He’s a pathological liar, a heavy drinker and an incorrigible womanizer. Yet female “Mad Men” fans can’t stop fantasizing about a nooner with Don Draper.
But why? The rules of wooing women, Don Draper-style.
The line: “Freddy had a bad day.”
The lesson: When a hapless colleague drunkenly pees himself and passes out before a big meeting, Don defends him. Sticking up for a buddy always makes us swoon.
The line: “What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.”
The lesson: When Don plays the world-weary act over drinks with a future mistress, he shows her that he’s the type of wounded soul women want to fix (apparently, with lots of sex).
The line: “I’m not going to let a woman talk to me like that!”
The lesson: Even Don’s blatantly sexist put-down of a wealthy heiress client doesn’t hold her back. I don’t recommend the same line, or even attitude; the key idea here is that some women can’t resist a challenge.
The line: “Peggy, I’m your boss, not your boyfriend.”
The lesson: Even a serial philanderer like Don avoids dipping his pen in the company ink. He graciously rebuffs his secretary’s awkward advances, and then confidently promotes her to copywriter.
The line: “I had to have some time to think about things.”
The lesson: When Don goes AWOL for three weeks, his explanation to his wife omits minor details – like bedding a 21 year old, connecting with some jet-setting quasi-aristocrats, and visiting his secret ex-wife. The man is nothing if not a mystery.
Image courtesy of Xtina Badgirl on Flickr.
This is one excruciatingly over-rated show. Compared to the real leading men of the age the show is set in, Don Draper is a sorry excuse for a nooner.