Mad About Mad Men

The swell AMC series, Mad Men, has me hooked. This recent Itunes download has me addicted to the drama set on Madison Ave. in early 1960s Manhattan. It was a time before women’s lib, civil rights and political correctness in the the work place…or anywhere for that matter. But I’m in love with the fedora-wearing, womanizing, scotch-drinking, Lucky-Strike-smoking advertising execs of Mad Men. Hot, clean-shaven and kinda mean…these guys are great. Lead man Don Draper, played by Jon Hamm  is suave, mysterious and strong. Ambitious junior account exec,  Pete Campbell played by Vincent Kartheiser is a fabulously bratty, entitled, sexual harasser.

As for the women of the show…they are glamorous sex kittens who love red lipstick, fur coats and their men. I love watching the show just to see what they are wearing. Secretary Joan Holloway played by Christina Hendricks drips with 60s style in short, tight dresses. Meanwhile, Don’s wife Betty lounges at home in great night gowns and gets dolled up in shimmering cocktail dresses for dinner out on the town with her man.

Catch Mad Men and all its greatness on Sundays at 9 pm Central on AMC.

If you love the show or just love to read and soak up behind-the-scenes type stuff then check out this great article and slide show on the New York Times. The article is fairly long but in it you find out that the actors are safely puffing away on non-tobacco Herbal Ecstacy cigarettes and that the creator of the show chose advertising as a subject because, “it’s a great way to talk about the image we have of ourselves, versus who we really are. And admen were the rock stars of that era, creative, cocky, anti-authority. They made a lot of money, and they lived hard.”