Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner was an absolutely terrific guest when he came on TV Time Machine–funny, perceptive and introspective. With my co-host Lisa Rothstein (who served as copywriter and creative director at Young & Rubicam and Ogilvy & Mather), he talked about how he admired the work of Rod Serling, the sexism depicted on the show, and all those wild and crazy ad execs toking endlessly on their high-tar cigarettes.
What really surprised me was what he said about some younger people and what they have said about the issue; some insisting that people NEVER smoked indoors. That’s why Matthew Weiner said the following on TV Time Machine:
“I’ve been shocked by the reaction to the smoking in the series,” says Weiner. “People are in cultural denial to its existence, when it really didn’t disappear in the workplace until the 1990’s. There’s a real moral superiority about it now, but back then it was really as common as eating. I wanted the smoking in the show because it was such a great irony. To see a society in this mass denial, where adults are unaware of what they’re doing. The image of who we are and what’s being sold to us and what the reality of it is—it’s such an integral part of that irony.”
“Pall Mall Famous Cigarettes–outstanding…and they are mild!”
Jim Benson
Host, TV Time Machine Internet Radio Show
Jim Benson TV Time Machine Blog 
