INDECENT SPEECH
The sexual innuendo of an “Adam and Eve” radio sketch between sultry film star Mae West and dummy Charlie McCarthy (voiced by ventriloquist Edgar Bergen) on a Sunday evening in December 1937 enraged many listeners of Bergen’s program. The networks banned West from further radio appearances for what was considered indecent speech. © Bettmann/Corbis
The sexual innuendo of an “Adam and Eve” radio sketch between sultry film star Mae West and dummy Charlie McCarthy (voiced by ventriloquist Edgar Bergen) on a Sunday evening in December 1937 enraged many listeners of Bergen’s program. The networks banned West from further radio appearances for what was considered indecent speech. © Bettmann/Corbis