Mad Men Mania- Little Treasures You Might Have Missed

It probably goes without saying that I'm a fan of Mad Men, and although not as many people watch it as I would like (The ratings are a fraction of what the show about the zombies brings in) it's not exactly obscure. So this isn't a spotlight on the show. It's a spotlight on the pop culture surrounding the show you might have missed by not being a hardcore geek about it like I am.

We'll start with the wackiest one. The Mad Men make your own story based video game in the vein of Maniac Mansion or Legend Of Zelda, as if it had been made in the 80's.

Dodge that lawnmower, Don!



Comedic cartoonist Dyna Moe achieved a (very small) level of fame when Mad Men Yourself became a thing people did on facebook and myspace. Using her deceptively simple clip art pieces and parts, one can create their own kitschy caricature of themselves and their friends to use as avatars.


Dyna Moe got the gig because she had been regularly making little postcard style illustrations of key scenes from that week's episodes, and they found their way to the cast and crew. From there came the avatar creation site, and from that came Mad Men: The Illustrated World. Filled with recipies involving the 60's trendy processed foods and very potent party drinks along with the tounge in cheek cartoons, it's a very fun and whimsical companion piece to a show that is not exactly fun or whimsical, but somehow it works.



Another book more closely tied to the nature of the show is Sterling's Gold. Fans of the program will recognize this as a familiar prop- the cover and title of Roger's autobiography, small press published (somewhat against his will) by his young wife, Jane. The interior pages are made up of quotes by Mr.Sterling from over the course of the show. A few favorites read as follows:

-Where'd you get that sweater? I want to make sure my daughter never buys it.

-Remember, when God closes a door, he opens a dress.

-It looks like you're all going to engage in a little mid-level camaraderie, so I'll be on my way.

-I told him to be himself. That was pretty mean, I guess.



And to think, I thought Megan was going to be boring.

AMC must have known in advance this would be one of those water cooler moments, because they were very quickly ready to capitalize. You can get Megan's (actress Jessica Pare's, that is) performance of Zou Bisou Bisou (as popularized by Gillian Hills and Sophia Loren) as a digital download or, if you're really cool, a 45.

I just did- one red, one black.

Gladys Knight And The Pips Can Get Down

Gladys Knight And The Pips are well known for their laid back and mid tempo numbers. What they aren't as famous for are the songs where they throw down and really get to cooking. Play these songs on your car stereo top volume with the window down on a sunny day, watch people dance in the street along with you. Music is a beautiful thing.

Strut your ass down to the Music Store and get with this groove.

Gene Vincent And The Challenge Sessions

Gene Vincent had been on the Rock & Roll B-list in America and become a conquering hero in the UK. He lost his best friend. As he slid into middle age in the middle of the sixties, his work reflected the rough road that had led him to a point we can conjecture he wasn't sure how he found. Fans of Rockabilly usually ignore his work from this time, and it is almost completely forgotten. This is a huge mistake, as the artistry of these recordings, made for a label called Challenge, are the strongest reflection of Gene as an artist that exist.

Buy it for way the hell too much money, or try other means.

Phil Noto And The Point Avengers and Mad Men Intersect

At this moment in time, there's two big things on the horizon in entertainment that are particularly compelling to me. The high brow are looking forward to the return of Mad Men, the low brow can't wait for the Avengers movie. The concepts click together in the following "snapshots," candid pictures taken my Dr. Henry Pym behind the scenes as Marvel ruled the swinging sixties. Phil Noto is the artist, and he's brilliant.










But this isn't all he does. You can see more of Mr.Noto's work here.

Ralph McQuarrie

We've lost Ralph McQuarrie . When you speak of people who influenced the outcome of Star Wars more than Lucas himself, Mr.McQuarrie was the best example. His mind and hand gave us the concepts which became the movies. The world is a less interesting place without him.












More favorites are here, and here. And why not here.

The St.Baldrick's Foundation

Quick note from the author- I'm going to be sacrificing my well known trademark red pompadour as part of a fundraiser for the folks at St. Baldrick's. They're doing a great thing, I'm happy to be a part, so if you can find it in your heart and your wallet, please make a small donation. Thanks so much.









MARCH 11, 2012 UPDATE

...and this is how it turned out, over 1,000 bucks later.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed. Don't stop on my account. Give what you can.