Mad News, August 31-September 6, 2008
- Panopticist, a blog that looks at culture from a very inside-advertising perspective, criticizes the fonts in Mad Men’s closing credits. It’s kind of dorky if you’re not interested in fonts, but I found it fascinating.
- The Hanover, PA Evening Sun is interested in the appearance of Hanover company Utz in Mad Men.
Utz was flattered with the recognition it received but was not involved with the decision to be included in the show, said Alec Sivel, director of marketing for Utz.
“They just wrote us into the script,” Sivel said.
- The Chicago Tribune has found the real Tilden Katz! (Scroll to the very end.) Now that’s what I call journalism!
- The New York Daily News discusses Mad Men as the future of television, nodding to the potential Emmys sweep coming up on September 16.
- It seems fans are more upset over Duck’s mistreatment of his dog than any mistreatment of other humans. (Hat tip to Basketcase Peter G.)
- The New York Post compares Don Draper to Tony Soprano.
- TV By the Numbers analyzes Mad Men’s marketing strategy, comparing AMC to Duck Philips.
- The New York Times sees the Twitter imitators as a form of fanfic.
- The Guardian looks at the changing face of cable, which necessitates poking fun at HBO for passing on Mad Men.
- Mad Men is featured in EW’s 25 Things Pop Culture Taught Us This Summer.
- The LA Times “Gold Derby” wonders if being a period piece is Emmy poison.
- The San Francisco Bay Guardian writes a thoughtful review of Mad Men’s surface charm and inner power.
- The Daily Cardinal of the University of Wisconsin points out that current basic-cable quality programs like Mad Men can save you money on those now-unneeded premium channels. Roberta & I never forked it over for premium cable; that’s how we ended up watching Mad Men in the first place.
- The Huffington Post gives the WWDDD (What Would Don Draper Do) treatment to pitching Sarah Palin as the vice presidential choice.
- In other political news, a letter to the editor in the Wall Street Journal suggests that Karl Rove’s assessment of Sarah Palin’s appeal is reminiscent of Mad Men; men “in their smoke-filled offices, also thinking that they know what appeals to women.”
- The ever quotable Elastic Waist contemplates Marilyn vs. Jackie.
- Variety reports that Matt Weiner is using the success of Mad Men to shop for a deal, but it’s unclear what that means.
- The Culture Vulture is back with a fab interview with the God of Deep Voices, Jon Hamm. He is so quotable:
Do you think [Don and Rachel are] soul mates?
I do, in a weird way. I think that Don recognizes that and wishes he had it, and true to the overriding theme of our show, he misses out on it and is sad. - The apparent lunatic who writes the LA Times fashion blog All the Rage asks if Christina Hendricks is too fat to be on TV. Jesus H. Christ. Our good friend ProgGrrl (whose name I am now spelling correctly) is asking that people respond to them in comments with exactly how “too fat” Christina is.
- Glarkware has a t-shirt that you simply MUST see. I’m not even spoiling the surprise, just go see.
September 6th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I realize that some folks are nail-biting over Weiner seeking a bigger production deal…but I don’t see why he can’t produce a few shows at the same time. It doesn’t necessarily mean he would abandon his 2-yo baby here… Go Matt!
*runs off to tell more friends to comment on the Joan article…and to buy the Glark tee*
September 6th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Note to Glarkware t-shirt peeps:
YES I will be ordering!
and thank you, you have made my world a better place…
September 6th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I just saw the commercial for the next episode. Looks like we are finely going to get some Salvatore and wife storyline. It showed him lighting a cigarette for Ken as His wife looks on. Then has his wife saying “Didn’t you even see me there?”
I guess Salvetore has a little crush on Ken.
I have ben dying to get to this storyline.
September 6th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Sal has a crush on Ken? (I realize this is merely speculation.) No! I don’t know, Ken doesn’t seem like his type. Who should Sal have a crush on? I can’t see past Don, though I’d love for Sal to live happily ever after with Mr. Belle Jolie.
Christina Hendricks is positively scrumptious, and not “too” anything, except maybe just too freakin’ hot. My SO and viewing companion collapses in paroxysms of lust every time she’s on screen.
September 6th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Scary news items:
‘Mad Men’ Creator Matthew Weiner Knows How To Sell Himself:
http://defamer.com/5046019/mad-men-creator-matthew-weiner-knows-how-to-sell-himself
“Showrunner shops for ‘Mad’ money
Matthew Weiner makes rounds to studios”
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117991618.html?categoryid=14&cs=1
I wish Matt all the best - and I hope he parlays this into more deserved millions - but it does add an element of uncertainty I’m nervous about…
September 6th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Oops - just saw this was mentioned earlier … but I’m still nervous…
September 6th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Christina Hendricks is hot, hot, hot. What is wrong with people?
September 6th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
I need that shirt.
September 7th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I could seriously turn lesbian for Christina Hendricks. Don’t tell my hubby.
September 7th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I am still waiting for the T-shirt that says “Forget it…it never happened” Maybe something black with white letters. Or maybe that quote about “You”ll be shocked out how…” (forget rest of line)
You guys need to update the quote section.
Anyway, the t-shirt people are missing out on some great quotes for t-shirts. They are so ambigious and they would make people think when they read them.
September 7th, 2008 at 7:46 am
One more log - wish you lovely Lipps could start an open thread early on Sundays for those of us who have time to chat about the show on Sundays. We could speculate and predict for tonight.
September 7th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I’ll discuss with the sister, there’s nothing to stop us placing it a little earlier.
The reason that quotes go up slowly is because we make an extra effort to make them perfect. We never, ever do quotes from memory. You can be assured, when checking our quotes section, that every “and” was actually said, that no “the” was really “a.”
Did Don say “You’ll be shocked at how…” or did he say “You’ll be shocked how…” Until I have watched the show with a pad or wordprocessor in my lap, and have rewound it and triple-checked, it doesn’t go into quotes.
September 7th, 2008 at 11:05 am
I have all the shows DVR’d and I use closed caption. I will check tonight.
September 7th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Ell, do not trust closed captioning, it is often slightly off.
Seriously, I trust nothing but my own ears or the ears of my sister.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
John Hamm is scheduled to appear on Regis and Kelly tomorrow. Rev up those DVRs.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
My fucking DVR is broke down. I’m not even kidding. I didn’t catch The Gold Violin, (thank god for iTunes), and kind of can’t watch TV. Will miss tonight’s Project Runway. suck.
September 11th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I’ll post this new (I hope) item here - looks like our favorite show is getting good coverage in the Phillipines! THE PHILLIPINE DAILY INQUIRER:
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20080911-160066/Mad-Men-cooks-up-compelling-campaigns
I love the beautifully declarative statement about Don’s preferences in the article: “Don is a hardworking family man, a brilliant luminary respected by colleagues. But he’s stressed, and secretly sleeps with brunettes.”
September 14th, 2008 at 2:34 am
And here’s his picture. He even looks like the guy.