MAD MEN

MAD MEM

(MADISON AVE MEN)

The year is 1960. One of the main characters served in Korea. There were only 2 soldiers left. Our friend and his superior,  is a man with a college degree and an officer in the Army.  He accidentally blows himself up. One can not tell who is who. The main character switches dog tags and in an instant of a second has the credentials to be upper middle class.

At home in his new persona, he accidentally meets his brother in the Big Apple, Knowing that his brother could blow his cover, he demands that he leave town for a big chunk of change.

Married to a housewife, sorority girl with two Aryan looking kids he lives in the suburbs of Connecticut. What does he have to hide? He doesn’t have the proper breeding for his upscale advertising agency, or a college degree, and he must hide that his mom was a hooker.

The 60’s did not start with 1960. That came after President JFK was assassinated. So we see more of the 50’s which was the height of modernism. One was controlled, strong,

organized, and tough. The male was continually faking it and it is hard to be fake. The women were always pleasant and submissive. If one is a fraud among many frauds, something has to assuage the tension. It’s there. Cigarettes and alcohol eased the pain.

MAD MEN keeps the set as exact as one might find at that time. Personalities were developed so that one may be outgoing, easy going and rational. Men being men tried to seduce as many secretaries in the bath room or the housekeeping closet. All are married; the secretaries are the “side action.” Further, they were ones you could look down at and pass on after one’s fix. During this time, psychiatrist was supreme. Sociologists were dealing with over conformity, the adjusted American, and the lonely crowd.

This is not a time to get nostalgic here. Business is business and the show must go on.

One of the worst questions, one could ask is “are you afraid to die.” The group therapy and letting it all hang out came later and not to this group.

However, many of the things in MAD MEN float over to home life, academia, military, that culture reach. There is not a black face on the set. Basically, they are white folks with a cigarette hanging out their mouth.

As we leave this first season of MAD MEN which garnered 16 nominations for best screen show, the ad agency boss is dying and in his own words wonders about a soul. Then dies.

Every one is cool about it and on election eve our professionals and secretaries fornicate and dance to what appears to be a Nixon victory.

What they are discovering is that ads can sell emotions (comidification) better than rational reason. May be humans are so rational after all.

NEWSWEEK (2008) (8/ 4)

YARBOFF/ 58-60.

BUSINESS WEEK (8/4)

LOWRY, 34-35

TIME (2008)

POINESWICK 73-74