Mad Men Season 4, Public Relations notes

Seasons 4 has finally started in AMC - Matthew Weiner saga and here is how it went. I cannot embed the whole video clip, just a li'l somethin-something.

The common theme of this first episode is that it’s all about Don Draper, who is slowly (but in discrete milestones) learning to shed his modesty and his desire to conceal his fraudulent persona.

A Times interview with Da Mon is only appropriate:

I will continue with my notes, though I might add a commentary at a later date.

“i’m from the MidWest. we were taught that it’s not ok to talk about yourself.”

“crisp and engaging portraiture painting”

“I’d love to bend your ear when I’m finished with my book”

meeting – McCan clients - “I don’t know who’s the client here” – 2 pc bathing suit – we’re a family company

“did you tell him about the 2nd floor? – i refuse to be any part of that charade”

lack of conference table - “demands a conversation”

“creatively, Y&R is not capable of living in this neighborhood [downtown, expensive]. you know why? because YOU are not working there”

-- idea about buying turkey ham --

$25 for actors to get in the Daily News “we can’t charge them for it”

get him to Bethany - “you hit it off, come Turkey Day maybe you can stuff her”

sterling gets him to see 25 yo super (numerary) at the Opera. chicken kiev. “they make you wear a bib”

“i’m breaking a lot of my rules seeing a divorced man. but Jane has made you a personal cause.” - “and there were so many real problems in the world”

he kisses her but breaks just when she wanted more – then she keeps the distance

“all in all, not a bad way to spend a Sunday” - “get my an aspirin”

jailai TV commercial sold to abc “I wish we had a 2nd floor so i can jump off it”

turning creative success into business IS your work; and you’ve failed.

dinner scene – thanksgiving –

“the trafic was murder” “that’s because that’s what’s become of this country: everyone has two thanksgivings to go to” “maybe we have twice as much to be thankful for”

hooker scene – harder – again

peggy needs bailout money – they pressed charges against each other (+100 each to keep mouth shot)

when r u moving out? – “it’s only temporary” – believe me, everyone thinks that it is” - “he’s right”

“the image is where you left it” – I don’t need you at that meeting – now you’re being spiteful – no, i just think it would be better not to have a girl in the room

“you know smthg? we are all here because of you. all we wanna do is please you.”

i’ve raised children in my life henry – they’re terrified of her. i know what you see in her and you could’ve gotten it without marrying. she’s a silly woman. honestly, henry, i don’t know how you can stand living in that man’s dirt.

so well built, we can’t show you the second floor. – i think that’s a little suggestive.

damage control

overcomes his reluctance to sell himself in interview with WSJ

Sources / More info: amc, bravo, time, time-10q, time-t10-miss, chat-ep-1, photo-s4, banana-casting-call

VerbaVolant, mad men fad fan, mad men, season 4, s4

Mel Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva

The new scandal with Mel Gibson is set to dominate the news at least for the next few days. One would think that there is some kind of conflict, allegations and things left unsaid, but we know better (or we think we do).

One thing is driving me crazy in the wholesale demonization of Mel. He’s getting older and this is what always happens with testosterone kings at his age – they turn irremediably into bitter old men. I’m not sure how Jack Nicholson managed to pull it through, but Jack was always the quieter anger. Mel, on the other hand, could talk fast – he’s always been far more talkative and, dare I say, smarter.

Sure, he should’ve seen it coming and nobody could’ve played him like he’s being played if there wasn’t some hate foundation inside to start with. But he’s no different than most other men his age in his beliefs and outlook on life. Consider, for instance, a famous Kraftwerk song:

This happens to be one of my favourite Kraftwerk songs. I included the Balanescu Quartet cover with David Byrne.

Sie ist ein Modell und sie sieht gut aus Ich nehme sie heut' gerne mit zu mir nach Haus Sie wirkt so kuehl, and sie kommt niemand 'ran Doch vor der Kamera da zeigt sie was sie kann Sie trinkt im Nachtklub immer Sekt (korrekt) Und hat hier alle Maenner abgecheckt Im Scheinwerferlicht ihr junges Laecheln strahlt Sie sieht gut aus und Schoenheit wird bezahlt Sie stellt sich zu Schau fuer das Konsumprodukt Und wird von millionen Augen angeguckt Ihr neues Titelbild ist einfach Fabelhaft Ich muss sie wiedersehen, ich weiss sie hat's geschaft

She's a model and she's looking good I'd like to take her home that's understood She plays hard to get, she smiles from time to time It only takes a camera to change her mind She's going out tonight, loves drinking just champagne And she has been checking nearly all the men She's playing her game and you can hear them say She is looking good, for beauty we will pay She's posing for consumer products now and then For every camera she gives the best she can I saw her on the cover of a magazine Now she's a big success, I want to meet her again!

Interestingly, one of the video clips explanation on YouTube states

“This song tells the honest truth about many women today.” – except, of course, that the song dates back to the 70s.

Oksana is a model. She’s playing her game and you can hear them say/ She is looking good, for beauty we will pay. I can’t help feeling sorry for Mel, he seems defenseless and maladapted for our hypocriticalpolitically correct times.

Watch all the controversy, the doctored tapes including a mashup and Mel's anger in the playlist below.

One last thought: I can’t stand implants..

Sources / More info: wiki-mel, wiki-kraftwerk, yt-model, yt-mel, 

VerbaVolant, model, modelling, kraftwerk, shakedown, mel, gibson, divorce, pr, public relations, political correctness

dilema lui gramo–plaja pustie

M-am apucat sa-i raspund lui Gramo. Apoi mi-am amintit ca n-am mai scris demult pe-aici si-n plus s-ar putea sa-mi cenzureze comentariul, asa ca mai bine scriu aici.

Catholic Church vs women

In a controversial and highly inflammatory new document, the Catholic Church has once again refused to treat women and men equally when it comes to priesthood. Though we recognize their right to worship as they see fit, we feel that this is a matter that needs to be discussed.

What draws me to this issue is its ethical complexity. As a former relationship and sex counselor, I have a significant feminist streak. As a libertarian, I believe that the state should not interfere with religion. If the Catholic Church wants to prohibit women to become priests, they should have the right to do so. Women with such a vocation could start their own Christian church.

Back in 1999 Sinead O’Connor defied those Christians who believe that Jesus chose his apostles to be only men for a reason by being ordained in a ceremony of the Latin Tridentine church in Lourdes. But she did not stop there. After singing “War”, she tore the picture of the Pope live on TV saying “fight the real enemy” (see videoclips below).

The incredibly surprising thing here is how poorly the Church fares in Public Relations. Recently, when condemning the ordaining of women priests, they almost equated it to pedophilia. According to the BBC,

Pat Brown, of the group Catholic Women's Ordination, said she was deeply shocked and called the change to Church law "a slap in the face to women". She said of the Pope: "He is not doing himself any favours."

The Vatican says ordaining women is "grave" as is sex abuse, but denied it was equating the two. The Pope was "talking about paedophiles and talking about women wanting to be priests as a crime against the faith. I cannot understand that language," said Ms Brown.

(..)

The new Vatican document was released on Thursday, just days after the Church of England's General Synod voted in favour of legislation to consecrate women bishops. The new measures are expected to be interpreted as a pointed message to Anglicans.

In the document, the attempted ordination of a woman is listed as a "grave crime" to be handled by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, just as sex abuse is.

Vatican sex crimes prosecutor Monsignor Charles Scicluna said that including the two issues in the same document was not equating them, but was done to codify the most serious canonical crimes which the Roman Catholic Church handles. "They are grave, but on different levels," he said on Thursday.

One very interesting (for us) subject is that of the intersection of money and church. With reason or not, the Catholic Church is universally considered the richest church in the world, with the Vatican being the richest state. There is a precedent of a church (scientology) being denied by several countries non-profit / church status and being taxed as a business. Though we generally consider churches to be expressions of the freedom to worship, we regulate against discriminatory practices among employers. Slate (linked below) has examined the relationship between “soul saving” and pay incentives and advocates for using performance-based pay for priests:

Parsons' thesis adviser, Jay Hartzell, is also a preacher's son. Hartzell likes to quote Corinthians in connecting his current work to his father's ministering roots: "If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?" In other words, if Goldman Sachs bankers get paid based on profits they earn for the company, why shouldn't preachers get bonuses based on souls saved (and paying members recruited)? (..) Before examining how financial incentives have affected Oklahoma's pastors, we first need to say what makes a great minister. Performance for corporate execs is relatively straightforward—they get paid based on the profits they generate. For nonprofits, performance depends on the organization's mission. Hospitals exist to heal the sick; schools, to educate children. The United Methodist church's primary objective is to attract disciples (which in turn keeps the collection box full and the church solvent).

Rather than unsuccessfully contacting the Anglican Church for a reaction, the BBC should have contacted Sinead O’Connor..

Sources / More info: bbc-catholic-women, church-money, wiki-scientology, wiki-sinead, yt

VerbaVolant, catholic, pope, papality, women, equality, ordain, priesthood, misogyny, misoginy