The Chasing Iamb

There are a lot of wonderful things about the show Mad Men. Its lush visual style, the period (early 1960s), its location (Madison Avenue ad agency), a stunning leading man, slow-punch humour. But the most brilliant thing about the show is watching the male characters discover that women think.

In a remarkable episode, the copywriters are wondering how to sell their new account: lipstick. "Do you speak Moron?" one asks the other. "I don't speak Moron" The decision is made to bring in the secretarial pool to test-run the lipsticks. While the 'girls' are looking at the stash in high-pitched excitement, the men watch them through one-way glass, settling back with a drink and cigarettes. In a few minutes. the room is filled with the pleasure of a night out at a peep show. "Do you mind if I take off my pants?" one asks and everyone else laughs sympathetically.

Later on, after the secretaries have dispersed, one secretary Peggy makes some casual observations about lipstick to a copywriter. Where did you hear that, he asks, clearly startled.

And much later, he tells the others, "The new girl Peggy had some thoughts about the lipstick. It was like watching a dog play the piano."

You want to enjoy the swirls of smoke and the martinis and the overpowering manliness while it lasts because watch out boys, the Second Wave is coming.