Vaudeville was considered family entertainment and theater owners and managers took great pains to censor their acts for language or anything that could be considered offensive. I came across this notice that was handed out to performers at the Keith-Albee theaters back in the early years of the 20th century.
PERFORMERS PLEASE TAKE NOTICE. You are hereby warned that your act must be free from all vulgarity and suggestiveness in words, action and costume, while playing in any of Mr. Keith’s houses, and all vulgar, double-meaning and profane words and songs must be cut out of your act BEFORE THE FIRST PERFORMANCE. If you are in doubt as to what is right or wrong, submit it to the Resident Manager at rehearsal. Such words as ‘liar,’ ‘slob’, ‘son-of-a-gun,’ ‘devil,’ ‘sucker,’ damn,’ and all other words unfit for the ears of ladies and children, also any reference to questionable streets, resorts, localities and bar-rooms, are prohibited under pain of instant discharge.”
Can you imagine what Mr. Keith would think of today’s television and movies?
Mary Miley's Roaring Twenties 
How nice. I am sure families appreciated that. I would have.
My mom always preferred “clean” comedians, who had to use more wit rather than go for a cheap laugh. I think she was right.
Censors are funny, though. Carol Burnett discussed a bit about “how do nudists dance?” and the mandated change from “very carefully” to . . .
“cheek to cheek.”