Monday, June 04, 2012

10175: Mad Men Remains Culturally Clueless.

Contrary to the delusional and uninformed perspectives of Tanner Colby, AMC series Mad Men will not break new ground regarding anything non-White during its fifth season. Secretary Dawn Chambers has turned out to be a token replacement for Carla the housekeeper and Hollis the elevator attendant, continuing the erasure of culture first noted by Latoya Peterson. Hell, the show has even erased copywriter Paul Kinsey and partner Lane Pryce, two guys who enjoyed interracial relationships.

With Dawn Chambers, Mad Men ironically and accurately reflects Madison Avenue. That is, when pressured to embrace diversity, adpeople will make a few patronizing gestures and feign being committed for a short period, then quietly move on to more important concerns and completely forget the situation. Winning accounts—and engaging in illicit sexual encounters—trumps inclusion and social progress every time.

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