition, Sold by Powell's Books Chicago rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by University of Minnesota Press.
Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing to cart. $9.00, very good condition, Sold by Priceless Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Urbana, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Minneapolis: U. Of Minnesota, 1996.
Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing: Mae West as Cultural Icon to cart. $10.00, very good condition, Sold by Priceless Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Urbana, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Minneapolis: U. Of Minnesota, 1996.
Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing to cart. $15.00, very good condition, Sold by Dave Wilhelm Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Evanston, IL, UNITED STATES, published 1996 by Univ. Of Minnesota.
Add this copy of Too Much of a Good Thing: Mae West as Cultural Icon to cart. $19.11, like new condition, Sold by Hollywood Canteen rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Toronto, ON, CANADA, published 1996 by Univ of Minnesota.
