Latest news with #DonDraper
Telegraph
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
I'm sick of old people clichés on TV – last time I checked we're living rich, fulfilled lives
Are you an older person? Do you feel 'bombarded' by adverts for funeral services, care homes and mobility aids? Ah, bless. I have every sympathy, why when I become… wait, these commercials are aimed at the over-55s? That's me! Seriously. Me! I'm not dependent and defenceless, I'm not about to cark it. And even if I were, it wouldn't give me any peace of mind knowing my casket is all paid for. I need that money for flamenco lessons and overpriced restaurants that only sell small plates. I've still got a teenager at home for pity's sake – and no, she's not my grandchild. But in the eyes of today's proverbial Mad Men, I'm fair game for both funeral plans and weaponised skincare products that promise to 'fight' sign of ageing and banish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles – because why on earth would anyone want to look like a (whisper it) midlife woman. According to a poll by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), older people are fed up with being 'reduced to outdated stereotypes' depicting them as lonely and vulnerable. And it's not all in their (our?) minds. More than a third of the UK population believes that older people are 'negatively stereotyped' in ads which depict them as 'lonely, purposeless or powerless'. What an indictment. Maybe our contemporary Don Drapers and Peggy Olsens could remind themselves how times and generations have changed by catching up with current television shows, which have evolved – and are all the better for it. It's chastening to know that in the rebooted Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw was 55, and her friends Miranda Hobbes and Charlotte York were 54, making them around the same age as Rose, Dorothy and Blanche in the early seasons of The Golden Girls. I know, right? In this new research, people of all ages said they wanted to see more 'authentic and realistic' portrayals of older people, avoiding binary depictions of pensioners as 'always being wealthy or grumpy'. Bring back the classic Renault Clio adverts, I say, where Nicole kept finding her Papa getting up to French mischief in Aix en Provence. That's how ageing ought to look – and not a Werther's Original in sight. Given that Ofcom figures show 82 per cent of Baby Boomers watch television compared with 48 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds, the whole industry needs to pivot. We need more series like the fabulous Last Tango in Halifax – would anyone dare tell the magnificent Anne Reid she was in need of a stairlift? Or what about Vera? DCI Stanhope (played by Brenda Blethyn) outwitting criminals and whippersnapper colleagues alike for 14 years. Losing her marbles? Aged 79, she had more bloomin' marbles than the British Museum. Admittedly she was a bit grumpy – but crucially, she wasn't just grumpy. And it's the retrograde one-dimensional tropes that advertising needs to axe. It seems crazy in this day and age but in mainstream commercials, an old person is still regarded as visual shorthand for 'out of touch' and 'in need of care'. That's why I hollered with joy when a friend recently sent me a video from Instagram featuring a catwalk show of stunning elderly models sashaying down the runway in jaw-dropping pleated dresses. It was, quite simply, joyful. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WAM | AI Cats, Ads & Art (@wearemidjourney) Only afterwards did we both realise it had been dreamed up by AI. It was both impressive and alarming. After all, what does it say about the creatives dominating the advertising sector when artificial intelligence has a clearer – and saliently, more creative – vision of the future than they do? Older people are quite rightly cavilling at being lazily written off as hopeless and socially isolated. And that needs to be reflected in commercials as well as in programming schedules. Think of Rip Off Britain, fronted by the redoubtable Gloria Hunniford, now 85, with a roster of other high-profile women of a certain age. And who could resist the humour and charm of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing? Bob Mortimer is 66 and Paul Whitehouse 67. I wonder how they would react if a bloke in a cardigan turned up on the banks of the River Frome trying to flog them a couple of shower chairs? The BBC's new crime caper Death Valley, which debuted last month, has proved to be a ratings winner. Its star? Timothy Spall aged – pass the commode! – 68. I really do hope this new survey will give advertisers pause and mark a real sea change. And not just advertisers; woe betide the next politician who next describes older voters as a 'demographic time bomb' as though their very existence were a threat to the young. The 'othering' of a huge proportion of the electorate won't wash these days. It's insulting and reductive to start offering us funeral plans at 55 – and not just now and then but in every ad break on daytime telly – when many of us are immersed in the most rewarding peak of our careers and the rest are planning the next footloose-and-fancy-free chapter of our lives.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
'It started as a lark': Motorcyclists in suits inspired by Mad Men
The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride began with a publicity photo of Mad Men's Don Draper wearing a suit while perched on a classic motorcycle. Mark Hawwa started the themed ride 13 years ago, after being inspired by the photo. This year's event, which raises money for men's mental health support and prostate cancer research, involved about 127,000 riders in 1038 cities. The event features classic and vintage motorcycles, with riders dressed in suits. It aims to foster a different perception of riders to that of outlaw bikie gangs. The Newcastle event, delayed by a month due to heavy rain, was held at The Station on Sunday. Organiser Stephen Meek said it was "perfect weather, thank god". "The ride went well. It's a bit of camaraderie and looking silly in our suits," Mr Meek said. "Motorcyclists are always good for supporting a cause." The ride went through town, alongside beaches, up to Fort Scratchley and through Darby Street, Parkway Avenue and Tudor Street. About 120 people did the ride, which returned to The Station for lunch. The Newcastle event raised $21,000. Maitland's Glenn Behnke, an event co-organiser, was among the riders. His dad overcame prostate cancer after surgery. "My grandfather had prostate cancer as well. He died with it, not from it. It's one of those things where I need to be aware. "I'm 50 now but started getting checked early. "I was sent for an ultrasound that was inconclusive, so I had a biopsy. That came back clear. It wasn't a pleasant process to go through." As for the mental health side of the ride, he said "it's one of those age-old stigmas that guys tend to keep their feelings to themselves". "I think now the younger generation is more open and vocal about it. Any light shone on that is a good thing." The inaugural gentleman's ride was held in 2012. Mr Meek - host of the Newcastle event - has been involved from the beginning. "It's phenomenal how it's grown. It's raised a massive amount of money for Movember," Mr Meek said. "It started out as a bit of a lark - dressing up in a suit inspired by the TV show Mad Men. "The first year we went to Vinnies to buy a suit and pinned the receipts to our lapels. That was the charity side at that point. It took off from there. "Sponsors who thought it was a nice idea came on board and away it went." Worldwide, the event raised $12 million for Movember this year and almost $70 million since it began. "Each year, we're blown away by the scale, generosity and heart behind this ride," said Mr Hawwa, the founder. "We are building a movement that saves lives and reminds folks around the world that men's health matters everywhere." Mr Hawwa, of Sydney, said men die on average six years earlier than women from "largely preventable reasons". "The number of men who are suffering is growing. We need to do something about that." The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride began with a publicity photo of Mad Men's Don Draper wearing a suit while perched on a classic motorcycle. Mark Hawwa started the themed ride 13 years ago, after being inspired by the photo. This year's event, which raises money for men's mental health support and prostate cancer research, involved about 127,000 riders in 1038 cities. The event features classic and vintage motorcycles, with riders dressed in suits. It aims to foster a different perception of riders to that of outlaw bikie gangs. The Newcastle event, delayed by a month due to heavy rain, was held at The Station on Sunday. Organiser Stephen Meek said it was "perfect weather, thank god". "The ride went well. It's a bit of camaraderie and looking silly in our suits," Mr Meek said. "Motorcyclists are always good for supporting a cause." The ride went through town, alongside beaches, up to Fort Scratchley and through Darby Street, Parkway Avenue and Tudor Street. About 120 people did the ride, which returned to The Station for lunch. The Newcastle event raised $21,000. Maitland's Glenn Behnke, an event co-organiser, was among the riders. His dad overcame prostate cancer after surgery. "My grandfather had prostate cancer as well. He died with it, not from it. It's one of those things where I need to be aware. "I'm 50 now but started getting checked early. "I was sent for an ultrasound that was inconclusive, so I had a biopsy. That came back clear. It wasn't a pleasant process to go through." As for the mental health side of the ride, he said "it's one of those age-old stigmas that guys tend to keep their feelings to themselves". "I think now the younger generation is more open and vocal about it. Any light shone on that is a good thing." The inaugural gentleman's ride was held in 2012. Mr Meek - host of the Newcastle event - has been involved from the beginning. "It's phenomenal how it's grown. It's raised a massive amount of money for Movember," Mr Meek said. "It started out as a bit of a lark - dressing up in a suit inspired by the TV show Mad Men. "The first year we went to Vinnies to buy a suit and pinned the receipts to our lapels. That was the charity side at that point. It took off from there. "Sponsors who thought it was a nice idea came on board and away it went." Worldwide, the event raised $12 million for Movember this year and almost $70 million since it began. "Each year, we're blown away by the scale, generosity and heart behind this ride," said Mr Hawwa, the founder. "We are building a movement that saves lives and reminds folks around the world that men's health matters everywhere." Mr Hawwa, of Sydney, said men die on average six years earlier than women from "largely preventable reasons". "The number of men who are suffering is growing. We need to do something about that." The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride began with a publicity photo of Mad Men's Don Draper wearing a suit while perched on a classic motorcycle. Mark Hawwa started the themed ride 13 years ago, after being inspired by the photo. This year's event, which raises money for men's mental health support and prostate cancer research, involved about 127,000 riders in 1038 cities. The event features classic and vintage motorcycles, with riders dressed in suits. It aims to foster a different perception of riders to that of outlaw bikie gangs. The Newcastle event, delayed by a month due to heavy rain, was held at The Station on Sunday. Organiser Stephen Meek said it was "perfect weather, thank god". "The ride went well. It's a bit of camaraderie and looking silly in our suits," Mr Meek said. "Motorcyclists are always good for supporting a cause." The ride went through town, alongside beaches, up to Fort Scratchley and through Darby Street, Parkway Avenue and Tudor Street. About 120 people did the ride, which returned to The Station for lunch. The Newcastle event raised $21,000. Maitland's Glenn Behnke, an event co-organiser, was among the riders. His dad overcame prostate cancer after surgery. "My grandfather had prostate cancer as well. He died with it, not from it. It's one of those things where I need to be aware. "I'm 50 now but started getting checked early. "I was sent for an ultrasound that was inconclusive, so I had a biopsy. That came back clear. It wasn't a pleasant process to go through." As for the mental health side of the ride, he said "it's one of those age-old stigmas that guys tend to keep their feelings to themselves". "I think now the younger generation is more open and vocal about it. Any light shone on that is a good thing." The inaugural gentleman's ride was held in 2012. Mr Meek - host of the Newcastle event - has been involved from the beginning. "It's phenomenal how it's grown. It's raised a massive amount of money for Movember," Mr Meek said. "It started out as a bit of a lark - dressing up in a suit inspired by the TV show Mad Men. "The first year we went to Vinnies to buy a suit and pinned the receipts to our lapels. That was the charity side at that point. It took off from there. "Sponsors who thought it was a nice idea came on board and away it went." Worldwide, the event raised $12 million for Movember this year and almost $70 million since it began. "Each year, we're blown away by the scale, generosity and heart behind this ride," said Mr Hawwa, the founder. "We are building a movement that saves lives and reminds folks around the world that men's health matters everywhere." Mr Hawwa, of Sydney, said men die on average six years earlier than women from "largely preventable reasons". "The number of men who are suffering is growing. We need to do something about that." The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride began with a publicity photo of Mad Men's Don Draper wearing a suit while perched on a classic motorcycle. Mark Hawwa started the themed ride 13 years ago, after being inspired by the photo. This year's event, which raises money for men's mental health support and prostate cancer research, involved about 127,000 riders in 1038 cities. The event features classic and vintage motorcycles, with riders dressed in suits. It aims to foster a different perception of riders to that of outlaw bikie gangs. The Newcastle event, delayed by a month due to heavy rain, was held at The Station on Sunday. Organiser Stephen Meek said it was "perfect weather, thank god". "The ride went well. It's a bit of camaraderie and looking silly in our suits," Mr Meek said. "Motorcyclists are always good for supporting a cause." The ride went through town, alongside beaches, up to Fort Scratchley and through Darby Street, Parkway Avenue and Tudor Street. About 120 people did the ride, which returned to The Station for lunch. The Newcastle event raised $21,000. Maitland's Glenn Behnke, an event co-organiser, was among the riders. His dad overcame prostate cancer after surgery. "My grandfather had prostate cancer as well. He died with it, not from it. It's one of those things where I need to be aware. "I'm 50 now but started getting checked early. "I was sent for an ultrasound that was inconclusive, so I had a biopsy. That came back clear. It wasn't a pleasant process to go through." As for the mental health side of the ride, he said "it's one of those age-old stigmas that guys tend to keep their feelings to themselves". "I think now the younger generation is more open and vocal about it. Any light shone on that is a good thing." The inaugural gentleman's ride was held in 2012. Mr Meek - host of the Newcastle event - has been involved from the beginning. "It's phenomenal how it's grown. It's raised a massive amount of money for Movember," Mr Meek said. "It started out as a bit of a lark - dressing up in a suit inspired by the TV show Mad Men. "The first year we went to Vinnies to buy a suit and pinned the receipts to our lapels. That was the charity side at that point. It took off from there. "Sponsors who thought it was a nice idea came on board and away it went." Worldwide, the event raised $12 million for Movember this year and almost $70 million since it began. "Each year, we're blown away by the scale, generosity and heart behind this ride," said Mr Hawwa, the founder. "We are building a movement that saves lives and reminds folks around the world that men's health matters everywhere." Mr Hawwa, of Sydney, said men die on average six years earlier than women from "largely preventable reasons". "The number of men who are suffering is growing. We need to do something about that."
Wall Street Journal
12-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Wall Street Journal
Today's Sharpest Swim Trunks Look a Lot Like Paul Newman's 1960s Summer Style
Today's suavest swim trunks appear to have backstroked into stores from the 1960s. With a narrow, mid-thigh, midcentury cut, these throwbacks are as neat as the whiskey sipped by Don Draper. Most boast discreet snap buttons and adjustable side tabs (much tidier than drawstrings). Lean stripes often race down sides.
Entrepreneur
03-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How I Discovered the Incredible Power of Employee Engagement
When leaders move from control to culture, engagement stops being a perk and starts becoming the engine for growth. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In 2024, Gallup reported that low employee engagement is costing U.S. companies an estimated $1.9 trillion in lost productivity. The message is clear: How you engage your team isn't just about morale — it's about performance, retention and long-term growth. Early in my career, I didn't think much about employee engagement. To be honest, I didn't expect much from my employers either. My mindset was simple: Work hard, deliver results, get paid, get promoted. That was the implicit contract. Time and effort in exchange for money and power. It was the 1990s, and that was considered normal, especially in the world of enterprise software sales. There's a famous line from Mad Men where Don Draper responds to a subordinate's request for appreciation with: "That's what the money is for." It captures a certain mindset of leadership — results over relationships, control over connection. I lived that mindset for years. But over time, as I rose through the ranks and led larger teams, I started to notice something: I was no longer motivated just by money. During my years at Citrix, the motto, per our CEO Mark Templeton, became: "Work hard, play hard, get results and have fun doing it." I wanted to enjoy the work, learn something new, feel valued and laugh with my teammates. And even though I always gave 100% — even when those things were missing — I began to realize that not everyone is wired the same. Nor should they be. Related: Top 10 Employee Engagement Strategies That Matter The turning point My first CEO role at getAbstract was a game changer. Suddenly, I was responsible not just for outcomes, but for culture. We sold a product that gave companies access to over 14,000 curated business book summaries, including the best thinking on leadership and organizational effectiveness. People like Simon Sinek, Lisa McLeod, Ken Blanchard, Mark Miller, Stephen M.R. Covey and many more have become regular voices in our work and conversations. In addition, our clients, mostly (offices of the) CHROs at large corporations, put our solution to work inside their incredible organizations. Being surrounded by amazing content, customers, cultures and colleagues becomes my version of an advanced study in human behavior at work. Through this, something clicked: The best leaders don't just lead for results; they lead with purpose, meaning and service. I became intellectually curious. I began testing what I was learning — leading with gratitude, aligning around purpose, creating space for constructive feedback and growth. And the results? Employees showed up with more passion. Customers noticed the energy. Sales grew. Profit followed. What started as theory turned into practice. Practice turned into belief. Belief turned into who I am as a leader. Related: The Key to Employee Engagement Is Purpose. Here's Why — and How to Foster It in Your Workplace. Engagement is a business strategy Too many leaders still think of engagement as a "nice-to-have" — a soft skill or HR metric that doesn't directly connect to the bottom line. I know because I used to be one of them. But here's what I've learned: Engagement is not fluff. It's a strategic lever for business growth. When employees feel seen, heard, challenged and appreciated, they bring what I call discretionary effort — that extra energy and initiative that can't be bought, only inspired. And when you create value beyond salary — through recognition, purpose, learning and belonging — people aren't constantly looking elsewhere for more. Another way to think about it: Engagement is what makes people actually look forward to Monday. As MD Rafi, founder and CEO of Bison Life, told me in an interview: "We started treating culture like a product — something to design, build and iterate. It was no longer about keeping people happy. It was about helping them grow, take ownership and feel essential to the mission." Engaged teams innovate more. They sell more. They stay longer. They attract great talent. They treat the company like an owner would. It's not just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do. Investing in career development isn't just good for morale — it's a measurable business advantage. A 2025 report from LinkedIn Learning found that companies with strong internal mobility and growth programs experience higher engagement, more internal promotions and stronger leadership pipelines. With 88% of organizations now citing retention as a critical concern, supporting employee development has become a top priority for leaders who want to keep their best people. The flywheel of authentic leadership Today, my team and I coach leaders through this same evolution. At first, we help them see that engagement is a driver of performance. Then I encourage them to try it — lead with more purpose, invest in their people and build a culture of meaning. They often see an immediate lift. People respond. And then something wonderful happens: They start to like the way it makes them feel; good! Not just the business results, but the energy, connection and personal fulfillment that come from leading well. What began as an experiment becomes a habit. A new leadership style emerges — one that's not just effective but authentic. And that authenticity creates a flywheel of trust, passion and performance. We see this all the time at great companies we work with. Restaurant Brands International (RBI), the parent company of Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs, prioritizes a culture that cares for its team members so it can translate into great customer experiences and business performance. Jeff Housman, RBI's Chief People & Services Officer, emphasizes this connection: "Our culture is built around hard-working, good people who care deeply about each other and the guests we serve. When our team members feel supported and valued, they bring that same care to every customer interaction, creating a cycle of positivity that drives our success." Freeman, one of the world's leading live event and brand experience companies, exemplifies this approach. Recognized twice as a Top Workplaces USA winner in 2024 and 2025 among large employers, Freeman's commitment to embedding purpose and innovation into its culture has earned it multiple awards, including honors for Leadership, Work-Life Flexibility and Purpose & Values. Chair of the Board Carrie Freeman Parsons captures this ethos, stating, "It has been my lifelong experience that events connect people in ways that leave them more inspired, better informed and better prepared for what lies ahead." This values-driven model has been widely recognized as a catalyst for employee engagement and long-term retention — demonstrating how purpose, when embedded into daily operations, can shape a resilient and motivated workforce. Related: 6 Employee Engagement Tips for Strong Retention If you're a leader who's still stuck in the old mindset — if you're thinking, "That's what the money is for" — I encourage you to try something new. Lead with purpose. Start with why. See how people respond. Watch what happens to your culture, your customers and your company. You might be surprised by how great it feels. And even more surprised by the results.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘I'm glad I'm still alive': Jon Hamm and John Slattery on ‘Mad Men,' 10 years later
It has been 10 years since Don Draper bought the world a Coke — but the legacy of Mad Men lives on, in (somewhat) good health. "I'm glad I'm still alive, basically, because of the amount of cigarettes I smoked," joked Jon Hamm. "But the amount of work we put into it feels commensurate with the amount of love we're feeling as well. So that's pretty awesome." More from GoldDerby David E. Kelley on the secret of his prolific career: 'Don't ever assume you're smarter than the audience' 'King of the Hill' cast and creators on revival: 'Bobby's got a little bit of fame and a little bit of swagger' Watch the first 6 minutes of 'Wednesday' Season 2, from Netflix Tudum 2025 Hamm reunited with his Mad Men costar John Slattery to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the finale of Mad Men, the multiple Emmy-winning drama, at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas. At the panel, which was moderated by Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley, the two actors about their experiences making the groundbreaking series. Slattery recounted that he'd originally auditioned the role for Don Draper. "I called them back and said, 'Are you sure that's the part they want me to read?'" he said. He went ahead with it, and did all of his homework. "And then they said, 'Here's the thing, we already have that guy.'" (Turns out they thought he wouldn't have come in if they knew they only wanted him for Roger Sterling.) Quipped Hamm, "I'm glad I told you that I had the part because they didn't tell me I had the part." Hamm recalled that he had about nine auditions, and only got confirmation that he'd landed the iconic role when someone made an off-handed comment during an elevator ride. The show's impact was near-instantaneous. "It rang a bell pretty quick," said Hamm. "It was almost immediately kind of recognized as something. Now that doesn't mean anybody saw it, but people heard about it." Mad Men, which was created and executive produced by Matthew Weiner, won the Emmy Award for Best Drama Series its first season — it would go on to win that trophy a total of four times during its seven-season run, earning 16 Emmys overall — but while that early success was exciting, it was also 'intimidating,' Hamm acknowledged. 'I just remember looking over at Matt and going like, 'My God. This guy has to do all of this again, from a blank page.' And I thought, 'I wouldn't want to trade with him.' But you just have to enjoy the terror.' And while the pilot made an impact, the show only improved from there. Recalled Slattery "I remember walking in early on with Lizzie Moss to a table read of the second or third episode, and I said, is it me, or is it are these things getting better?" he said. Given the amount work that goes into a pilot, he said, "sometimes the quality drops off. And this didn't." Weiner always had a clear vision for the finale, said Hamm. 'Matt had the end scene during season one. He knew he wanted Don to end up somewhere on the West Coast and dreaming up that Coca-Cola commercial,' said Hamm. 'He didn't know how many episodes he would have between here and there, he didn't know how many seasons, he didn't know any of that. But he knew that he wanted this guy to end up there. The rest of it was very murky. ... But I trusted him as the caretaker of all of these characters to not bang on a key that comes out with a false note.' That said, he admitted to being initially disappointed in the final season, which saw Don off on his own journey, removed from his colleagues — and Hamm, separated from the co-stars he'd grown close to. 'I really had a hard time with that,' he said. 'And now, of course, in retrospect, I thought, well, that's perfect. What better way to feel the ambiance and the loneliness of this character's journey than to be like, 'You've got nobody left, and you're on the road by yourself. In retrospect, good job, man.'' The actors reminisced about Weiner's infamous meticulous attention to detail, shooting in L.A. for New York ('We never went outside,' said Hamm), the martinis ('The vodka was fake, but the onions were real,' said Slattery). and all those fake cigarettes ('Somebody did a count and in the pilot alone, I smoked 75 cigarettes,' said Hamm). 'I remember at some point having a conversation with the executives at AMC, the network that aired the series, when they said, 'Do they have to smoke?'" said Hamm. "And I was like, 'Are you f--king kidding me? Yes, they literally have to. They're addicted. Kinda why they're sold.' Asked about the now-infamous blackface episode, Slattery recalled his initial hesitation when he got the script. 'I felt like, well, this is probably something that occurred, and it's probably something that this character would have done,' he said. 'And then I got all dressed up in the outfit and got in the van and rolled to the set. And the first person I saw when I got to the set was a very large African-American Los Angeles motorcycle cop who was helping me open the door.' Hamm acknowledged the show dealt with issues that are 'problematic,' adding 'That's how we learn,' he said. 'It's a wonderful thing to learn. ... We had to lean into the good, the bad, and the ugly of all of it, and understand that in this lens of the now, and part of it was representation of Black people in the '60s. Why aren't there any black people in here? There are you just don't see them because they were not seen. That's not great. But the versatility of it is there. And the show ended up dealing with all of those issues as uncomfortable as they made those characters.' Hawley asked the actors about the feeling of the show being about "we don't understand this world anymore," as the '50s transitioned abruptly into the '60s. ("I wonder what that's like," quipped Hamm.) "There's a moment when Don puts on a Beatles album and just is like, 'This is garbage. I don't get this, what is this nonsense?'" said Hamm. "People have to understand, Frank Sinatra was still on the top 10 list when the Beatles were selling records. It was very much a a crash of the Eisenhower era and the new era." He pointed to the 1966 Best Picture nominees, which included The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, Camelot — and Dr. Dolittle. Having worked with Hamm on Fargo, Hawley asked him about his creative process with Weiner, and what conversations they had about the inconsistencies in Don Draper, 'At a certain point, he's this person because at the very base of him, as we find out over the course of seven seasons, he is not the person who he says he is,' he said. 'His foundation is profoundly fake.' Hamm revealed that the first-season episode '4G,' where we meet Dick Whitman's brother, was written in response to a note from AMC asking for more understanding of Don's behavior. 'There is certainly that mercurial nature to Don. And he's searching, as he is over the course the of the of the 92 episodes for what is the truth? Who is he at the end of it? He ends up on a cliff at the end of the things — but on a cliff in a good way.' As for Roger Sterling, 'Those scripts were so well-crafted that there weren't a lot of questions as to how to play those scenes,' said Slattery. Slattery said they often learned what was coming up in table reads, calling them 'electric.' He recounted the season three episode with the schoolteacher. 'There's like 35 people with scripts, and everybody turns the page at the same time. 'Exterior, and the schoolteacher's still sitting in the car,' and everybody's like, 'Oh my God!' Everybody had forgotten that the schoolteacher was still sitting outside. It was incredible. So that's how we would find stuff out.' The actors also praised their costars at length, including Christina Hendricks (Joan), January Jones (Betty), and Elisabeth Moss (Peggy), and the characters they embodied. 'It was an amazing thing to watch Peggy's ascendancy and confidence and place in the world, not just of the agency, but in the world of the business, in the world of the culture, in the world of New York City — the comfort level from being a bridge-and-tunnel kid to fully owning being a Manhattanite was amazing,' said Hamm. 'It was so definitely handled, and those actresses especially just f--king crushed it in every in every possible way.' Best of GoldDerby 'I cried a lot': Rob Delaney on the heart and humor in FX's 'Dying for Sex' — and Neighbor Guy's kick in the 'zone' TV directors roundtable: 'American Primeval,' 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,' 'Paradise' 'Paradise' directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra on the 'chaos' of crafting 'the world coming to an end' Click here to read the full article.
