Tag Archives: mad men

Darkest Before The Dawn

Last night’s episode of "Mad Men" showcased two new employees. Dawn is the new secretary for Don who is basically an affirmative action hire that happened because of a want ad that "blackfired". It is funny that her name is Dawn since it would make watercooler chatter interesting for people besides Harry Crane. While I don’t expect "Three’s Company" hijinks to ensue; I have a feeling Don and Dawn’s names might get mistaken for each other in a subtle way. Roger Sterling’s joke, "darkest before the Dawn" went over like a lead balloon and Peggy ignored it as they were talking about the new copy writer.

The other new hire is Michael Ginsburg who came off as so stereotypically Jewish that even my friend David rolled his eyes. He was anxious and weird during his interview with Peggy. Hopefully his character will be more developed as the season goes and he gets a better wardrobe.

I feel for Roger Sterling when he asks, "When will things get back to normal?".

Michele Norris of NPR was prescient when she said in an interview that the country today is most racial, not "post racial".

I don’t know about this "new normal". Talking about race requires nuance that can’t be easily storyboarded and slapped on an ad.

Judge lest you not be judged.

Sent from my Android,
Nichelle Stephens

Ad Executive Realness?!

Mad Men is back with its fifth season and I am excited for its return. There are so many writers busy
recapping episodes that I won’t do that here. However I will ruminate on themes of the show that I perceive. Yesterday, I walked into a vintage clothing store in Red Hook and browsed a bit When I left, I laughed at the store’s sign that said “spring picnic realness”. I immediately thought of the documentary, “Paris Is Burning” and the ball categories like “executive realness”.

This led me to think how Don Draper is more than a character; he is a caricature of what many think of 1960’s advertising executive looked, drank, smoked, and screwed. In fact, maybe Don Draper is the drag persona Dick Whitman.

It may seem like a stretch, but Jon Hamm’s acting as Don could be like a straight man in hyper masculine drag.

Sent from my Android,
Nichelle Stephens

The Cure For The Common Tuesday Night Out

me and danny strong

I don’t get starstruck. If I spot someone famous, I will make a note of it (tweet it) and move on. However it is surreal when my regular everyday life collides into Hollywood. I stopped by my friend Lilit Marcus’ book party for Save The Assistants last night after 9PM. After being there only about ten minutes, I see another friend (M.P.) with a guy I immediately recognized from TV. It was Danny Strong, the actor playing the new character Danny on my favorite TV show, “Mad Men”. [Sidenote: I watch Mad Men religiously every Sunday with my friends Kap and Cat. We drink Pimm’s Cups. We eat Smokra. We watch it twice.] I asked Danny if he will be like Harry Crane and give me the scoop in any upcoming episodes, but his lips are sealed. Actually I don’t want to know anyway. I like seeing how the show evolves.

Oh Sheila

iPhone: Checkerboard Chic, originally uploaded by Dyna Moe.

If you watch “Mad Men” then you know about Sheila, the cashier from New Jersey who was Pretentious Paul Kinsey’s girlfriend this season on Mad Men. Now that the season is over, I thought about their short-lived relationship. If you didn’t watch the show, then you may find all this boring, but bare with me.

The interesting thing about the relationship was not just that it was both an interracial and interclass relationship. Paul worked as a creative in advertising agency and Sheila probably made even less than whatever minimum wage was in 1962. They went to Mississippi together to participate in the Civil Rights Movement, but Sheila broke up him with not longer after. [Smart girl] Even though it is 2008, it is still rare that people date both outside of their race and social class. I have dated men who were both, and it can work as long don’t solely identify yourself by your race, ethnicity or how much money you make. I may be rambling on about a show that is fictionally set at a time before I was even born, but it just seems that things have not changed that much in 46 years. It is comforting and disturbing at the same time. Are we ready for change? I really hope so.