The website recap stated the fifth of the seven final episodes of AMC series Mad Men—Lost Horizon—sent Shirley walking off into the horizon. That is, she turned in her resignation to Roger Sterling and remarked, “Advertising is not a very comfortable place for everyone.” Actually, Mad Men Creator Matthew Weiner’s cultural cluelessness makes incorporating non-Whites into the plotline an uncomfortable task.
The website recap stated the fourth of the seven final episodes of AMC series Mad Men—Time & Life—brought Dawn Chambers back into the picture. Seems Dawn was still employed at the agency after all. However, she was almost fired by Roger Sterling for allegedly failing to pay the rent for the office. It turned out that Dawn was not to blame, but she and Shirley continued to fear for their jobs. If creator Matthew Weiner weren’t so culturally clueless, he’d show Dawn and Shirley leaving Sterling Cooper & Partners to launch their own Black advertising agency—and BET could pick up the spin-off series. Bring in Tyler Perry as producer and call it: “Diary of a Mad Men Black Woman.”
Vulture talked with Mad Men Creator Matthew Weiner and AMC Marketing Chief Linda Schupack about the poster for the final episodes of the TV series. The two provided a 5-point analysis, examining the visual and conceptual imagery comprising the piece. The poster does underscore one sure thing: non-White people will be invisible in the closing installments.
Exclusive: Matthew Weiner Analyzes the Final, Official Mad Men Poster
By Josef Adalian
The final seven episodes of Mad Men begin airing in just six weeks, which means the AMC buzz machine surrounding the show has kicked into gear. Last week brought the first teaser pictures and video trailer for season seven’s conclusion, along with the news that Don Draper’s hat and suit are headed to the Smithsonian. And today, before it begins popping up on billboards and in magazine ads, Vulture has the exclusive unveiling of the last official poster for Mad Men — the emblematic image that will forever stand as the graphical representation of season seven’s second half. Series creator Matthew Weiner and AMC marketing chief Linda Schupack agreed to talk to us about the poster. Since the season hasn’t started and Weiner notoriously guards against spoilers, they didn’t reveal anything concrete about what’s to come on the show. But they did discuss five elements of the image and offer hints — teeny, tiny hints — as to what they might mean.
Don is in a car.
This is not an accident. “It’s designed to tell you that Don is going somewhere,” Weiner says. “He could be going to work, he could be going away from work. But there is a feeling of, I hope, a little bit of a desperate drive. We see him in his car, and we see that he’s alone, and I think you just have to basically feel that there’s going to be a sense of motion.” By the way, Don is driving his familiar Cadillac Coup de Ville, Weiner confirms. “That’s Don’s car — the late model Cadillac with the silver and red interior … he was driving at the end of season six.”
The sun is setting behind him.
Weiner won’t reveal too much about what, if any, meaning the sun’s positioning here has: “Is he driving off into the sunset because the show is? It’s the end of a workday, clearly.”
The collar.
Don’s tie is perfectly tied in all previous Mad Men posters in which we can see him from the front. Not this time. “His collar is loosened; his tie is loosened,” Schupack points out, without explaining what, if any, significance that has. But here’s a hit from Weiner: “He looks a little unwound.”
The rearview mirror.
Don’s glancing at his rearview mirror. Is it an introspective look at himself? Or is someone — or something — behind him? Perhaps it’s symbolic of the show’s end? “I don’t know if you could say he’s looking at the end of the show in his rearview mirror,” Weiner says. “But he’s being pursued, and he’s on his way. He’s in the city — and he’s on his way.”
The image is a composite.
“It’s a period photo in the background, but we shot Jon in his car on the stage,” Weiner explains. “It’s an abstract image, but it is not an abstract photo, if that makes sense.”
Adweek reported the final seven installments of AMC series Mad Men will begin airing April 5, playing off the theme: “People do change, but in a lot of ways, they don’t, unfortunately.” Additionally, Creator Matthew Weiner said the last episodes refocus on the six core characters. In other words, don’t expect to see much from Dawn Chambers, which is actually in keeping with the theme on a couple of levels.
First, Mad Men is staying true to modern-day Madison Avenue in that minorities remain invisible servants. Plus, Black representation is declining in the TV program and the real world.
Second, Weiner is not changing, unfortunately, in his cultural cluelessness. His inability to figure out how to integrate non-Whites into his story is painfully obvious. Hell, reflecting the nepotism so prevalent in the advertising industry, expect Weiner’s son to receive more screen time than Don Draper’s secretary.
Never got around to reviewing the latest episodes of AMC series Mad Men because, well, it’s just not a very interesting exercise anymore.
Creator Matthew Weiner’s cultural cluelessness and clumsiness continue to be on full display. In terms of integrating Black culture and historical events into the program, it feels like Weiner has simply given up—reflective of the diminishing diversity efforts of modern Madison Avenue.
Mad Men still portrays all Black characters as heroic figures, albeit in subservient positions. Dawn Chambers, Don Draper’s secretary, actually served him on the side during his professional banishment from the agency. Peggy Olson also has a Black secretary now—Shirley—to play alongside Chambers. Why, there’s even a Black woman taking care of Pete Campbell’s son. Is she colored compensation for the loss of long-time Draper housekeeper Carla?
With the Black secretaries, Weiner manages to tap into an advertising industry reality—although it’s doubtful the tapping is deliberate. That is, Mad Men shows the progress White women have enjoyed in the field, in contrast to the discrimination that has held back Black women. For example, Olson grows in power and stature as a creative director with nearly every episode. And Joan Holloway is meeting directly with major clients and winning the respect of the agency partners. Meanwhile, when a Black secretary is moved into reception—a stereotypical role ultimately awarded to Black women in advertising agencies—Bert Cooper quickly pulled her from the public job. Despite the current protests of 3% whiners, White women have it made in the ad game versus their minority peers.
Black men are as invisible as Ralph Ellison’s iconic main character. Was it really that difficult to find a token replacement for Hollis the elevator attendant? Indeed, Black men are only mentioned in the final season of Mad Men, such as when Shirley received roses from her boyfriend or a White guy referred to a cup of coffee as being “black and strong as Jack Johnson.” Once again, the AMC series is inadvertently reflecting another reality—the abysmal lack of Blacks—on modern Madison Avenue.
Looking forward to the last installment of AMC series Mad Men fading to White.
Advertising Age spotlighted an interview with AMC series Mad Men Creator Matthew Weiner, where he discussed the dearth of diversity in the advertising industry. Weiner declared the business has a “shameful past” rooted in exclusivity. “Advertising in particular is still not integrated,” said Mr. Weiner. Hearing people bash adland for its shady and outdated hiring practices is always entertaining, yet is Weiner really a qualified mouthpiece for the cause? According to Weiner, “There are still no Black people in advertising.” Um, did he miss Here Are All The Black People and Dr. Cornel West? Plus, Weiner should make a contribution to hear Xavier Ruffin’s counterargument. The truth is, Hollywood is not significantly more evolved than Madison Avenue—and Weiner is not above engaging in nepotism like the ad agencies he’s criticizing. Weiner’s cultural cluelessness and hypocrisy make him a perfect fit to join the modern-day Mad Men.
‘Mad Men’ Creator: ‘Advertising Has a PR Problem’
Matthew Weiner Talks About Lack of Diversity And Consumers’ Conflicting Feelings Toward Industry
By John McDermott
Matthew Weiner says advertising has had “a shameful past” when it comes to integration, and that it hasn’t advanced all that much since the era depicted in the show he created, “Mad Men.”
“There are still no black people in advertising,” said Mr. Weiner, who was interviewed by author A.M. Homes Sept. 27 at the New Museum as part of its Visionaries Series. “Advertising in particular is still not integrated.”
“Mad Men” has addressed the volatile racial climate of 1960s America more often in recent seasons, but Mr. Weiner said he still gets questions about why there aren’t more African-Americans on the show.
‘Shameful past’
The unfortunate truth, he said, is that the show’s main characters—who are mostly wealthy, white male advertising executives—would not have had much interaction with African-Americans.
“It’s a shameful past,” he said. “We tried to find a picture of a department store for when we were doing Menken’s department store and there was the black department store and the white department store.”
The even more unfortunate truth, he said, is that advertising remains a white person’s world today. “Those African-Americans who are in the halls of these—now there are two agencies in the world, I think, they’ve merged so much—they are pioneers,” he said.
One thing that has rapidly changed in the media world is how it’s consumed. When Mr. Weiner started “Mad Men” in 2007, he said he was told he couldn’t stream episodes on the internet because people’s attention spans for web video topped out at five minutes.
Of couse, that didn’t prove to be true. Netflix accounts for nearly a third of North American broadband traffic, according to a May report from research firm Sandvine, and “Mad Men” is one of the shows contributing to all that binge watching.
Given his upbringing, it’s surprising Mr. Weiner ever went to work in TV at all, let alone win nine Emmys.
“I was not allowed to watch TV as a kid,” Mr. Weiner said. “We were allowed to watch on Friday and Saturday night, but I was a terrible student and a bit of a troublemaker, and so it was the first thing that got taken away.”
He made up for lost time in college when he got his first TV set. “I watched everything,” he said. His first TV work was for sitcoms—including “Becker” and “Andy Richter Controls the Universe”—before landing a writing gig on “The Sopranos” before “Mad Men.”
Fickle relationship
The original golden era—the one Mr. Weiner partially missed—featured family-friendly network shows that people had to tune in at a particular time to watch. The current golden era—the one Mr. Weiner helped create—features cable shows about complex anti-heroes, with viewers watching episodes at different times, different rates and sometimes on devices other than TVs.
There are some things that never change, though, like consumers’ fickle relationship with advertising.
“Advertising always has a PR problem,” Mr. Weiner said in a post-event interview with Ad Age. “People love it and they greet it with hostility at the same time. It’s an interruption, it’s a distraction, it’s someone trying to sell you something. And at the same time it’s 90% of our entertainment.”
In the latest episode of AMC series Mad Men Season 6, account executive Bob Benson was speaking in Spanish. Is the character actually Latino? Sure, he had previously hooked up Pete Campbell’s mother with a Latino caretaker, but it was never indicated that Benson was Latino too. Perhaps he was just speaking in Spanish. However, he showed extraordinary fluency with the language—especially the profanity. It was later exposed that Benson’s resume was full of lies and he once acted as the manservant of a corporate bigwig. The revelation led to a completely incomprehensible showdown between Benson and Campbell.
The episode also included an appearance by series creator Matthew Weiner’s son. The kid has absolutely zero acting skills. But like the real advertising business, nepotism trumps talent.
In the second installment of AMC series Mad Men Season 6, it was revealed that Peggy Olson has a Black secretary. Phyllis is pretty bold, lecturing Peggy about treating underlings with respect. Someone should lecture creator Matthew Weiner about treating Black characters with respect too.
AMC series Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner revealed Peggy Olson will return next season, despite having left Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce for another job. Sure, bring back the White woman, but dump every Black female character forever—even if she damn near served as an extended family member as Carla the housekeeper did. True to real life, White women do have it easier than other women in the advertising world. And of course, rest assured that Weiner will also call on his talent-free son to make a grand re-entrance.
Mad Men Creator Weighs In on Peggy’s Future, Mega-Megan Backlash and the Season 7 Outlook
By Matt Webb Mitovich
Though Mad Men creator Matt Weiner famously holds his cards very, very (very) close to the vest, there is one thing he was willing to reveal about Season 6, when TVLine spoke with him about the AMC drama’s latest haul of 17 Emmy nominations.
Peggy, played by Elisabeth Moss, “is going to be on the show next year,” Weiner shared. “I can’t say how much, in what capacity or what [her story] is going to be, but she has not left the show.”
Weiner likens the questioning of Moss’ status to the concerns he fielded after the Drapers headed for divorce a couple seasons back. “Everyone was like, ‘I guess January Jones is off the show,’ and I was like, ‘Why would she be?’ I never understood that.”
But whereas Don is forever connected to Betty through their kids, one could argue that Peggy’s tie to the canvas was mostly through her work at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, and that seemingly ended when she tendered her resignation.
“When people leave Sterling Cooper, sometimes it is the end for [the character],” Weiner allows. “But I will spoil that one tiny piece of anticipation and tell people that Elisabeth will be showing up to work.”
The same Season 5 that saw Peggy bid SCDP farewell also injected a heavy dose of Megan Draper, played by relatively new cast member Jessica Pare. Weiner admits that he “took a couple knocks” for thrusting Don’s new bride into the spotlight, but says it was a necessary follow-through on someone now wed to the show’s lead character.
“You take a huge risk when you don’t do the show you did the year before,” Weiner explains, alluding to how Season 4 ended with Don and Megan’s engagement. “People just hated her. They were like, ‘She’s manipulative! Is he really going to marry her? Hopefully she’ll be gone.’ But I was like, ‘No, this is this guy’s second marriage, and he’s going to take it seriously.”
Regardless of so much ado about “Zou Bisou Bisou,” Mad Men is coming off its most-watched season, averaging 2.6 million weekly viewers (up 15 percent over Season 4). And while AMC thus far has only renewed the show for Season 6, Weiner insists that a cycle beyond that is a certainty.
“We cannot rely on the official language of things. There will be a Season 7,” he says. “Jon Hamm is signed on for it, I’m signed on for it… I mean, if Season 6 has one viewer… but I don’t think [ratings] is what it’s about. I think Season 7 has already been internationally sold… It’s going to happen.”
Vulture published a short interview with AMC series Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, probing his thoughts on the integration of secretary Dawn Chambers and the Civil Rights Era. Weiner displayed his cluelessness on a couple of levels. “I feel like the expectation that introducing a black character means you have to tell the civil rights struggle is in a way racist,” Weiner said. Um, are viewers really expecting Mad Men to spotlight the civil rights movement? If the program remains true to its cultural accuracy, the staff at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce will not even notice the revolution. Audience members would probably be fine if Weiner simply developed a minority character versus having them serve as token props. Hell, Weiner’s talent-challenged son gets more screen time than Draper’s administrative assistant. “All I can say is, it’s early. We have 26 episodes left. I don’t feel like in the history of the United States that 1966 was the year of civil rights; it’s early,” Weiner added. Um, Rosa Parks’ refusal to move to the back of the bus—as well as the Montgomery Bus Boycott—took place in 1955. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed, “I Have a Dream” in 1963, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965. And MLK was shot in 1968. Sure, 1966 might not be “the year of civil rights,” but it’s certainly within the general timeframe.
Why Mad Men Hasn’t Dealt Much With Civil Rights
By Kyle Buchanan
If you were expecting Mad Men to devote more time to the civil rights movement after the salvo of season-opening episodes that introduced black secretary Dawn (played by Teyonnah Paris), creator Matt Weiner would like you to keep those assumptions in check. “I feel like the expectation that introducing a black character means you have to tell the civil rights struggle is in a way racist,” Weiner tells the Los Angeles Times. “I use her character the same way I use all the characters on the show. She is there. I’m sorry if people were disappointed. Do I regret there wasn’t more of it? Yeah. All I can say is, it’s early. We have 26 episodes left. I don’t feel like in the history of the United States that 1966 was the year of civil rights; it’s early.”
As for all that talk about the anachronistically high divorce rate on Mad Men? Well, there’s at least one married couple Weiner says he doesn’t plan on breaking up: Don and his recent bride, Megan. “People should assume like Don does that he will be married to this woman for the rest of his life,” says Weiner. “This is not one in a series of marriages for Don. This is the good marriage after the bad one. Of course, he’s part of his time, though. Can he really deal with an independent person?”
Memo to Tanner Colby: You were dead wrong.
In Colby’s painfully overwritten perspective, the author opined, “And if Mad Men’s schedule stays on the course it’s been following, it’s a safe bet that the season now beginning will finally bring us to the point when black consumers stand up and refuse to sit at the back of the advertising bus.”
AMC series Mad Men failed to realize Colby’s predictions—plus, the program almost moved backwards in its erasure of Blacks. The final episode made the point quite succinctly via secretary Dawn Chambers.
First, a client nastily referred to Don Draper’s administrative assistant as “Black coffee” during a meeting. Draper and his associates said nothing. Then again, directing racist insults at a coworker is no big deal for guys who willingly paid Joan Holloway to prostitute herself for a new account.
Later, Dawn greeted Don in the morning, taking his hat and coat before delivering a fresh pail of ice to his office. Don offered no friendly hello or any type of acknowledgement whatsoever. The woman did not exist on a human level—she was merely a prop.
Sorry, Mr. Colby, but you lost the safe bet. AMC series Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner is clueless about non-White culture and characters.
As previously noted, Mad Men reflected Madison Avenue in its handling of race this season. That is, when literally forced to deal with diversity, a token gesture was made, commitment to change was momentarily feigned and the entire matter was quietly dropped. But did Weiner deliberately infuse such keen insight into the plotline? No way.
Like his lead creative director figure, Weiner is nothing more than a clever hack.
MultiCultClassics has always wondered about the casting of Glen Bishop, the creepy neighborhood kid with a crush on Sally Draper—whose feelings blossomed once he was spurned after making advances on Betty Draper. Didn’t realize the talent-challenged actor is Marten Holden Weiner, son of AMC series Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner. Looks like the elder Weiner really does his homework on the advertising industry, as the man has embraced the nepotism so prevalent in the field.
The latest episode of Mad Men didn’t even show secretary Dawn Chambers at all, as creator Matthew Weiner focused on Jewish culture, which he’s more comfortable exploiting. Yep, Tanner Colby clearly had no idea what he was typing about.
Image above found here—but perhaps inspired by this?
