Kim Rossi

Three Degrees of Separation from Mad Men's Don Draper.

Do you watch AMC's Mad Men? It's about advertising men (and "girls" in the early/mid-1960's) on Madison Avenue, in NY - the heart of American advertising. Mark and I are utterly hooked. It's replaced the now off air Sopranos in our limited TV repertoire.

The Tony Soprano of Mad Men is a character named Don Draper. He's a family man. A cheating husband. A lying WWII veteran ( I won't spoil the story by telling you just how much of a liar he is.) A chain smoker (they all are, cigarettes are a main character in the series.) And a thirsty drinker, rarely without a cocktail (never a beer) in his hands at work or at play. He's' played by John Hamm to full-handsome-cad perfection.

When I tell you I ADORE this program, I mean I adoooore it. The sets, the clothes, the storylines, the writing, the characters, the advertising (I went into advertising straight out of college and always loved it) the NY setting, everything. And I, like many viewers, have a thing for Don Draper.

I am now just three degrees from Don Draper. How, you ask, does a suburban autism Mom find herself within fainting distance of Sterling Cooper Advertising's star performer? A woman who spends most of her time cleaning, swabbing, typing and cooking? A women who is a hair away from having her weekly Communion delivered to her house by her priest? How on earth is she a mere three degrees from Don Draper? I'll tell you. My agent. Who looks alot like this:

He called me today to provide moral support, make sure I hadn't kissed a tailpipe given the current economic downturn chez Stagliano (which he pronounces with a perfect Italian "Stah-lee-ah-no") and generally to check in on my progress on a work in mostly sort of kind of progress. As he told me about his holiday (to die for, but I won't divulge his secrets) he mentioned he'd signed a new client, and was very excited. It like this, as I was in Target, that bastion of style and Fifth Avenue chic.....

"I have a new client named Bryan Batt." DING! DING! DING! went the OMG bells. Salvatore Romano!" I howled with delight. "Sal from Mad Men!"

He's every bit as handsome as Don Draper - and almost as secretive. Sal is a gay man in the early 1960s, which means closeted. Bryan portrays Sal with a perfect blend of snark, sadness and pride. Bryan is also a designer and will be writing a book, represented by my agent. SQUEEEEE! You can read a terrific interview with him HERE.

So from me, to my agent to Bryan to DON DRAPER. Three degrees my friends.

If you don't watch Mad Men I suggest you buy someone you love the DVD's for the holidays. Click Here to Purchase.

You can see Bryan in this quick clip.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid895162757/bclid1672161042/bctid1873805482