Mad Men Swank - Page 2

innerSpaceman · 08-10-2009, 10:08 AM

From my el jay of February 11:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zlick

I’m just about finished with my second show, the 1st season of Mad Men ... and I think it’s because the show has so affected me that I decided to post about my teevee catch-up. The show is set in the Madison Avenue advertising world of 1960 - - which is the year I was born. So that struck a chord with me right away. It’s not a political show, but the overt racism and sexism of the time makes a statement. More striking to me, naturally, is the blatant anti-Semitism featured in one important storyline, and the even more potent homophobia hinted at for the next season.

I was born in 1960, and I’ve been blessed to live in fantastic times of progress. I’m a jew, and I’m gay ... and I’ve experienced only the most fleeting nothings of anti-Semitism or homophobia during my entire life. I’m reminded by the show that, in 1960, people routinely hit their kids, women drank and smoked while pregnant, and the supremacy of white straight male dominated society was expressed with casual cruelty and boorishness.

And it's made me think back to Barack Obama’s election victory speech where he invoked a 100-year-old woman in Atlanta who had seen such incredible changes in her century of American life. From my birth in 1960 till today is roughly half that time, but Mad Men reminds me how much fantastic progress has been made in human affairs during the time I’ve been human. I’m so blessed to have lived during these particular 50 years, and in the modern metropolises of New York and Los Angeles - - in relation to almost any times and places in human history. The show makes me happy.

It’s also fantastically written, incredibly entertaining, and a stunningly beautiful period piece. And it’s wonderfully acted. The night I first got into the show, I attended a dinner party for my brother-in-law’s birthday. At one point, people were talking about their recent celebrity sightings ... and Linda, seated across from me, mentioned that she had seen Jon Hamm that very morning. Before that very morning, I wouldn’t have known who Jon Hamm was. But, um, he’s the star of Mad Men. Between that and the show being set in the year I was born, I started to pay special attention to Mad Men. I’m glad I did.

Another interesting coincidence hit me when I started watching the second season a few days later.

From my el jay of Feb. 14:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zlick

So I want to see the next season real bad, and - yay! - I can download all of Season 2 on iTunes. That's just what I do early this morning, and queue up the first show of the season.

It takes place on Valentine's Day. Today is February 14th.

This show and I have a psychic link.

I love it.

That is all.

innerSpaceman · 08-19-2009, 02:09 PM

Finally saw the Mad Men 3rd Season premier, which iTunes kinda screwed up for me (thanks for the work-around, Isaac).

I'm really impressed with two things they did in handling the budding gay issue of their closeted homo regular, Salvatore.

The first is the clever way they shot the start of him getting it on with the bellboy in an out-of-town hotel. The bellhop was in Sal's room fixing the A/C, and Salvatore takes out his billfold and flips through it looking for tip money.

The very tight shot is from Sal's point of view, looking down at his own hands and the money he's counting out. The bellboy's feet come into the shot, and you instantly know Sal realizes this boy has come into his physical space in a way that no straight man ever would.

Beyond being a really neat way to communicate the gay come-on, it struck me because of an incident I had a few years back. I was in Gelson's and saw these two young men shopping together. They could easily have been roommates, and not lovers. There was no hugging, no touching, they didn't look really gay or anything like that. But they kept getting in each other's space in a way that, even 38 years after Mad Men, no American straight male would do.

It was right then, watching these two boys be domestic together, that I realized I wanted a boyfriend and not a continuation of the string of fucbuddies and on-the-sides I'd gay dabbled with my entire life.

Had my first boyfriend a month or two later. And, though it didn't work out how I'd have liked, he's finally moved in with me.

Ok, the second thing I liked about the Gay on the Mad Men episode:

So, of course, Salvatore - who's always been too paranoid to act on his gay impulses lest he be caught ... get's spotted by the show's lead character, his superior at the agency, Don Draper - - as he's coming down the fire escape during the hotel fire that caused Sal's disappointing homo-interruptus, and spots Salvatore with the bellhop coming out of the bathroom in a state of improper undress.

Naturally, Sal's a little freaked. It's his greatest fear that if he's found out as a gay, his career will come to a crashing end. On the plane back to New York, he and Don are uncomfortably silent. Suddenly, Don turns to Sal and says with all seriousness, "I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to answer with complete honesty."

Sal gulps, and nods. And Don, after a pause, asks what he thinks of the advertising concept he's concocted for the client they were visiting in Baltimore.

It was such a smooth (and not uncomical) way for Don to communicate to Sal that he doesn't give a damn about him being gay, and he's not going to speak a word about it to anyone ... not even among themselves.

That was a really nice thing for Don to do, handled very expertly. Of course, on the same trip he also shacked up with a stewardess, cheating on his wife for the 83rd time after they just got back together from an adultery-motived separation (and while she's pregnant with their 3rd child).

Don's a complex character. Fuktard and Swell Guy.

I really like this show. The opener was better than many a 2nd season episode. So I'm re-hooked. And now, the addition of The Gay! WIN.

LSPoorEeyorick · 08-19-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Don, after a pause, asks what he thinks of the advertising concept he's concocted for the client they were visiting in Baltimore.

It was such a smooth (and not uncomical) way for Don to communicate to Sal that he doesn't give a damn about him being gay, and he's not going to speak a word about it to anyone ... not even among themselves.

Though he's also telling Sal to keep it to himself. The new slogan is "limit your exposure." The exec producer has confirmed it was Don's way of saying Sal should avoid being publicly "out."

innerSpaceman · 08-19-2009, 05:20 PM

Telling Sal to avoid being publicly out is like telling me to like Disneyland. Pulease. I call shenanigans.

Though I don't doubt Don was trying to convey that as well.

JWBear · 09-15-2009, 10:41 PM

If anyone has visited the official Mad Men site's "Mad Men Yourself" page, and liked the swank Shagesque artwork, here's a link to the artist's work.

Here's one she did of one of our favorite scenes from season 1:

€uroMeinke · 09-15-2009, 11:03 PM

Just wrapped up season one tonight - I'll probably pick up season two before the week is out - so delightful, dark, and nostalgic

LSPoorEeyorick · 09-16-2009, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWBear

...liked the swank Shagesque artwork...

I saw her stuff last season, and I was really impressed with her work. I've never seen an online campaign team actually tap a fan with an existing meme to help create something for official use. So as soon as I saw Mad Men Yourself, I knew I'd be using it as an example for clients, to show just how effective a talented fan with a meme can be.

JWBear · 09-16-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Just wrapped up season one tonight - I'll probably pick up season two before the week is out - so delightful, dark, and nostalgic

We have one more Season 2 episode to watch; then we have all the Season 3 eps that have aired so far on the DVR.

innerSpaceman · 09-16-2009, 10:53 AM

I'm not really impressed with Season 3 so far. I'll watch the rest of it, but if it turns out as bleh as Season 2, I'm done with this once-promising show.

Last night's episode was grueling. OMG, American childbirth in 1962. No wonder I'm so fuctup.

Not Afraid · 09-16-2009, 10:30 PM

Personally, I'm loving the show for its nostalgia factor (we're playing spaceman!), the writing is really good, but I keep getting plot lines mixed up with 30 Something. Where IS Miles Drentell?

08-19-2009, 02:09 PM	#12
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Finally saw the Mad Men 3rd Season premier, which iTunes kinda screwed up for me (thanks for the work-around, Isaac). I'm really impressed with two things they did in handling the budding gay issue of their closeted homo regular, Salvatore. The first is the clever way they shot the start of him getting it on with the bellboy in an out-of-town hotel. The bellhop was in Sal's room fixing the A/C, and Salvatore takes out his billfold and flips through it looking for tip money. The very tight shot is from Sal's point of view, looking down at his own hands and the money he's counting out. The bellboy's feet come into the shot, and you instantly know Sal realizes this boy has come into his physical space in a way that no straight man ever would. Beyond being a really neat way to communicate the gay come-on, it struck me because of an incident I had a few years back. I was in Gelson's and saw these two young men shopping together. They could easily have been roommates, and not lovers. There was no hugging, no touching, they didn't look really gay or anything like that. But they kept getting in each other's space in a way that, even 38 years after Mad Men, no American straight male would do. It was right then, watching these two boys be domestic together, that I realized I wanted a boyfriend and not a continuation of the string of fucbuddies and on-the-sides I'd gay dabbled with my entire life. Had my first boyfriend a month or two later. And, though it didn't work out how I'd have liked, he's finally moved in with me. Ok, the second thing I liked about the Gay on the Mad Men episode: So, of course, Salvatore - who's always been too paranoid to act on his gay impulses lest he be caught ... get's spotted by the show's lead character, his superior at the agency, Don Draper - - as he's coming down the fire escape during the hotel fire that caused Sal's disappointing homo-interruptus, and spots Salvatore with the bellhop coming out of the bathroom in a state of improper undress. Naturally, Sal's a little freaked. It's his greatest fear that if he's found out as a gay, his career will come to a crashing end. On the plane back to New York, he and Don are uncomfortably silent. Suddenly, Don turns to Sal and says with all seriousness, "I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to answer with complete honesty." Sal gulps, and nods. And Don, after a pause, asks what he thinks of the advertising concept he's concocted for the client they were visiting in Baltimore. It was such a smooth (and not uncomical) way for Don to communicate to Sal that he doesn't give a damn about him being gay, and he's not going to speak a word about it to anyone ... not even among themselves. That was a really nice thing for Don to do, handled very expertly. Of course, on the same trip he also shacked up with a stewardess, cheating on his wife for the 83rd time after they just got back together from an adultery-motived separation (and while she's pregnant with their 3rd child). Don's a complex character. Fuktard and Swell Guy. I really like this show. The opener was better than many a 2nd season episode. So I'm re-hooked. And now, the addition of The Gay! WIN.
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08-19-2009, 05:20 PM	#14
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Telling Sal to avoid being publicly out is like telling me to like Disneyland. Pulease. I call shenanigans. Though I don't doubt Don was trying to convey that as well.
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09-15-2009, 10:41 PM	#15
JWBear Worn Romantic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 8,435	If anyone has visited the official Mad Men site's "Mad Men Yourself" page, and liked the swank Shagesque artwork, here's a link to the artist's work. Here's one she did of one of our favorite scenes from season 1: __________________ Unrestrained frivolity will lead to the downfall of modern society.
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09-15-2009, 11:03 PM	#16
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	Just wrapped up season one tonight - I'll probably pick up season two before the week is out - so delightful, dark, and nostalgic __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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09-16-2009, 10:53 AM	#19
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	I'm not really impressed with Season 3 so far. I'll watch the rest of it, but if it turns out as bleh as Season 2, I'm done with this once-promising show. Last night's episode was grueling. OMG, American childbirth in 1962. No wonder I'm so fuctup.
	Submit to Quotes

09-16-2009, 10:30 PM	#20
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Personally, I'm loving the show for its nostalgia factor (we're playing spaceman!), the writing is really good, but I keep getting plot lines mixed up with 30 Something. Where IS Miles Drentell?
	Submit to Quotes