Basket of Kisses

Ya know…I’ve always had a soft spot for Rich Sommer. I don’t know if it’s because of his sexy eyewear…or his beautiful smile…and then he goes and does something like this and steals my cold heart!

Rich Sommer bared it all for Night of 140 Tweets: A Benefit for Haiti. Yes ladies…he got naked for charity. Yes, NAKED, for charity.

When I stumbled upon this gem I wasn’t sure whether or not it was a good idea to post it. After all, he is NAKED. But Rich was gracious enough to give us permission to see his nakedness.

You don’t have to get naked to help, but you can certainly help by purchasing the DVD, which is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

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As a sequel, John Slattery reviews the beards of Mad Men.

Aaron Staton is the lead in an upcoming, cutting-edge videogame from the makers of Grand Theft Auto. Be sure to check the screencap.

Redheads are predicted to be fashionable this year, including Christina Hendricks.  Sure enough, she turned up at Fashion Week in a new role as spectator.

The Wall Street Journal caught up with Alison Brie during Fashion Week. Film School Rejects thinks Ms. Brie ought to star in a movie adaptation of Chuck Klosterman’s Downtown Owl, and that the Coen Bros. ought to direct. Sounds like a plan.

Mad Men won the the Art Directors Guild Award for a single-camera TV series. Congrats to Dan Bishop! (That’s three, but who’s counting?) Rich Sommer was there as a presenter.

FSR also has the trailer for Get Him to the Greek, a spin-off of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Elisabeth Moss is in the cast, but not so much in the trailer.

However, Jon Hamm is very much in the trailer for Stolen.

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Our dear, lovely Rich Sommer celebrates another year of life. We’re happy to celebrate with him (and especially glad he is part of SCDP, and also, Rich, we’re really really sorry we had to cut so much of your head off up top on our header. but your chin and bowtie are secured).

^ One of my favorite Rich moments this year

And under Related News, it is also the 40th birthday of Jennifer Westfeldt, partner/girlfriend extraordinaire to Jon Hamm, and a helluva playwright and actress. Also a bit of a red carpet darling. We, Deborah especially, are big big fans of Jennifer and of her lovely film Kissing Jessica Stein.

A basket of our most loving and sincere kisses to both of you, born on my most favorite holiday of the year (g’head, check my facebook status).

A note about Mad News: We are now so far behind that we are publishing an incomplete edition and starting another right away. News! Phew! As ever, Mad News is compiled by Deborah and Karl.

Janie Bryant is writing a book! I can’t stand it, it’s too wonderful!

On the Guardian’s Top TV Dramas of all time, Mad Men makes #4. Impressive!

Jim MacLeod has created an awesome Mad Men poster that is now my wallpaper.

The Times of London interviews John Slattery. He’s charming. Who knew?

The NY Times heat map of Netflix rentals has been making the rounds all over the blogosphere, for various reasons. Our reason (as Basketcase SmilerG pointed out) is that it shows Mad Men rentals.

Rich Sommer and Bryan Batt weigh in on Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno.

Rich Sommer will be guesting on Ugly Betty in March as a fireman who asks Betty out.

Bryan Batt has designed a $15,000 retro loveseat called “The Hef,” which is autographed by Hugh Hefner and debuts next month to mark this year’s 50th anniversary of the Playboy Clubs.

Psychology Today has an article on Vance Packard’s 1957 exposé, The Hidden Persuaders — and the Draper-esque James Vicary.

Christina Hendricks will auction her SAG Awards dress to benefit the ‘Clothes Off Our Back’ charity.  And we can vote for the sexy red dress Hendricks will wear; with every vote a $1 donation will be made to ‘Clothes Off Our Back.’

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Some of the cast of Mad Men were at the 10th Annual AFI Awards being honored with A Year of Excellence plaque for ‘Mad Men’. It is award season so I am not the least bit surprised to be seeing our talented cast out and about. Brace yourselves!

Jon Hamm, Matthew Weiner,Christina Hendricks, Vincent Kartheiser and Rich Sommer.
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Joanne Ostrow asks what TV trend defined the aughts. One possibility: The rise of basic cable, meaning, of course, Mad Men.

Several articles I’ve linked to have discussed retro-chic as a trend of the decade, including a mention of Mad Men. The Statesman, though, explicitly refers to “Mad Men-chic” as a trend.

The Chicago Tribune also talks about how TV in general influenced the decade’s fashion. Janie Bryant as well as Sex and the City are singled out.

Mad Men also influences what we’re drinking, including on New Year’s Eve.

The resurgence of the advertising jingle is a nod to Mad Men’s retro advertising.

The Baltimore Sun’s David Zurawik has a wish list for 2010, and guess what? HHerald e hopes Mad Men is better and more historically accurate. This is, by my count, the fourth time this guy has used his column to complain about the portrayal of Baltimore and/or London Fog in Out of Town. Color him obsessed.

Australia’s Herald Sun hates Mad Men, which is, the author claims, a soap no different from Grey’s Anatomy.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Crikey is looking at cringe-worthy Mad Men-era ads. (h/t to SmilerG.)
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Awesome EW interview with Matt Weiner which reveals that January Jones is back for S4.

You should also head to EW to vote for the best scripted show of the year.

The NY Times on Mad Men fashion.

Christina Hendricks and her new husband Geoffrey Arend threw a holiday bash at their downtown Los Angeles home, and People has her recipe for a Corzo Pumpkin Spice Cocktail. (via Peter G.)  Neil Patrick Harris posted a picture of himself with Christina.

Rich Sommer is among the cool guest stars appearing in Aimee Mann’s annual Christmas variety show.  Weird Al Yankovic posted a picture of himself with Rich, who is either playing the New Year or having a medical problem.

John Slattery makes a guest appearance on the Colbert Report (it’s towards the end, but the whole thing is necessary set-up).

A behind-the-scenes tour of Mad Men in Los Angeles is being auctioned for charity. The proceeds go to The New York Stage & Film Company, which is dedicated to both emerging and established artists in the development of new works for theater and film. The tour includes accommodations at The Thompson Hotel Beverly Hills for two nights.

Did You Hear About the Morgans gets a poor-to-middling review from the Washington Times, but Elisabeth Moss is called “excellent.” That seems to be the consensus.

In the Huffington Post, Laura Stepp talks about fatherhood, from Don Draper’s absentee work dad to Knocked Up.

Three Critics Talk about Mad Men and other shows. Great stuff.

Comcast launches XFinity, which is Hulu-like and apparently will include Mad Men. Woo!

Set decoration, Christmas, and Amy Wells of Mad Men.

Mad Men is an example of why a shorter television season (13 episodes rather than 22) may be better.

The Streets I Know, a vegan fashion blog, features Joan Harris.

Mad News compiled by Karl & Deborah.

IFC published an article on Barbet Schroeder and other unusual directors on Mad Men. This was back in November, so belated thanks to Basketcase Lisa.

Best of the Year, anyone? Zap2It’s TV Gal lists Mad Men as #1 on her favorite shows of 2009. The Associated Press includes Mad Men among 2009’s finest. The Boston Herald names Mad Men this year’s “most improved show.”

For the second third year in a row, Mad Men is on the American Film Institute (AFI) list of best television shows of the year. Time Magazine places My Old Kentucky Home #7 on a list of best television episodes this year, while iTunes Rewind cites The Gypsy and the Hobo as the best single episode of a 2009 television drama.

Update: Mad Men led the TV field for the 2010 Writers Guild Awards with three nominations (along with 30 Rock, The Office and Modern Family).

Ad Age charts the Twitter posts of Glee vs. Mad Men.

Jon Hamm has an uncredited voice role in A Single Man, which is is set in the ’60s and boasts the production team from Mad Men. Meanwhile, The L Magazine calls A Single Man “a feature-length, Los Angeles-based Mad Men spin-off,” and points out that a lot of Mad Men’s production design team was involved with the film.

Jezebel asks you to “Meet Joy Golden: The Real Peggy Olsen.”  Video galore.

Cultivator Advertising & Design in Denver produced a Mad Men-themed holiday card.  The attire is temporary, but the decor is permanent. Meanwhile, Ohio.com suggests you do your own Mad Men Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, DO NOT MISS Mad Men gingerbread (h/t Basketcase Esther).

Author and critic Chuck Klosterman talks to /Film about product placement in Mad Men (and 30 Rock).

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E Online’s photo gallery of Gays on TV includes our beloved Salvatore.

The Producer’s Guild of America (PGA) has announced its nominations for TV awards, and Mad Men is nominated in the TV Drama category.

GawkerTV presents “The Tao of Don.”

At the Hartford Courant, Kevin Rennie asks readers to measure the 2010 candidates for Governor against… Joan. (An impossibly high standard. -K)

Project Angel Food’s Divine Design sale, now in its 17th year, kicks off next weekend with a salute to Woman of Style Christina Hendricks.

The Sheaf compares Mad Men and The Sopranos.

TV Squad’s Joel Keller is thankful for Matt Weiner.  The LA Times is thankful for Mad Men among many more important things.
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We’re pretty proud that New York Magazine picked up our article on Don Draper dolls.

The Sydney Morning Herald profiles Matt Weiner.

The New York Post lists Mad Men under “TV we’re thankful for.”

Peggy Noonan is also thankful for much this year — including Mad Men, and its fans. So is Bob Sassone.

Tom & Lorenzo interview Deborah Lacey (Carla), who reveals some remarkable real-life inspiration. It’s an outstanding interview.

Speaking of outstanding interviews, check out Alison Brie and Donald Glover via Pop Matters. Alison should come over to the Lipp house, she sounds like one of us.

A visit with Kansas City’s “real Mad Men.”

The Star Tribune includes Mad Men on its list of DVD gift recommendations. Ah, here come the holidays.

Abigail Spencer (Suzanne Farrell) appeared as a suspect on Monday’s episode of Castle.

“Stealth branding” on Mad Men.

Lionsgate Music, which “is involved with” Mad Men’s music, has signed a multi-year deal with Cherry Lane Music Publishing.

An Arizona boutique shows you how to sport the Mad Men look.

Rich Sommer talks Mad Men and board games with TV Guide.

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