Congratulations on your mesmerizing acting as Don Draper. A man you like, love, hate, feel sorry for, can't understand, want to be (or just want)- I can't think of another actor demanding this from the viewer scene to scene.

I've read Matt Weiner say he is very detailed in his writing. Are you allowed to be creative in your interpretation of his writing? It is the many nuances in every episode that make this show complete. Thank you.

My favorite scene in Season One was the one between Don and Adam at the end of 5G. Did Don see no other option than to cut all ties with his half-brother?

Jon, You play the role of Don superbly. He is conflicted by so many emotions -- where do you draw your inspiration? What was your favorite scene of the series so far?

Dear Mr. Hamm:

First of all, congratulations for doing such a great job in this role! This is the best show I have ever seen (even better in my opinion, than The Sopranos). I have never been so enthralled by a series and have never participated in a blog like this.

Do you think Don Draper is basically an amoral, cold-hearted bastard or a decent guy who's been wounded by his childhood?

Even though Don does things that are reprehensible, you can't help liking the guy! He's just so suave and charming. Is it all just an act? Does the man have any redeeming qualities?

I hope so, because I want Don to evolve into a better man as the 60's unfold.

You're a fine actor, and I hope you win an Emmy for your performance.

r u married??? lets go on a date!!!! I seriously think u r sooo talented no joke.....kisses!!!xoxo.

Where did you go to high school?

Whoa! I got so carried away with my "Carousel" reverie I forgot to ask you my question! Was that scene your favorite as well?

Do you think Don Draper is a sociopath?

Hi Jon,

Fantastic chemistry, congrats on perfecting your craft. Would you like to do more period pieces? You have an uncanny ability to see life through the elements of different historical eras, I even noticed how you stuck out in "We were soldiers," though your role was small. Thank you kindly for reading this post, Ellie from California.

Jon. congratulations on weekly world-class performances. You have a brilliant future ahead of you, but in the meantime we will all enjoy this marvelous show that takes us back so cleverly and clearly to 1960.

I was a young adult then, and I know "cool" when I see it. You are the ultimate "cool" guy. Keep up the marvelous work!

I wish you all the best, now and in the future.

Hello Jon,

Many thanks for the wonderful performance you have given us this season as the inimitable, irresistible Don Draper; hope you are recognized with the Emmy Award you so truly deserve!

How does it feel to be in the process of creating another iconic TV character that will become part of American popular culture? I'm sure Don Draper will join the ranks of Tony Soprano, Lt. Columbo, Marshall Dillon, J.R Ewing, Hawkeye Pierce, Archie Bunker et al who each in their own way have left a lasting impression on the viewing public!

Thank you for Don's brilliant presentation of the Kodak carousel projector (should be sent for Emmy consideration) especially the part when he explained the meaning of the word "nostalgia" and you brought your hand to your heart. Moments like that in television today are so rare!

Hope you are having as much enjoyment playing Don as we are having watching you do it!

Dear Mr. Hamm

Your performance and your role was amazing. You gave the character Don Draper like his own life and more mystery because of the way you portrait him. I was so caught that I was actually infront of the tv thursday ngiths just to hear the opening credits and waiting for you to make a nasty burn like "let a women talk to you that way" or putting down the other guy Campbell.

BADASS JOB ON MAD MEN

its gonna be thrill waiting till next summer for the 2nd season.

How does one become an ad men like don draper?

Have to just say I really am addicted to "MM"!! At first I didn't know what to expect but watching each week was like a drug fix. Sometimes I get a little leery of new shows w/high concepts(eg. Viva Laughlin). But I really have to hand it to the writers & actors for hitting this one out of the ball park in the dreadful field of reality shows & lack of creativity in dramas.

Mr. Hamm is it very hard to blank-out our various technologies of today when you have to deal with the "60's" inventions on the set?

Thanks for the great show!!! Looking forward to Season Two!!!

First of all, terrific job! How does it feel to be an "overnight success" after all these years? How has your life changed since the series aired?

I wanted to ask, in regard to your acting tour de force in ep 1.12 where you portrayed both Dick Whitman and Don Draper, did you have a particular inspiration to draw from, either another actor's performance or some personal experience? I thought it was brilliant having the audience see Dick Whitman the coward, only to watch Rachel call Don Draper the same.

Looking forward to the new season. Hopefully the series continues on long enough to see Don in long hair and Nehru jacket. And absolutely, Emmy's are coming your way!

Have your grandparents or other older relatives given you feedback on what the late fifties/early sixties were like? What does your Mom think about Don Draper?

Jon - I never knew that you existed before Mad Men. Now, I am very well aware of it. Matt's instincts in casting you were right on. Love the show!

I just read an interview where you say you are receiving many offers. What are your plans for the break? If you could have your new dream role (since you have Don perfected) what would it be?

And most importantly, would you commit to MM as it turns into the next 5 season + show? (Mr. Weiner is only reading his own questions.)

Have you accepted any movie roles since becoming famous on Mad Men? Love you. Hope you will an Emmy.

Not really a question, but more of a comment-

Given that I was born in 1979- I have no true concept of what it was like to live in that time period, but I truly love and appreciate the show- it’s wonderful to watch! But your character is so disturbing to me. I really want to feel sorry for Don, but can’t seem to muster up much sympathy for him. He is so selfish, cold, and calculated- it makes me uneasy. You play it so damn well! I have a group of girlfriends that would get together on Thursdays to watch the show and we would find ourselves getting so pissed at your character- so much that we would have to look at each other and go…ok this is only a TV show- chill out! We were so unbelievably excited when we thought that Betty was going to get it on with the AC salesman- we were actually cheering for her! It’s the most fun! They were smart to cast someone with a good face for that part- can you imagine if Don was unattractive. I bet you would not get the same reaction from the female crowd as you do now. How will Don make the smooth transition from sociopath RoboDon to sweet doting husband/father- should be interesting!

Either way keep up the good work- you have several girls here in Oklahoma City that love to hate you!

Dear Jon,

I love your phrasing, the way you use your voice, the long stares and side ways glances.

Don is nuanced.

Don is layered.

This is because you are fine actor and have amazing chemistry with all of your supporting actors.

I love this show because of you. You have real sex appeal and charm.

Congrats,

Shannon in NYC

Jon I love your portrayal of Don Draper; it is so multi- layered. Usually men in drama fit into little cliche roles, i.e., badmen, criminal, gaga lover, etc. Your episode 13, pitching the carosel is a real teaser for next season. You brought Don to the edge of insight, but reel him back in for protection. I see Don still reaching out for the healing women in his life, but unable to become himself with them even in moments of intimacy. Rachel surely can not keep herself from seeking him out, Betty wants to know what makes him tick, (i.e., feeding information to the shrink), Midge is a free spirit and as such is the closest thing to Don's "confessor", but even she does not know the depths of his misery.

Love your give and take with the weasel Pete; Don knows what makes him tick. A false front, a person of no moral value, and that is how Don sees himself. Love those exchanges, and the way you stand up to him is how Don has trained himself to stand up for himself in the world he has created, eventhough it is a false world and he is wearing a false face.

Dear Mr. Hamm: You are the greatest...the show the best ever; How are you able to depict everything about the 60's; right down to the body language? Being a '59 High School Graduate who went right into the work world as a secretary for one of the Bell Telephone Sales Offices, Thursdays at 10:00 pm I am glued to the TV, not even a visit with the Grandkids will stop me on Thursdays from going for a visit......The show's producers/directors have done a fabulous job with the props, etc.....but your carriage right down to your shoes is absolutely perfect...............I feel like I am right back there at my IBM Selectric typewriter...........In spite of the male superiority, it was a wonderful time in history.....You can be sure that I am now lost on Thursday evenings, I know you'll be given an Emmy; etc........PLEASE do not let it go to your head and find yourself influenced into one of the terrible movies of these days......

Would like to know your age and life status.......was your father a white collar business man???????????

Miss you, Nancy Paulus

Jon, muchos kudos to you. Your characterization of Dick/Don is one of the best portrayals I've ever seen. He's a right bastard (literally and figuratively), but we love him oh so much. Certainly good looks and charisma add to his charm, but why do you suppose this character resonates so strongly with the audience?

Dear Jon, I would like to add my kudos to the others. You are the best, most attractive, leading male actor to come along since Cary Grant. (I'll be 70 in December so, please understand where I'm coming from.) My question is, were you a smoker before being cast in this amazing, production?

My best wishes to you and the perfect ensemble cast for many seasons to come.

rozie

Hi Again, Jon, I read where the cigarettes used on the show are "herbal" does that mean straw or...? I hope it is true what was said about them not being dangerous like normal tobacco would be. I want you and all your colleagues healthy for many more seasons of MM! Best to all and pray for us MMAddicts to be able to make it until next summer!

Hi Jon,

just saw the first episode again last night. My favourite line of yours to Pete: "I don't wanna wake up pregnant."

I just love the way you act.

Your number one fan,

Yes -- I have to agree with 'legoh' above. That lead-up and punch was superb. I've held the role as Creative Director in a mid-sized ad agency, and you have the moves down pretty good. It's sure not all glam, that's for sure, and I think you capture that, but importantly, you capture what many of us would have LIKED to have done or said in certain tough situations. Bravo! Superb series!

I'm a big fan of the show.Your character, in a good way, reminds me of my father,who would have been around that age at that time.Did you bring pieces of your influences growing up to your character?

Jim

Amherst,NY

In Don Draper you've created a character with a quiet, deep intensity. It reminds me of watching Clint Eastwood in that you convey emotions powerfully without speaking and without overacting.

The Carousel scene was a thing of beauty. The night Don comes home, wakes his son, and promises never to lie to him. The secret decency he shows toward Peggy, not just b/c it pisses off Pete, but b/c he recognizes something about himself in her. His sense of justice and fair play also comes thru great in the oyster throw-up scam on Roger, exactly the way a hard-boiled guy like Don would exact revenge, without hysterics or drama.

Here is a man who sublimates his own inner conflicts in advertising pitches, the conflicted organization man of "The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit" who deeply loves his wife and kids but is also deeply unhappy with his life.

Really fantastic work. You've captured the flavor of the period so perfectly it gives me goosebumps. We look forward to Season 2.

Bill

Las Vegas, NV

Jon,

The guy who asked if your character is a sociopath made me laugh - it was such a direct question. I'm sure you've wondered too, but here's my take - feel free to use it (chuckle) - I think that the way the character can reach out and find that incredible truth in the world, yet also see that, if done correctly, it can sell anything or even change the world - makes him both scary and heroic. The writing and scenarios aren't yours, but the portrayal is, and, in a time when everyone is considered "an actor" you are actually acting, not just playing or typecasting yourself into a performance.

He's scary because he has seen and felt things that are true horror, yet he's also heroic, because he has the ability and, at time, the willingness, to reach out and save - be it an idea, a product, or a person.

What's your take!

Jon/Don - you amaze me. I can't wait to see you get your Emmy. And we have to wait until next summer to see the show again - sad.

I am so glad I listened to my husband when he told me that your show is the best thing on tv. I was also born in 1970 and my husband is a die hard St. Louis Cardinals fan. Do you read these anyway?

Gina

This show is the best-written, well- casted show on television and set in one of the most fascinating eras of modern time! I found out about it quite by accident.

I don't know where they found you, Jon Hamm but I am glad they did. In a world where we get the same old recycled actors (Cruise, Pitt, Travolta, Affleck, McConanahay,Crowe)It's exasperating. I knew there had to be unborne talent out there somewhere! They found you. Your voice and mannerisms have a lot to do with your sex appeal and being the handsomest man I've ever seen. Please stay grounded in the face of fame. I don't believe I'll never get tired of seeing you or consider you "recycled."

Dear Mr. Hamm,

Congrats on an amazing show and the fascinating character you've created on the show. Where will we see you next? You've have the "it" quality with the opposite sex and it's blistering to watch. Keep up the edge.

Is your character's attraction to Rachel coming from a place of admiring her courage and autonomy/sharing her feeling of alienation and outsiderness, or is it just wanting to conquer another woman who is hard to get?

I want to believe that Don's feelings for her are representing the part of him that wants women to be whole, as well as wanting to find that wholeness in himself..at the same time, it hurts to see him cut off from his wife. Is there any hope there? Is she a lost cause of passivity and vacuousness, or is she just a victim of the times?

oh and you are so incredibly rivetting to watch.,this show is blowing my mind and making me glad I'm an artist again.

Each character is so beautifully nuanced, sympathetic and flawed, I LOVE IT

Dear Mr. Hamm,

I just wanted to compliment you on your incredible performance as Don Draper. He has got to be the most complex man ever to grace American television. When I began watching I felt he was sort of a cross between a Greek God and a Golden Boy, able to effortlessly achieve anything he wanted. As the series progressed, I saw how flawed and insecure he was.

You have the talent to convey so much without even speaking a single word. Each week I am further amazed by what you do. If you don't win the Best Actor Emmy Award, I would be stunned.

Thank you (and all your co-stars, as well) for bringing back quality to American television.

Congratulations, sexiest man alive!

I know you must be thrilled at all the attention you are getting. Are you personally a little bit amused or surprised at being proclaimed "hottie" of the moment?

I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed watching you play Don Draper. I hope that this role opens up many doors for you in Hollywood.

I think that you should have been chosen as People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive".

Do you have any projects during your hiatus? Can't wait for Season Two of Mad Men!

Mr. Hamm:

I have enjoyed every episode; well written and acted. It's as if someone had a video camera back then, a real "time machine!"

I have a question: what do you make of Bertram's no shoes policy?

Dear Mr. Hamm,

Has there ever been a woman who has looked at you for the first time and NOT screamed to herself "GOD BLESS THE WOMAN WHO BROUGHT THAT MAN INTO THIS WORLD"!?

From one Midwestern to another, Jon, congratulations on your nomination on your Golden Globe. I didn't think the Sopranos could be topped, in terms of creativity and Character development but "Mad Men" blows the "Sopranos" away; there is no bigger "Sopranos" fan than I. Jon, if you continue to committ to your craft, you will get a Oscar nomination within the next 10 years. I can't wait until next summer. Enjoy your success. Please tell the other actors how much my wife and I enjoy your show.

Eric from Indy.

Say Mr. Hamm, wouldn't it be nice if someone could play Dave Draper, the guy that played the bodybuilder who courted Elly Mae in the 1967 Beverly Hillbillies episode, "Mr. Universe Muscles In" as Donald's long, lost brother or cousin? Just an idea. :)

Can you let us hear your Golden Globe acceptance speech via this site? I'm no expert on the subject, but from what I have read, the writers seem to have a point. But it is a shame all first time nominees didn't have one more night to shine besides their many shining nights of hard work. Thank you for those many nights.

Jon, I am so happy for you and so proud of you that you won the GG tonite for best actor in a TV Dramatic Series and that MM won as best TV Dramatic Series. I really wanted you to win and I yelled and clapped when they announced it. I'm so sorry that because of the writer's strike you and Matt couldn't walk up there on that stage and get your GG's so that the whole country could see who you are and maybe get curious enough to watch the reruns that are starting soon. I am so looking forward to the new season starting hopefully not too many months from now. And again, CONGRATULATIONS!!! and WELL DONE !!!!You so deserve this award and many more.

I am from the UK, we have one more episode to go on Sunday and then I will be in mourning. DVD is released 30 June so not long to wait.

Please ask Jon if he has any plans to visit the UK in the near future. I believe he likes tennis, Wimbledon is a great tournament and we would just love to see him over here.