Mad Men Hits the Right Notes On MLK Shooting (Or: How I Suffered Through an Ad Agency on 9/11)

Critics seem to keep the AMC series Mad Men under a microscope as far as being historically accurate.  It's like a contest for them to point out a mistake. Waste of time if you ask me, and does the audience REALLY care?  I could just ask my Aunt Cindy and she could tell me that it is accurate because she lived that era enduring New York City.  Maybe creator Matthew Weiner has an "Aunt Cindy?"

Last night's episode featured the national tragedy of the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and while sites like Slate, The Huffington Post and Salon are probably going ape-shit analyzing and grading the plot development and characters' reactions, I already give Mad Men an "A."  I give them this grade this because I worked at an advertising agency during another national tragedy - 911, and I saw the horrible reactions.  I have never witnessed a more vile side of human nature in my life.

No sooner did the planes hit the Twin Towers and the non-stop media coverage started our phones began ringing off their hooks.  Just like in Mad Men, the clients were demanding "make-goods" for their commercials that were not going to run. One truly abhorrent mattress dealer (most of them are - do they ironically get no sleep?) was even trying to BUY spots on CNN during the coverage.

Unlike at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce there was NO discussion about closing our ad agency early out of respect.  We were in lock-down mode.  This led to many divided opinions and caused me to look at some co-workers very differently. And it made me have even less respect for some them than I already did. We were forced to stay until the end of the business day even with most of us in tears.  We were an ad agency after all.  We had to stay open until the Earth crashed into the Sun.  The only comfort for me was that most of our account executives were stranded outside of town for days and our clients were not exactly in what I would call "cosmopolitan" areas. "Enjoy your Chick-Fil-A! And by the way, f*ck you!!  - L.B.

The only big surprise for me in Mad Men's episode last night was that Pete Campbell (of all people!) came off as the most disturbed by the MLK tragedy in the agency.  I didn't see THAT one coming.  Harry Crane was no surprise as the head of our media department was scum.  Don Draper - well you know he was upset, but hard to tell just how upset.  Don can always replace a mistress if his neighbor got killed in a DC riot. Megan Draper, truly upset, but then she could later smoke a joint to ease the anxiety. Trudy Campbell - safe in the suburbs, so please stay and get clubbed to death in a race riot dear Pete.   Peggy Olson no doubt saw the tragedy coming and had already mentally prepared herself.  Betty Francis as per usual, told the kids to just turn off the TV so she could go back to thinking about herself and social climbing. Don taking the normally mute Bobby Draper to see Planet of the Apes, a sci-fi movie about racism, was a good plot point. Particularly with them watching it TWICE.

So in reality, I think Mad Men was kind of tame. Maybe because it was in a more ignorant era where people still used the word "negro?"  But I still give it an "A." Imagine what would happen if we faced a beloved national figure being assassinated today and if it was during Honey-Boo-Boo or Dancing with the Stars!?!  I do know it would be chaos within ad agencies and a lot of shouting and tears would ensue.