Tag Archives: betty draper

“Man Men” Creator Matt Weiner Defends Betty Draper

Jessica WakemanOctober 18, 2010 //

— “Mad Men” creator Matt Weiner on Betty Draper, the Rorscarch test of our time. Kate and Amelia seem to hate her, but I’m with Matt Weiner: give Bets a break! The new Mrs. Francis is just a product of her time. [New York] Keep reading »

Quotable: Betty Draper Just Like All Our Mothers

Wendy AtterberryOctober 18, 2010 //

“The question of Betty Draper’s motherhood is very peculiar to me. Because we were all raised by women like this. And I know it’s easy to hate her and think she seems childish and impulsive. We’re all here because of women like that. We’ll see how those kids turn out. They could end up being TV writers.”

— Matthew Weiner, “Mad Men” creator, defending Better Draper’s parenting skills. It’s unclear whether the “we” in “we’re all here because of women like that,” refers to writers, TV writers, entertainers, or, literally, everyone. I’ll speak for myself and say I am not here — as a person, a woman, a wife, or a writer — because of a woman like Betty Draper. My mother, like everyone else, isn’t without her flaws, but if she raised me the way Betty is raising her children, I think the only place I’d be right now is in serious psychotherapy. Weiner went on to say, “People must see a lot in themselves, or they wouldn’t be reacting so strongly [to Betty]. I guarantee one thing: If she weren’t so good-looking, they wouldn’t have a problem.” Uh, it’s not her beauty that’s disarming people. Keep reading »

In Defense Of Betty Draper

Jessica WakemanAugust 27, 2010 //

“Love, Carla”: What “Mad Men”‘s Black Maid Would Say If She Had A Bigger Speaking Role

Jessica WakemanJuly 22, 2010 //

Betty Draper’s Parenting Skillz

Kate Torgovnick/Kate-Book.comJuly 22, 2010 //


When it comes to Betty Draper‘s parenting on “Mad Men,” people either roll their eyes at her for constantly barking orders at her kids and never seeming to care that much about who they are, what they say, or things they’re interested in or they applaud her for her authoritarianism and want to nominate her for Mother of the Year. So which camp do you fall in? Take a look at this montage of mama Betty to decide. And, just for the record, I’m in Camp A. [NYMag.com] Keep reading »

Matthew Weiner’s Feelings About The Draper Marriage Are “Unambiguous”

Amelia McDonell-ParryNovember 10, 2009 //

There’s a fascinating interview with “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner over at The Daily Beast. He has some insightful things to say about the season finale of “Mad Men” and where things stand with the Drapers. (If you still haven’t watched Sunday night’s episode: a.) What are you waiting for? b.) Stop reading NOW!). Keep reading »

“Mad Men” Season Finale Was The Ultimate Shake-Up

Kate Torgovnick/Kate-Book.comNovember 9, 2009 //

Last night’s season finale of “Mad Men” was one of my top ten favorite hours of television, ever. Why? Because it surprised the beejesus out of me—and not in a kill-a-main-character-for-shock-value kind of way. Not to get all film professor on you, but the way I see it, the central tension that makes “Mad Men” so intoxicating is that the characters are miserable with their lives and act out in outrageous ways behind the scenes. But because they so desperately need all the glittering trophies of their lives (the fancy title, the corner office, the seemingly perfect family) they’re completely paralyzed when it comes to actually changing anything. They’re trapped—mostly by themselves but also by a culture not nearly as tolerant of varying life paths as we are today. I, of course, expected the season finale to continue along this trajectory. (Uh, now would probably be a good time to say SPOILER ALERT to anyone who has the episode waiting for them on their DVR.) But nope. Last night was the episode where everyone finally broke out. Keep reading »

Betty Draper, Mother Of The Year. No, Seriously!

Jessica WakemanOctober 27, 2009 //

Betty Draper doesn’t take any crap. Well, until she booted Don out of the house last season, the “Mad Men” matron took a lot of crap from her two-timing husband. Rather, stay-at-home suburban mom Betty doesn’t take any crap from her two oldest children, Sally and Bobby, and that brand of maternalism would make her practically an endangered species in America today. In nearly every episode, Betty sternly barks: “No,” “Go upstairs and play,” or “Don’t touch that”—and the rugrats actually listen. Keep reading »

Betty Draper Book Club: So What’s With “The Group”?

Lauren GitlinOctober 19, 2009 //

“Mad Men” acolytes with eagle eyes might’ve noticed that the book Betty Draper brought into the tub with her on last night’s episode was none other than The Group by Mary McCarthy. Published in 1963 but set in the 1930s, The Group is a subtly scathing portrait of a circle of educated, upwardly mobile New York society women who all went to Vassar College — at the time more of a finishing school than a bastion of liberal education – together. The book follows these eight frenemies as their lives unfold and unravel after graduation, seeing them through abusive marriages, extra-marital affairs, birth control, familial conflict, class war, Communist sympathies, lesbianism, suicide and the ever-elusive female orgasm. Keep reading »

January Jones On Playing Betty And How An Unsupportive Ex Helped Her Career

Catherine StrawnOctober 13, 2009 //

January Jones, aka “Mad Men”‘s Betty Draper, is on the cover of November’s GQ, and in the accompanying article, she eats queso and drinks beer while talking about the progression of her career. A boyfriend’s mom actually helped her learn manners and get rid of her Iowa accent, even after she and the dude broke up! Keep reading for January’s take on Betty and how another ex, who told her she wouldn’t make it in Hollywood, helped her get where she is today. Keep reading »

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