Jon Hamm thinks Don Draper is a despicable human being. [Evil Beet]
This is Paris Hilton’s idea of “Chinese food”. [The Blemish]
Bristol Palin versus Levi Johnson is still a thing. [Starcasm]
Julianne Hough returns to the pap stroll after the blackface incident. [Celebslam]
Minka Kelly in stripes – I could never wear this dress. [Popoholic]
Gwen Stefani covers her bump. [I’m Not Obsessed]
#ArmaniCaptions are hilarious. [Jezebel]
Who would even want to go to Justin Bieber’s Gatsby party? [PopBytes]
I think winter brides deserve more sleeves. [The Frisky]
Ciara is pregnant? Huh. [Bossip]
C. Thomas Howell is still around! [Seriously OMG WTF]
OMG, a Siouxsie & The Banshees documentary! [OMG Blog]
Kim Zolciak is super-preggo. [Life & Style]
Prince Charles praises Duchess Kate for her “work”. [The Loop]
Well he’s right. Don Draper is charming, but when you start to know him you know he is a mess and can be very very mean: seriously he (Don) even made me feel bad for the stupid Megan character in the last season!
I just went into preemptive grieving mode ………….
Ugh. You had to whip out the wedding dresses. I realized yesterday we have just over 8 months until our wedding, and I’ve done essentially nothing. Church is kind of booked – need a marriage course, and we’ve booked the reception location. I need to get on this crap.
This is exactly why I opted to not have a wedding. I’m SUCH a procrastinator! Good luck on yours and congrats!
Yeah lol, I am too, clearly. It would be easier if I didn’t live in a small town, and didn’t have to drive like 3 hours to go dress shopping. /:
I feel ya, I am the queen of procrastination-so I might just take a trip to the JOP. And Congratualtions!
Congrats!! I didn’t get mine until a week and a half before my wedding and everything turned out ok. Procrastinators unite!
You still have plenty of time, but get on it, sister! Think how good you will feel when it’s done. Good luck and best wishes!
He is despicable.
Trouser snake extraordinaire.
I love Mad Men, I think it’s the best TV show ever made, but have loathed Don from the start (or at least when he went out for the birthday cake, drank a bottle of whiskey and came home with a a dog). My daughter is as an avid a fan as I am and she feels sorry for him and thinks he is a tortured soul. He has NO soul.
I could rant on this for some time so I will go away now.
Yes! I feel like so many people have amnesia about that episode, when they wax lyrical about what a loving dad he is to Sally. Whaaa??? He had to quaff a six-pack to get through the agony of his kid’s birthday, and then wandered off as you describe.
However, I don’t mind him being despicable (in terms of storytelling) as much as most of the characters being all over the place. There is not so much a character arc on Mad Men as a schizophrenic graph. The first season was the most cogent in that regard, and Betty had wonderful development, going from 50s hausfrau to enlightened woman re: discovering Don’s spying with the shrink, cumulating in busting out with the pigeon shoot. Then next season she was back to being a dumb repressed hausfrau.
I feel like, once the creators/writers realized they had to stretch this out over several seasons, they started focusing more on writing “moments” than an interesting narrative or coherent characters overall (see also: Lost, for this phenomenon and its fallout).
Thank you for bringing that up! Whenever people go into raptures over Don’s alleged wonderful parenting, I want to remind them of this incident. Abandoning his little girl on her birthday to get drunk and indulge in his precious angst? Screwing Sally’s favorite kindergarten teacher – driving her in front of their family home? Real Father of the Year material there.
I agree with Jon Hamm, and I’m glad he has that insight. Unfortunately, I don’t think the “Mad Men” writers share that view. They’ve clearly fallen in love with their Galatea.
I think everyone who actually pays attention to the show realizes that Don Draper is a despicable human being, including the people who simultaneously feel sorry for him.
People who think he’s a cool guy are missing the point.
Agreed. But then again there are people who thought Walter White was a good guy too! Even when he flat out said he wasn’t.
Don Draper is fascinating, but definitely despicable.
I thought Walter white was a good guy, until he wasn’t. There was a lot to like about him in the beginning.
@ Morticians – Not really. He was a murderer from the very first season.
C. Thomas Howell is on the most extraordinary show Southland. He has not been missing in action.
It really annoys me when actors who were previously unknown start shitting on their vehicle to fame. He is ready to see DD go? Yes, I understand… it made him rich and famous and DAMN make it stop!
Mad Men has been on air since 2007, so even if Jon started work in 2006, thats 8 years. 8×4 is 32, is he 32? WTF is he talking about…
I didn’t really see that as him critiquing the show. Most of the criticism was aimed at people who misinterpret the character. The only thing negative about the show was the bit about it being enough, and I think the full quote provides more nuance:
“It has been a solid 25 percent of my existence on the planet. But that’s enough, I think.” Hamm said of “Mad Men’s” conclusion. “Will it be sad? Absolutely. I have made a lot of very close friends on the show. You know, I am feeling pretty zen about it just now, but probably next year I will be crying my eyes out.”
Point taken about his age, though. 42/4 does not equal the number of years Mad Men has been on the air.
I agree he is not slagging off the Character in the show which made him famous, just pointing out that the people who think DD is marvellous have got it wrong.
I think though he must realise that this was the role of a lifetime, I think he will be incredibly lucky to play such an extraordinary character again in his life. That must be rather odd for an actor to come to terms with (or it may be incredibly liberating, what do I know).
I suspect it’s a mix of both.
I kind of get the feeling that Hamm is interested in doing more comedy (which he’s very talented at). I think that might provide enough contrast that it’s not a matter of measuring one role against another.
Even though he’s off in his calculations, I think it’s fair to say he’s been DD for a significant portion of his life. And as an actor, I’m sure he wants to branch out and try new characters.
Reading comprehension?
He is not shitting on the show. If you actually watch Mad Men, it’s clear that Draper the character is a piece of shit. And the show is ending after this season, so he is commenting on the end of the show and agreeing with the WRITERS (who decided to end the show at this point) that it’s time. I don’t see how that is “shitting” on anything.
Yeah, this doesn’t sound like the griping you occasionally hear from actors who want out of their contracts at all. The show’s creators apparently feel that Don’s story is wrapping up, and I’m inclined to agree with them. Next season, we’ll see the 60s come to a close, and Don is either going to slowly pull it together or give up and be utterly lost. I don’t think there will be much worth showing after that. I think Hamm gets that, and I think that his “well, it was a nice ride, but moving onto other things will be good too” approach is a healthy reaction. It would be kind of pathetic if he went around crying how much he’ll miss being on the show.
Don’s expression in the last pic after reading “prince Charles praises duchess Kate for her “work” is priceless lol
Haha, I noticed that, too. If that’s not a suspicious look, then I don’t know what is!
I totally agree on the wedding gown comment. I love a nice strapless gown as much as the next girl, but let’s try something different for once, shall we? A bit of creativity, especially with sleeves and interesting, heavier fabrics, would be a refreshing change – I’m looking at you, designers.
Isn’t the point of Mad Men that Don Draper is a despicable human being?
I think the point of the show is that every character has light and shade. But Don has repeatedly shit on everyone who comes close to him.
Oh man that pic of Kim Z Brings me back. A little over a year ago I looked exactly like that with my singleton. It’s tough being that pregnant! But love the huge belly.
I ordered a cute navy blue cocktail dress online, we went to a hotel near the beach and were married in 5 minutes by a local officiant. Her husband took pictures. Then we went to dinner. Back at work Monday. Easiest wedding in the world! Wouldn’t have changed it for anything.
Just had to comment on the “news” page…I am so glad someone finally took away George Zimmerman’s guns, if even for a moment.
Agreed.
My love for Jon Hamm just tripled. I hate arguing with people that I love Mad Men but Don Draper, while a multilayered and complex individual, has almost no redeeming qualities for me. His oozing sex and all that means nothing to me when he is otherwise an asshole.
Ditto re: people who still adore Pete, even after he coerced that babysitter next door into sex.
There are people who adore Pete? I thought he was one of those characters who people loved to hate.
It’s a weird subcategory… I guess they feel that since fewer people are smitten with him, there would be less competition for his affection or something? The comments are usually along the lines of, “I know everyone hates him, but…”
Kartheiser has played him very truthfully, though. Consistent characterization, and also, committing to that hairline this past season is worth 10 actors packing on the pounds or wasting away on a diet!
http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/11/will-smith-jada-pinkett-smith-scientology-school/
What about this? Kind of weird to not see anything about it on gossip blogs, specially here since I know you’ve relayed plenty of Tony Ortega’s articles before (and I’ve always appreciated that tbh).
I know TMZ published about it and then deleted the news, is the source not credible or something?
Oh boy i just saw the celebitchy post about it, I am so sorry lol!!
Guess I should pay better attention before commenting! -_-
My husband actually has brought up a good point about that character. He honestly is two people not only by name but my personality as well. And to that end, while Don Draper has no redeeming qualities, Dick Whitman does. So perhaps in the end, Don Draper dies (meaning that persona) but Dick Whitman lives and is somehow redeemed.
Weiner gave us just enough of Don Drapers horrific childhood to give you just a little bit of pity, enough so you can tolerate what he does because you think you understand why he’s like he is, in a way knowing that tiny bit of backstory makes you excuse a lot of his very bad behavior and the self loathing that motivates him. It’s a brilliant career making part and not many actors could have pulled it off with the grace and depth that Hamm does. Draper would give me the willies in real life.