Words of a Mad Man

I usually don’t have full scale mental-crisis about what I’m doing with my life, but several factors in the past week have led to me questioning “just what the hell am I doing with myself?” There was:

1. The rejection letter. “So many wonderful plays pass through our office that it is almost impossible to choose.”

2. The actress with a statement. “XANADU just isn’t artistically fulfilling.”

3. Justin’s keen observation. “Aren’t you laid off at the end of the year?”

4. Justin being in New York and working with agents and…hustling his shit.

5. A plain and simple over-all self doubt that comes with being in your early 20’s.


But might I suggest to you, if you find yourself in this position, with writing or whatever it is you do, have an excellent girlfriend who can talk some sense in you. Have a group of friends you trust give you honest feedback on your work. And read about how Matthew Weiner, the 43-year-old exec producer of Mad Men got smart in five easy steps:

1. He realized he wasn't smart — yet. ''I started looking at people whose careers I wanted — David Chase, Woody Allen — and saw that I was not on that path.''

2. He said no. ''I turned down a contract at [Ted Danson's sitcom]] Becker even though I had no other job. It proved that I was uncompromising. Or crazy.''

3. He made stuff. ''I wrote the Mad Men script to show what I could do.''

4. He never gave up. ''It takes hundreds of no's to get a yes. How many networks are there? That's how many no's I got.''

5. He played nice with everyone. ''My Mad Men script was given to AMC by my manager's former assistant. Taking your aggression out on anyone will always come back to bite you. Sometimes in the parking lot after the meeting.''