What really happened at the end of Mad Men? Epiphany for the inscrutable Don Draper? True understanding? Did Draper meet God — or at least knock out those fascinating personal demons of his? Even Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner may never know — after all, the next phase of Draper’s life never happens, it’s all speculation even when it comes from his creator. But that doesn’t stop anyone from guessing about what Jon Stewart might call Draper’s moment of Zen. When Jon Hamm talked with sports guy Rich Eisen recently, Eisen wanted to know Hamm’s opinion on the whole thing. (One has to assume Eisen got his question in just before the statute of limitations runs out for Hamm on the interminable Draper questions.)
[From the beginning: Mad Men Season 1 on Amazon Prime Digital]
The gracious Hamm gave Eisen this morsel about his most famous role: “I don’t think that Zen moment of understanding of anything really stuck. That leopard is not changing his spots.” Hamm said he “roots for the best in people” but it’s hard to think Draper ended up in the light. “He was pretty damaged,” Hamm confirmed.
