Mad Men

October 6th, 2011 | 6:22 pm by Jordan Runtagh (@JordanRuntagh)

Thomas Jane Was Thiiiis Close To Playing Don Draper On Mad Men

Jon Hamm is practically synonymous with Mad Men. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to picture the hit show without Jon’s chiseled man-jaw filling the role of Don Draper. But amazingly, he very nearly didn’t get the part. Hamm recently went on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast and admitted that the show’s producers were dead set on having fellow ridiculously handsome dude Thomas Jane in the lead. “I started, literally, on the very, very bottom,” he said. “I couldn’t have had less heat on me.” At that point, his biggest roles were bit parts on CSI: Miami, Providence and Ally McBeal, where he played memorable characters like “Gorgeous Guy At The Bar.” We all remember that one, right?

“Nobody knew who I was,” he continued. “The casting directors didn’t know who I was. I wasn’t on anybody’s lists… The funny thing was, I think they went to Thomas Jane for it, and they were told that Thomas Jane does not do television.” Thomas now acts in the HBO show Hung, so either he had a change of heart, or he was just trying to be polite to the Mad Men peeps. Either way, both play suave debonair dudes who have sex with gorgeous women constantly, so potato-potahto.

It’s still so strange to think of a Mad Men without Jon Hamm. Check out the gallery below for more iconic roles that almost went to someone else!

[Photo: Getty/]

September 23rd, 2011 | 9:21 am by Jordan Runtagh (@JordanRuntagh)

Dapper Don Draper Re-Emerges On The Set Of Mad Men

While not looking his best at the Emmys over the weekend, these pics taken on the set of Mad Men yesterday show Jon Hamm looking decidedly less fugs. Hamm was his usual chiseled and handsome self while hanging out between takes, although we have to admit he seems a little annoyed. Maybe he’s wondering why there’s no one else as hot as him around. Or maybe the millionth person just asked him what he thinks about Pan Am. Co-stars John Slattery and Vincent Kartheiser were also on hand to round out everyone’s favorite ad-firm. It’s so good to see everyone back after well over a year between seasons. We can’t wait til March 12th! Until then, check out the gallery below to get your 60s hunk fix.

[Photo: Splash News Online]

September 20th, 2011 | 6:30 pm by Mark Graham (@unclegrambo)

Controversial Opinion Alert: Jon Hamm Looked Kinda Fugs At The Emmys

Before we get started, let’s acknowledge the obvious: Jon Hamm is an insanely handsome man. I think that very few people, when posed with the question “Would you trade your looks for Jon Hamm’s?”, would answer in the negative. However, at the 2011 Emmy Awards on Sunday night, he didn’t quite look his usual Hammsian self. In fact, he just looked … REGULAR HANDSOME (which, for him, equates to fugs).

It’s hard to tell exactly what went wrong on Sunday, but a natural starting point would be his hair. What did he DO to that luxurious mane of his, anyway? As we have seen in his many red carpet and acting roles, the man is capable of pulling off every hairstyle in the books, from a slicked down Brylcream special to just-out-of-bed-head. But at the Emmys, it looked like he had just stumbled upon a case of expired Vidal Sassoon mousse leftover from the 80s moments before the show and just went hogwild with that shizz in the limo. His most egregious offense, however, was not taking a pair of shears to that one piece of straggly hair that cascaded down his forehead like a reverse rat tail.

Read more…

August 25th, 2011 | 4:56 am by Ambika Muttoo (@missmuttoo)

John Slattery Defends January Jones Alleged Ice-Cold Divatude

So is she or isn’t she sweetness and light? Little Bobby Draper on Mad Men aka Jared Gilmore thinks January Jones — his TV Mom — totally isn’t. He recently told TV Guide, “She’s not as approachable as the others. She’s really serious about what she does. Everyone else is so nice.” The kid’s eleven! They normally don’t have any sort of filter at that age which means he probably meant what he said. Which, FYI, totally backs up Zach Galifianakis‘ claim that January is a meanie.

With all the reports pouring in about Ms Betty, her co-star’s done her a solid by leaping to her defense. Standing up for her, John Slattery has said of January, “Well, it’s an intimidating character. I mean, that’s the character. Betty Draper is an intimidating woman I suppose, if you were a 7-year-old boy [or] her so. No, she’s a sweetheart. We got lucky. We don’t have anybody like that. I have no doubts she’ll make a great mother.” Sounds sincere to us, but then again, she may have terrified him into saying that!

[Photo: Getty Images]

August 23rd, 2011 | 1:10 pm by Jordan Runtagh (@JordanRuntagh)

January Jones’ TV Son Thinks She’s Kind Of Mean

There’s something about January Jones that just seems to rub people the wrong way. We’ve told you about  Zach Galifianakis chewing her out for being rude, and now her eleven-year-old costar is doing the same! Little Jared Gilmore, better known to the world as January’s TV son Bobby Draper on Mad Men, is leaving the show after one season . But before he goes, he offered some cautionary words to whoever his replacement might be. “Be careful around January,” he told TV Guide. “She’s not as approachable as the others. She’s really serious about what she does. Everyone else is so nice.” Considering the fact that she plays a raging icy spiteful biotch-sicle on the show, perhaps she’s just really into her role? But the fact that Mad Men has gone through three actors for Bobby might be a hint. We hope Jared has happier days on the set of his next acting job, ABC’s new series Once Upon A Time. And we hope that January chills out!

[Photo: Getty Images]

July 26th, 2011 | 9:45 am by Jordan Runtagh (@JordanRuntagh)

Jon Hamm Will Be Really Handsome on IFC Now

It looks like we’re about to get a double dose of man-god Jon Hamm this January. Not only is it the much anticipated return of Mad Men, but the chiseled actor has a little something extra up his sleeve. Apparently his turns on SNL and in Bridesmaids have whetted his appetite for comedy, and he is joining the cast of David Cross’ The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, set to air its second season on the IFC. The series centers around Cross as a mailroom clerk who talks his way into running an English energy drink cooperation.

No word on the role he’s going to play, but considering the show is also written by Cross, and co-stars his Arrested Development pal Will Arnet, we have extremely high hopes for the show. It’s a shame it’s only six episodes a season! But still there’s more coming up for the Mad Man. He’s reportedly attached to an upcoming Judd Apatow comedy co-starring Melissa McCarthy. What a Hamm! (*zing* See, Jon isn’t the only comedian around these parts)

[Photo: Getty Images]

June 22nd, 2011 | 10:15 am by Anthony Miccio

Jon Hamm Signs Up For Three More Seasons Of Mad Men

Looks like someone’s going to have to shave! Critics’ Choice Television Award winner Jon Hamm just signed a deal with Lionsgate for three more seasons of Mad Men, following show creator Matthew Weiner’s contract for two more years (with an option for a third). What this means for fans is—bearing some tragedy or juicy drama worthy of a plotline itself—there will be at least seven seasons of Mad Men. After the scare Weiner and AMC gave viewers over the fate of Mad Men season 5, this only seems fair.

The move is  smart one for AMC, considering the negative buzz they got for tightening the budget on Weiner in the upcoming season. And with The Killing‘s season finale universally loathed, the last thing they want to do is lose their flagship show. Sincecable tv seasons already relatively brief, this new deal shouldn’t keep Hamm from sexing up movie screens as well—don’t forget, we’ve got his snowboarding vacation with Megan Fox to look forward to!

[Photo: Getty Images]

May 24th, 2011 | 1:00 pm by Lauren Olson (Deiman)

Summer Movie Guide: Boob Tube Stars On The Silver Screen

As temperatures rise and blockbusters flood the movie theaters, prepare to swim in celebs who became household names via the boob tube. While some have since established themselves as movie stars, we grew to love them on a weekly basis from our couches.

A brunette version of Gossip Girl‘s Blake Lively will play leading lady opposite Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern. Mad Men‘s January Jones will trade her 60s housewife getup for a shimmery push-up bra for her role as Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class. Ever the uptight but lovable nerd, The Office‘s Ed Helms will reprise his role in The Wolfpack in The Hangover: Part II. This summer’s token fluffy comedy Monte Carlo features plenty of TV’s hottest stars such as Glee‘s Cory Monteith, GG‘s Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy, and Wizards of Waverly Place‘s Selena Gomez.

Before the heat and humidity makes us all flee to the movie theaters for relief, check out what TV stars to keep an eye out for in this summer’s biggest flicks.

[Photos: Universal Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Splash News Online, Warner Bros.]

April 1st, 2011 | 9:15 am by Anthony Miccio

Mad Men Creator Wins Stand-Off, Show To Return In 2012

Breathe again, Mad Men fans. Breathe again. Creator Matthew Weiner has reached a deal with AMC for the show’s return in 2012. “I want to thank all of our wonderful fans for their support. I also want to thank AMC and Lionsgate for agreeing to support the artistic freedom of myself, the cast and the crew, so that we can continue to make the show exactly as we have from the beginning. I’m excited to get started on the next chapter of our story.” Season 5 of Mad Men was delayed when Weiner and AMC faced off over a $1.5 million budget cut the network proposed, which would have required two cast members to be fired.

Though the product placement won’t be as prominent as the network hoped, it looks like Weiner did concede on the matter of more ad time. The show will now be the standard 47 minutes on the first and last episodes of the season, but 45 for episodes 2-11. H0wever, a “final cut” will be released digitally 8 days after the show airs. Don’t get too excited, though, Draper fans—there won’t be any new episodes for 11 months.

[Photo: Getty Images]