I bet his parents would have something to say about it! His co-workers were being "cool" about it at the party, but they will probablky have something to say about it behind his back too. Paul seems to be trying to create himself into this bohemian in all aspects of his life.

I agree--even though they are in NYC. One might ask if Paul is 'open minded' or if he is using her to prove something to himself. Everyone there has a secret of some sort. I was 'coming of age' at this time and find the show a reminder of how much things have changed socially. When I sputter at how slowly we advance, I see this and realize....whew!

Joan is awesome -- her opinions are of course way out of line, but I love how she always says what's on her mind.

I wondered the same thing, it seemed odd, given what I know about that era, that people we're more reactive to the pairing. Wasn't Hairspray set at the same time, telling a different tale of race relations than Mad Men did? Maybe geogrpahy plays a role. I love that the girlfriend told Joan "I grew up here [in Montclair] too" as if to level the field. Joan played that scene with Paul immaculately, and I think she may be my favorite character on the show.

Well it's not just about Paul - how do you think her family & friends reacted to her dating a white man in the 60s?????

His work mates were much to polite to say something at the time of the party. I do think it will come back to bite him in the behiney at a later time. Joan is too slick and conniving to let that bombshell ride. Last week, I thought his facial hair was a little 'progressive' for the corporate environment of the times. He could be the catalyst character that thrusts everyone into the mayhem we know is coming. (If he keeps his job, let him bring his new girlfriend to a 'work event'...)

I didn't find Joan's comment that far out of line for her. She is used to saying what she feels at work, especially to the other women in the office. She was actually pretty tactful in her insult.

I almost cringed for Paul, him trying to be all artsy, bohemian. Him living out in Montclair, NJ and trying to make it seem like the hippest spot on earth. You had to feel sorry for him on one hand, but on the other hand, he deserved everything Joan said to him. That stupidly tied necktie around his neck..... ick.

I didn't think it's all that odd for Paul to have a black girlfriend. Remember last season, there was an episode (The Hobo Code?) when Don got high w/Midge's friends. One of the white guys seemed to be "with" a black girl. Then when I read the preview for Episode 2 that said Paul introduces a new friend, I figured it'd be a black woman (since they're already doing the gay thing -- sorta-- with Sal).

I agree with other posters ... Joan's comments were dead-on, & not surprising. I love it all!

I didn't either - don't ask me why. This is before the '64 civil rights protests, walks, bombings.

But it's New York, so I don't know. New York was always ahead of the rest of the country by a couple of years before it spread outward. It didn't seem that unusual to me, and no one at the party acted "differently" .

Except Joan, for different reasons. I think Sheila being black was just a convenient tool in Joan's eyes to target Paul. Joan didn't care how Sheila felt or took it. Mean? Racist? Disrespectul? Yes, because Joan made use of it, but overall Sheila's race wasn't Joan's main focus - hurting Paul through the girlfriend was. Joan was being a jerk.

Trudy was really showing signs of racism and bothered by the party being in a black neighborhood. She kept making comments about where they parked the car, leaving her coat in the car, clinging on to her coat, etc. Then when Pete said he was going to get them a drink, and told Trudy to "stay here", Trudy got nervous and refused. She followed Pete everywhere and acted nervous. I bet that was Trudy's first time around black people. I think the others posts are correct about the coworkers being cool only at the party. It will only take one party for the coworkers to be polite. The next party Paul will get a lot of "no shows" from the same coworkers that showed up at this party.

Or maybe stereotypical prejudice on Trudy's part. I didn't notice hardly anyone else in/out of the party except the Paul-Sheila-Joan meet and Peggy's makeout session.

Even though Paul is a pompous ham, Joan is being ultra-sensitive. She wastes her energy in retaliation over some of his saracastic remarks about Joan's doc boyfriend? Why bother? I think Joan and Paul are going to end up together - open warfare.

Paul, for all his pomposity, may not be looking so bad vs the doctor........maybe.