Entertainment

TV Hit ‘Mad Men’ Takes Shot at Romney’s Father: ‘Clown’

Maybe you haven’t watched the TV hit “Mad Men,” but chances are you’ve probably at least heard the name. The AMC show — set in a time when advertising was just coming of age on Madison Ave. — has dominated awards shows and its stars have become coveted names in showbiz. And last night, it got a little political.

The show decided to take a shot at then-Michigan Gov. George Romney, father of current frontrunner, Mitt. In fact, the writers even called him a “clown.”

“Well, tell Jim his honor’s not going to Michigan,” character Henry Francis –  director of public relations and research for then-New York governor Nelson Rockefeller — says. “Because Romney’s a clown and I don’t want him standing next to him.”

Mediaite has the clip:

To be fair, the show regularly inserts relevant historical references. And this could be an accurate portrayal of political animosity. But one does have to wonder: Is this Hollywood just taking a subtle dig at the GOP and setting the stage for a narrative regarding Mitt?

Vanity Fair doesn’t think so – they’ve has spun the line as a reference to the elder Romney’s decision not to back 1964 Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater:

Romney, a Republican with relatively progressive views on civil rights, became something of a political pariah following his public opposition to G.O.P. presidential nominee Barry Goldwater in 1964. That might explain the “clown” comment.

We know Francis meant the Romney the elder because in the summer of 1966—the year Season Five Mad Men takes place—Romney the younger was on a Mormon mission in France and would not have had an opportunity to be photographed with John Lindsay.

There’s just one problem – the character making the reference in “Mad Men” is an adviser to John Lindsay and Nelson Rockefeller, both people who either ran against Goldwater (and opposed him after he won the nomination), or against his surrogates. Rockefeller himself refused to endorse Goldwater after running a hard fought campaign against him for the Presidential nomination, and personally accusing Goldwater of extremism and racism. Lindsay, meanwhile, was opposed for his position as Mayor of New York (a position he already holds in the show) by no less an eminence than William F. Buckley Jr, who wrote his book “The Unmaking of a Mayor” about the race.

So why is Lindsay calling George Romney, a political ally, a clown?

Comments (33)

  • edmundburk
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:08pm

    the whole romney clan is a 55 year old U.S. punch line about policital dynasties and the ambitions that drive them. unfortuntly, the joke is on us! QUIT DRINKIN’ THE KOOL AID PEOPLE!

    Report Post » edmundburk  
  • Lost Rebel
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:58pm

    They forget about Obama’s target rich family, his uncle who keeps getting drunk driving arrests and his aunt who lives off the government, both here illegally. But oh my, I forgot, Obama is the ONE!!!!!

    Report Post » Lost Rebel  
  • right field
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:05pm

    Picked up on the comment immediately last night. Just try and watch anything on TV or at a theatre or on stage that does not push the liberal “hate the conservatives” agenda. Political propaganda through the media and the arts at its worst! Write the network, talk it down and never stop defending your principles!

    Report Post »  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 5:44pm

      Well, at least he HAS a father. Not a typical black man that abandons his child, like obangos father, for others to provide for.

      Yeah, sure, a clown. Better than a dead beat dad. Obango.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
  • TheeRealist
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 3:48pm

    Quit watching TV. It pollutes the mind. And there are much more productive and fun things to do.

    Report Post » TheeRealist  
  • jakartaman
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 2:11pm

    Liberalism likes to tear down
    Conservatism likes to build up
    I choose to build up and have a bigger pie – so all can be enriched

    November out in a landslide!!!

    Report Post »  
  • whereareyourbrains
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:24pm

    See ……………this is another way of controlling people. Propoganda shows. Quit watching them. Stop giving them our money by watching their left wing agenda……………Brainwashing again…….

    Report Post » whereareyourbrains  
  • scuba13
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 12:57pm

    I thought the mad men were in Florida with Jesse and Al.

    Report Post » scuba13  
  • rambosharley
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 12:45pm

    I’d rather be called a CLOWN than a COMMUNIST!

    Report Post »  
  • Simonne
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 11:07am

    Like one poster said, Romney has to breathe & he will be attacked for it.

    Report Post »  
  • yiska8
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 11:00am

    I been watching it since it premiered a few years back. I really like this show because men looked like men and women looked like women. They say politically incorrect things all the time and they have had their digs on both lib/commies because it‘s set in the 1960’s and now on the father of a real life Presidential candidate. I knew it was coming. I think the other seasons were far better. Contract crap and actors wanting more money slowed up production. The last episode was aired in 2010. I almost didn’t watch because it was off the air for so long. This will be its last season and I know it’s all about money. These liberal actors and producers are probably Obamanites, but they are capitialists to the core. All actors are. Otherwise, they starve. Or quit acting and stand in line for food stamps. I can’t see Jon Hamm or January Jones doing that.

    Report Post » yiska8  
    • Susan
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 11:11am

      I hate it, but they do make a point. Do a google search, see George Romney with Alenski.

      Past Michigan Gov. George Romney, a liberal Republican had ties to Saul Alenski.

      “”I think you ought to listen to Alinsky,” Romney told his reluctant white friends. ‘It seems to me that we are always talking to the same people. Maybe the time has come to hear new voices.” Said an Episcopal bishop, ‘He made Alinsky sound like a Republican.”"

      Democratic Mayor Jerome Cavanaugh avoided the rough company.

      Newt Gingrich Admits He’s a Progressive in the Theodore Roosevelt Tradition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi314LJ6uwM

      I’m not a D and not an R. I would NEVER vote for Obama and would NEVER vote for Romney and NEVER vote for Newt.

      Republicans need to think long and hard about who their candidate will be. Obama can NOT win the election, but republicans CAN lose it. Whats the point of having a candidate that is exactly like Obama with his same goals…with the only difference being an R by his name instead of a D?

      Report Post »  
    • yiska8
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:14pm

      I will vote for the GOP winner. I will probably once again have to say, ” I did my part and voted for the other guy.” The same thing I said with McCain. I will vote for the nominated and fixed GOPer. It is a rigged game. We are voting for the same suit. The same elitists. Even the same type of first lady(both have big mouths and spend money like crazy before it becomes worhtless toilet paper.) If Romney wins by some excrucatingly unfathomable longshot against Obama, then it will be Gore/Bush part II and end up in the hands of the state secretary of whatever state’s votes are in question or the Supreme Court. Obama will cheat and win a landslide victory according to the MSM even if he wins by 2 physical votes. Very powerful people want an American downfall because it makes the money game fun and interesting. I wish this was a script in Hollywood instead of real life. But I’ll back anything other than the “Red” in our WH at this point.

      Report Post » yiska8  
    • Susan
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 3:46pm

      I won’t. I’m tired of voting for the lesser of two evils because that still has me voting for evil.

      Report Post »  
    • Susan
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 3:50pm

      BTW….I will NEVER be loyal to any party. Maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess if people were not party loyal.

      I‘m an American and I’ll vote what is best for America. To heck with D‘s and R’s.

      To quote Deep Purple (lol) “If you’re drowning, you don’t clutch no straw.”

      Romney is without doubt a straw.

      Report Post »  
  • Fitzzz
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:57am

    M M was a great show , when it first started, but like many others before , it has just gone on way too long, the story lines are boring,unblievable,and missing the original punch
    They should have ended on a high note

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:14am

    The MSM will be all too happy to take shots at Romney. He needs to quit giving them so much material to work with.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • disenlightened
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:34am

      Romney is going to get attacked no matter what he does – for the simple fact that he breathes. He’s just going to have to brush it off and keep going – with our support and not our reverse snobbery. .

      Report Post » disenlightened  
    • edmundburk
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:55pm

      @DISENLIGHTENED- sorry charlie, the progressives WANT romney to win the primaries,, because he’ll be the easiest to defeat. their attacking him because he‘s the front runner not because they think he’s a conservitive.(they don’t.) you romney kool-aid drinkers make me sick.

      Report Post » edmundburk  
  • Forward
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:48am

    Subtle?

    Subtle might have been to insert “the Governor” for “Romney” and let the in crowd have their giggle.

    Less subtle but still a period piece would have been to insert “George Romney” for “Romney”.

    Stating it the way they did leaves little doubt as to their intentions.

    Report Post »  
  • soybomb315
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:10am

    from what i understand, george romney and rockefeller were both liberal republicans. In 1964, they both ran for president and lost to Barry Goldwater – who lost the election but ended up paving the way for people like Reagan.

    George Romney was so liberal that he never got behind Barry Goldwater in the election against LBJ. Romney thought goldwater’s preference toward liberty and individual responsibility was too crazy. Sounds a lot like mitt romney and ron paul today

    Report Post » soybomb315  
    • disenlightened
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:24am

      Romney was a fiscal conservative but social moderate. He was just as socially conservative and more fiscally conservative than Santorum is today. Most Republicans at the time felt social issues should not be front and center and felt uncomfortable pushing their beliefs on others. Santorum has no problem with that.

      Report Post » disenlightened  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 8:56am

      the romneys have always preferred the status quo

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • edmundburk
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:57pm

      @ DISENLIGHTENTED- ahhh bull-crap!!

      Report Post » edmundburk  
  • blanco5
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:36am

    Never watched it, never will.

    Report Post »  
  • CatB
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:29am

    Okay .. pretty soon my TV will not be used for ANYTHING .. other than roku and Glenn Beck .. seriously … Mad Men … you really want to go there? … I’ll tell you one thing as person born, raised and LEFT Michigan .. it was a H a lot better under George Romney than any of the LOSER dems who took over the state .. the FIRST 4 years of Granholm was enough for ME … I got the H out while the getting was good ..

    btw .. I have been a fan of Mad Men since the first season .. and I am now DONE! I dropped NASCAR last year when then “teamed up” with M.O. and I am currently reading and making a list from the book “Hollywood Hypocrites” … to add to those I already have on “the list”.

    Report Post »  
    • GeorgieJo
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:23am

      AMEN CATB!!!
      Your post is EXACTLY how I feel. I nearly fell off the couch last night when Mad Men used that clown line. I have waited for MM to return and was SO disappointed!!! Did you catch how they portrayed blacks and gays? One was in the band (smoking “TEA” on the balcony) and the other was on the couch with Draper’s new frenchie wife. Max Weiner is jewish to boot. Sigh another show I have to add to my list of no longer watching.
      Sunday night programming has gone to the dogs. I watched 5 minutes of Housewifes of Atlanta and nearly threw up. Refuse to watch the Shah Show. Sad that Andy Cohen has aligned himself with such crappy shows.

      OMG 2012

      Report Post »  
    • Jenny Lind
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 9:45am

      Start recording good movies you like-even oldy but goodies for the nights the tv is just a waste-or go to the library (while we still have them) and get some books that will help your mind, teach you the real history of our country(while we still have them) and some really good how-to and survival books. It’s time to fill our minds with needfull, good stuff we can teach the next generation. Who knows, we may be called on to teach others in order to keep our nation together in the times coming.

      Report Post »  
    • Morningglory
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:15am

      I agree! Why are we Republicans/Conservatives continuing to support these left wing shows? They insert their liberal opinions even though probably half their audience is Republican/Conservative. But we continue to support their lifestyles! Why??? I am with you in no longer supporting these shows. And yes, the list is growing. Money talks, and if more and more of us would boycott these shows, we would (probably) see less and less of the liberal commentary.

      Report Post »  
    • Forced_Union_Worker
      Posted on April 2, 2012 at 12:41pm

      As a life long Michigander I remember Gov. Romney, things were much better back then. I too use to watch Mad Men, no longer. The 2 hour premier was terrible, and now this political slur on the Romney family …. no thank you, I’ll find something else to watch.

      Report Post » Forced_Union_Worker  
  • slvrserfr
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:28am

    That ‘clown’ supported the civil rights movement when many democrats wanted to continue discrimination, which is more than many can say about the overall consensus of the democrats during that period. Aside from wanting to continue slavery when the GOP was established to abolish it, racist LBJ – Kennedy’s VP – called the civil rights act the n-word bill, the only reason why he passed it was because Kennedy would have wanted it.

    Report Post »  
  • mccracken
    Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:06am

    Stop whining.

    Report Post »  

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