'Mad Men' creator 'honored' by Obama name drop
How does the creator of Mad Men feel about the president name-dropping his show during the State of the Union Address to make a point about workplace inequality?
Pretty good, actually. Mad Men writer-producer Matt Weiner told New York Times reporter Dave Itzkoff, “I support the president, and I’m honored that our show is part of a much-needed national conversation.”
Obama is a known cable drama TV buff, having previously revealed his favorite shows include Showtime’s Homeland and HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, in addition to ABC comedy Modern Family. During the president’s annual prime-time address last night, he announced plan to raise the minimum wage, noting women hold the majority of low-wage jobs.
“Today, women make up about half our workforce,” Obama said. “But they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, it’s an embarrassment. A woman deserves equal pay for equal work. She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job. A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship – and you know what, a father does, too. It’s time to do away with workplace policies that belong in a Mad Men episode. This year, let’s all come together – Congress, the White House, and businesses from Wall Street to Main Street – to give every woman the opportunity she deserves. Because I firmly believe when women succeed, America succeeds.”
AMC’s Mad Men returns for the first half of its final season on Sunday, April 13. Here’s other AMC 2014 premiere dates. Obama’s full speech text. For more on the State of the Union, check out Annie Barrett’s rundown of the most viral moments.
