On this day, August 17, in 1893

The controversial white-American actress and playwright Mae West was born in Queens, New York. Mae West began her successful on-stage career at a young age. She later wrote and starred in her first Broadway play entitled "Sex" which riled up city officials and landed Mae West in jail for 'public obscenity'. Her next play, "The Drag" was about gay and transgender men and was completely banned from Broadway. Even in Hollywood Mae West continued to shock the world with her risqué and sexual material, and her work was constantly being censored. During her career, West performed two radio sketches that were apparently outrageous enough to panic the FCC and get her banned from the NBC network. You go girl!