I'm not sure I know what you're talking about.

I refused to watch it.
I am weird I guess. I feel like the true fans of Mad Men have been with it since the beginning, and now that Oprah has become a fan (courtesy of her friend Gayle), it will become some media cult phenomenon.
I hope some other Maddicts out there understand what I mean. I want the show to continue to be a huge success, but, Oprah exposure was not necessary.

Ugh. An hour of my life I'll never get back.

What a complete waste of time and talent. Jon, Jan, Matt, et. al,, stick to Charlie Rose, Tavis Smiley and NPR. At least then we'd get intelligent conversation about the show rather than Oprah's silly take on nostalgia.

Didn't see it - can't stand Oprah. What did she do?

What happened? I missed it.. dammit!

This surprises you? Oprah is sooooo overrated.

Agree with most of this. I don't ever watch Oprah. Last time I saw her was as a new bride while cooking dinner for in kitchen background as she interviewed Ivana Trump, (her best work no doubt).

Why don't they call it Oprah and her best friend Gail, anyway? I'm glad they like it, but I've been watching since the first season and don't want to see the quality compromised by success in Oprahland.Why is it that the great books that you discover on your own become badly adapted movies once they're on Oprah's reading list?

What in the world was Oprah doing with the Chatty Kathy anyway? Lord help me, she can afford to buy any of that stuff now. I wanted a lot of the stuff in the Sears' catalog in the sixties, but didn't get everything on my list either. God bless Oprah she does do good things and she deserves talking doll.

I was a little embarrassed for Jerry Mathers and wonder if they tried to get any other stars from the era on the show.

yeah I am a little Oprahed out

I am not a regular Oprah viewer, although I have nothing against her personally. I didn't plan to watch the show today but happened to see about ten minutes of it during my workout.

(I think I know the feeling you mean 60schild. One can feel a bit possessive if you feel like you discovered something great before the mainstream does? i.e. I loved it first...)

Anyway, here is a little synopsis/review of the part I saw. Oprah gave a little lecture about some random facts of 1960 compared to 2009, like the prices of things, life expectancy, how many kids the average American had, blah blah. She was wearing a cutesy 60's reproduction satin cocktail dress. The Oprah show logo had been "retro-ized" in a sloppy, inaccurate way. Frankly it looked like a 9 year old tried to make a 50's-diner-Googie-style sign in Microsoft Paint. Why yes I am a graphic designer, thanks for asking!

Then Oprah finally started to talk about MM in a rather stilted way, almost like she'd never seen it before... she's clearly not a serious fan. She went through a little basic primer to the show over brief clips that were mostly from Season 1. It started out something like this (paraphrased): "Mad Men is an award-winning show about NYC advertising executives in the early sixties..."

Duh.

JH and JJ were only on for a few brief minutes and their time was wasted on the same old, same old stuff. Like she asked where does the term "Mad Men" come from. Etc. Then there was a mildly entertaining little skit with Oprah's friend Gail visiting the MM set, acting out the part of a secretary and interacting with all the leads. That was my favorite part although it wasn't exactly great. Not nearly as good as Jon Hamm on Saturday Night Live IMO. That's the last bit I saw.

Long story short, it was kinda repetitive and amateurish for those of us who are true Maddicts.

I think Madmen's success will continue because of its strong acting and writing merits and not because Oprah endorses the show. The writing is solid and intelligent. The other networks should take note.

I can't stand her and will not watch her show.

.....Yawn.....The most interesting (and original) thing that happened was when the one guy from The Jersey Boys said to Jon and Jan that he was so honored to be sitting in the same place where their "butt(s) just were!"

Jan looked cute. I liked the caterpillar eyelashes.

So many talk shows have to focus on the demographics of their audiences to retain viewers and add/retain advertisers. I don't know what Oprah's demos are - but we can bet the education level is not nearly that of most of the posters on this board.

Oprah had to appeal to an audience vastly different from Mad Men's main viewership. It's too bad. I hate to see "our" show being portrayed in a patronizing way. Sorry if I sound like a snob. Like many of you, I am sick of the "As Seen on Oprah" endorsements, as though the programs, books, foods, cosmetics, Spanx, and other items are inherently superior because Oprah likes them. Or is paid to like them.

Yeah I can't stand her either BUT, its better than her show about Dr.Phil and how many times we poop a day. And living in Chicago I didn't care for her shutting down Michigan Ave. a couple wks. ago. It's busy enough here already. I'd like to see her do her show live here when Its 40 below zero and a foot of snow....

whenever I see January on anything else she looks so thin and well ... thin

Unfortunately, Oprah is about mainline America-- the non-literary set, people who do not watch AMC, people who watch reality TV like "Biggest Loser" and what not. MW and AMC got them on Oprah to increase baseline viewership. The more people watch MM, the more AMC can charge for a 30 second ad; and the more they can pay MW, Hamm, Jones, et al. when they seek a huge pay increase per episode the next time contract negotiations roll around (which in a show this good will be inevitable). Thus, unfortunately, an appearance on Oprah is about business. It certainly dumbs down the art to a small extent, but it also sustains the art. I take it as a necessary evil that certain women will only watch the show because of that 'dreamy' Jon Hamm, but it pays the bills and lets the rest of us continue to enjoy it. So long as they don't dumb-down the art too much, then I'm willing to ignore bs like this. (I worry to some extent that such may already be happening this season...)

And speaking of Tavis Smiley, I caught that 15 minute interview with MW last Friday and didn't find it all that interesting. The stuff MW is going to offer in public interviews can't be all that insightful without spilling the beans for the rest of us. I mean, I hate to admit it but when you really think about it, we are like the "Trekkies" of this show. There will be no satisfying us; we are ridiculous. And we are probably contemplating this show on levels not considered by the cast and maybe not even the producers and writers.

It was disappointing. Way too much mundane filler (ooh-ing and awe-ing over 60s-era appliances and toys and going down memory lane with period TV shows and commercials) and NOT ENOUGH MAD MEN. They easily could have filled out a good 30 minute chunk or more with interview time with Jon and January (though she could only think of stupid, superficial questions to ask them). The only part that was interesting at all was the bit with Gayle on the set with the cast.

However, with the the 'Oprah Seal of Approval" the show is sure to gain many more fans. That will probably result in more fans coming on the message board - get ready!

Not an Oprah fan but I watched the show and I agree, it sucked. It wasn't reallly about MM. If I was an Oprah follower who did what she tells me to do, I probably wouldn't watch this show.
Betcha Oprah will try to take credit for the resurgence of 60's fashion--after all, it was on her show, right??
I've also watched MM from the beginning and was disappointed she didn't mention the writers, directors, costumers, brilliant actors, etc. That's what makes this show--that magical combination of all of it. Some people just don't get it. I've tried to tell close friends & Mom & sisters to watch, they too just don't get it.
On the bright side, Oprah does bring in the viewers which in turn will equal ratings for MM so chances are even better that it won't be cancelled for a long, long time!
P.S. Wasn't loving the RED lipstick on January! Not her color for sure!

Wow, what's with all the Oprah hate? I'm not her biggest fan either but...seriously? You all take care not to get dizzy looking down from such a lofty height.

I'm with Coco23 here. Well said.

Hey, I said I had nothing against Oprah! I am not a snob. Just didn't enjoy the episode and didn't think it did justice to MM. Actually I think Oprah's pretty cool in some ways. Came up from nothing just like Don and has become very successful on her own merits and hard work. I admire her charity work and philanthrophism-- she gives away millions of dollars-- and also that she started a book club that got a lot of people into reading when they might not have picked up a book otherwise. I don't really know anything about her personal life, but just going on the above, Oprah's all right.

For me it's not about disliking Oprah. I don't watch her show a lot, but I usually enjoy it. It's that the episode was touted at the "Mad Men episode" and it was Mad Men-lite. The first half-hour was just fluff and when she finally had Jon and January come out, her interview was mediocre. It didn't live up to expectations, that's all.

"Frankly it looked like a 9 year old tried to make a 50's-diner-Googie-style sign in Microsoft Paint. Why yes I am a graphic designer, thanks for asking!"

LOL! Bluegirl, you are awesome. And if I need any graphic design I swear I will not use Microsoft Paint. I will come to you for help and advice. ;-D

Wow... I understand as Maddicts that there was a desire to see more about Mad Men, but that wasn't what the show was advertised as being only about. Even the audience knew that it was more about how Mad Men has sparked a craze. It's only fitting that Oprah would finally join the band wagon.
And yes, I enjoyed the great indepth interviews on NPR and PBS much more than on Oprah. Being on Oprah is just an indicator as to how popular the show has become. And how about the Vanity Fair spread?
It's real success is in the writing and great acting. Jon Hamm said it best with,"People just kept talking about it and telling their friends." Good shows always start out that way. We Maddicts are just possesive b/c we think it is our show and that we found it first.
But in all seriousness, if the show didn't naturally gain any momentum in popularity, then there wouldn't be a season 3 or anything beyond it. As long as the writing stays true as it started, I'm fine w/ the popularity and knowing that we're all part of a group that got into it first.

I agree, hanna and 60's...I have the same feelings...like "Where were you ~~ (Oprah proclaiming "Look what I found!") ~~ when the show is in it's 3rd season...and you just NOW jump on the bandwagon and proclaim your wonderful "discovery" and decree Mad Men is worth watching?....like an item on your (now defunct) "Favorite Things" list???

Got nothing against Oprah, don't watch her, made an exception this time and was sorry.

And you all who said we Maddicts feel "possessive", you hit the nail right on the head....we were there from the start and for the life of me, I can't understand how "our" show could have EVER been overlooked....esp. for the entire first two seasons!

Oh well, we share a wonderful thing in common....we were there when all the magic began...right from the first moment of the first episode....and I feel priveleged and fortunate for that.

Who is Oprah?

@coconut: Not everyone loves her, but she thinks they do. No one is looking down at her from a lofty height. She is the one who does that.

Btw, has anyone seen what the cat's dragged in for these Boards just this evening? Newbies posting all kinds of inappropriate, inarticulate and uninformed comments on the main thread. Have we been Oprah-fied already?

dondraperesq, I think you're on to something. Some veteran Maddicts have feared this would happen as the show became more popular. Now with Oprah and Gayle exposure, there will be no turning back the tide of pablum and mediocrity.

I don't see any Oprah hate here. I suppose that hate, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Just because you don't care for someone doesn't mean you hate them or that you are condescending.

Hi fellow Maddicts!!

I am so pleased to read your posts! I took a chance saying what I did, and thought I might be torn to ribbons.
You are right, we who have been with the show since the beginning are possesive of MM. I was trying to say that, but, I thought it was just me.

It's the "Oprah effect" that bothers me. Some of you said the same thing, so many people think that if Oprah does it, or endorses it, it has to be great!
Yet, at the same time MM's ratings will grow, and that's a good thing. It's a catch 22...

@Polar Bear! You always make me laugh! Where have you been? At the North Pole? LOL!!

And...I'm a little jealous!
Why can't AMC run a sweepstakes (and I don't mean a talent contest) for Maddicts to go to the set of MM and get 60's up?
Gayle was given this treat because she is Oprah's best friend? Oprah picks up the phone, and it's done.

I must admit I'm a HUGE Oprah fan. I think she's the most talented person in the history of show business. The spontaniety, the facial expressions, her ability to mobilize, excite & inspire millions of viewers every single day, decade after decade, make them laugh, cry-there's no one who can capture the full range of human emotion. To have transformed a local morning talk show into the highest rated talk show in TV history for a quarter century during the most competetive media age ever, and become both the richest African American of all time & the most influential woman in the world is an acievement that takes my breath away.

Her impact on the culture is huge, from the early years in the 1980s when she was just a tabloid talk show challenging taboos about gays, to her unique intimate confessional style that transformed the way public figures communicate, to her reveolutionary book club, to her ground breaking early endorsement of Obama which changed the course of history, Oprah is amazing; A visionary & a truly original thinker.

Now I saw a commercial for Oprah doing a show about the 1960s which sounded like fun so I recorded it & plan to watch it today. I google it & discovered you people going on about how Oprah is jumping on the Mad Men bandwagon. This is the first I've ever heard about Mad Men. I'm not even sure if it's a comic book, a book, a TV show, movie, all I know is that is has something to do with Oprah's show yesterday about the 1960s. So I really don't think Oprah's jumping on any bandwagon, but then I'm not American so I may not be up to speed with American culture. Btw, it's Oprah job to do jump on bandwagons. She's a talk show host.

I've never watched Oprah before... with all the hype about her that I've heard over the years I expected "more". I mean, she's a talk show host... but everyone I know treats her like God... so I expected her show to somehow be spectacular. I watched the show and... she's a talk show host. I don't understand the hype... and I was irritated at the way she treated Jerry Mathers... if I heard "and Jerry Matthers as the Beav" one more time I thought I was going to vomit.

I did like the skit with her friend on the set of MM... we got to see some angles of the office that we don't normally get on the show.

ddesq....Yes, "cat dragged in" indeed!

I just got blasted over there for daring to state ("over and over"...and on more than one thread even.....HORRORS!) my fervent wish that Greg Harris (Dr. A-Hole) get mowed down by a garbage (my preference...but I'll take any kind) truck.

Seems we can't even hope that villains get their due anymore.....(heck, I'll even take his OD-ing on stolen pills from the ER...I'm not picky)

Please let that guy lying on the floor next week be him.