Dwight Fiske
(August 25, 1892 - November 25, 1959)

Dwight Fiske vs Ray Bourbon
Or, Fiskana vs Bourbana

These two gay entertainers were by far the most prolific of the 1930s and 1940s, each
recording dozens of 78s of their risque, naughty stories (with piano backing).
They had very different personalities and appealed to different audiences, to
say the least. Fiske played to the high society types at upper crust clubs all
over the country, and his humor was mostly about sex, and mostly suggestive....
never saying the bad words but leading the listeners cleverly to know exactly
what was going on. If you are looking for "gay sensibility" or innuendos in his
work, well, keep looking. I cannot think of a single song I would consider
about gay subject matter.

On the other hand, Ray Bourbon was gay, gay, gay. He also let the listeners know
he was talking about sex, often undisguised gay sex, with his jokes delivered
accompanied by his trademark high-pitched giggle. He also of course did
not use profanity, and delivered his lines with his own style of innuendos.

Click for Albums 

Click for 78's

Photos & Articles:

Below, from Life Magazine, 11/21/38

  

Above from 1940

  

below, spot-on revue of his work

Billboard 12/18/46

   

Above left, from Billboard, 12/28/46

above from 1952

above from Billboard, 5/22/54

These are just a small sampling of the clippings garnered from
newspapers.com where there was over a 1000 "hits" on his name

Above & below, His book, "Without Music"

Below, ad in Life Magazine, October 1940