There’s not a lot of hot breaking television news this morning, which is actually kind of nice because it gives me an opportunity to remind you all how amazing this scene from the past season of Mad Men is. The episode it was from aired months ago, and I still, without fail, think about it at least once a week, usually emitting an audible “Ooooooo” when I remember Don’s line as he’s walking out of the elevator. “I feel bad for you.” “I don’t think about you at all.” God DAMN that cuts deep. Just once — just one single time — I want to have that good a comeback at the ready, and drop it on some poor sap’s head like an anvil. I don’t think I would particularly like to know someone like Don Draper in real life (I am a total diva and he would basically be furious at me all the time), but I get almost unending amounts of pleasure out of watching him verbally kneecap poor Michael Ginsberg. First-round TKO, Draper retains the title. Ain’t gonna be no rematch.
I’ve posted the scene below. Even if you’ve never seen an episode of the show, I think you can appreciate it.
NOTE: What do you think Ginsberg did after the elevator doors closed? I imagine he started mumbling “I don’t think about YOU at all, DON” like some upset 9-year-old who is trying to think up a good response to a playground teasing that happened hours ago. Either that or cry. Those are pretty much your only two options in this kind of situation.
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The thing that really kills me about it is that Ginsberg is burned so hard that he doesn’t get off the elevator- he and Don work on the same floor, don’t they? Don has so thoroughly handed him his ass that he either forgets where he works, or he is too ashamed to leave the elevator.
This is an excellent point.
They’re leaving, though. The meeting is over and they’re going home.
That makes sense, but in that case, wouldn’t they both be getting off at street level?
Oh darn, I’ll have to re-watch the episode… I thought it was them coming back to SCDP after the meeting, although leaving the client’s office also makes sense in terms of immediacy- Don leaves the board in the cab, goes to the meeting, pitches it, rides back down, destroys Ginsberg’s life forever. And then goes out somewhere do be Drapery and awesome. An afternoon well spent.
I think the level-headed response to that burn is, “You will now”.
Yeah. I don’t even think it’s much of a burn, considering everyone knows that Don IS thinking about Ginsberg (like what jonson says below). Don never would have come up with that pitch if he wasn’t. It’s nice to see the competitive side of Don come out, but if he keeps treating employees like shit it’ll backfire (ala Peggy).
It’s a fantastic scene, but you also know on the inside that Don is highly upset that Ginsberg has better, quicker ideas than him, that Ginsberg represents the future and Don is very afraid of becoming the past. The whole thing is great. Seeing cracks in the Draper armor make him a more interesting character.
Reminded of that famous exchange from “The Fountainhead” between Roark and Toohey:
“Mr. Roark, we’re alone here. Why don’t you tell me what you think of me? In any words you wish. No one will hear us.”
“But I don’t think of you.”
Of course that’s probably where the similarities end.
This is what I thought of as well when I first saw the scene, and I have to think it isn’t a coincidence, particularly with all of Cooper’s insistence that Don read “Atlas Shrugged” back in the first season. Don has mirrored Roark quite a few times, what with his tendency to “blow up” his own artistic visions rather than having them meddled with by the people he’s selling them to.
While this is a great scene, Don and Joan in the bar is still the undisputed Mad Men Scene Of The Year*