# Mad-Men: 4.12 "Blowing Smoke" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 10, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733 "2010-10-10T23:57:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/61 "2010-10-13T01:54:50Z")
I’m going to predict that Faye and Don will break up in next week’s episode over Don working for the anti-Semitic Walt Disney. I don’t really like the character of Faye. She’s too normal and boring. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/62 "2010-10-13T02:08:58Z")
Is Faye Jewish? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/63 "2010-10-13T03:04:59Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > > [@TheTerribleTako](#): > > > > Midge was in the very first episode and the first woman we saw Don with before we knew he was married. She’s was an artist who hung around with the beatnik crowd. She introduced Don to marijuana and memorably threw a television off her balcony when Don noted that she received it as a gift from another suitor and became jealous. Basically, she was a free-spirit who was a direct contrast to prim and proper, establishment Betty in the first season. > > > > Don asked her to run away with him to Paris at the end of Season 1 and when he realized that she was in love with one of her beatnik friends instead, he decided to sign over his $5000 bonus check to her and left. Funny enough, I’m sure she managed to cash that check, which just underscored how low she fell since then. > > I think the trip to Paris was more an invitation for a hot vacation than actually “running away.” Midge’s relationship with Don had been a long-time “friends with benefits” thing; he did realize she was in love with one of the male Bohemians as he ended it. Midge was smart & independent–smoking a bit of pot & hanging out with her arty friends but not dressing like the Beatnik Chicks (who were mostly suburban teenagers in for the weekend.) > > Midge probably did have a checking account back then. She was a freelance commercial artist & got paid by check; checks were handy for rent (on the sunny little place she had back then) & utilities. As a junkie, she probably wrote too many hot checks & the bank got mad. > > Still, she might have been able to cash a check later, by going to Don’s bank & supplying some kind of ID. However, she wanted cash right away for her pressing need. > > (I liked her in Season 1 & find her fate most distressing.) Wasn’t that offer to “run away” made in the context of Pete was threatening to expose him? It was not a vacation offer. He was ready to bolt. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/64 "2010-10-13T03:29:39Z")
I’m pretty sure he wanted Rachel to bolt with him when Pete was threatening to expose him. That’s when she was like “Hmmm…ok…wait what about your kids?” When he wanted to take Midge away, he just invited her to join him in Paris. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/65 "2010-10-13T03:56:22Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Is Faye Jewish? It was mentioned in one thread here that she used a few Jewish phrases. See [here](http://www.jewcy.com/post/jewish_women_mad_men) for more details. The show can sometimes be real subtle. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/66 "2010-10-13T14:27:48Z")
I assumed she was Italian because she talked about her dad being a two bit gangster, which I took to mean the mafia. But she _does_ use some Jewish phrases…hmm. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/67 "2010-10-13T14:34:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > (Back then gold was $35 per ounce… the other day it was $1,000 per ounce.) It was also illegal to own [significant amounts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_6102). ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/68 "2010-10-13T14:34:16Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > I assumed she was Italian because she talked about her dad being a two bit gangster, which I took to mean the mafia. > > But she _does_ use some Jewish phrases…hmm. She could have a Jewish mother (and thus be Jewish in the eyes of a rabbi) and have an Italian father. As Gregory House would say, that explains everything. [Plus there’ve been Jewish mobsters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_Lansky) – as well as Irish and polish – so we needn’t bring the Italians into the equation at all. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/69 "2010-10-13T14:42:10Z")
After a weak episode or two, a really great one. But I can’t really put my finger on what made the whole thing gel so well. John Slattery also directed “The Rejected” which was a good episode. Don tearing out the pages of his journal was perfect. He needed to do a “new” new start. I think his ad’s main effect is to fast forward the company to where it would have been in 6 months. Not necessarily saved it, but at least it will get them back into a position of getting people to take meetings. The tacit acknowledgement between Don and Peggy about how her “change the story” suggestion was behind it was great. Being subtle was called for in that exchange. Midge rejecting the check was strange. It didn’t take much to cash a check in those days. Glen is so wonderfully odd. I wonder how friends of the Weiners complement them on their son’s performance. “We saw Marten on last week’s episode. He was such a perfect creep. You must be very proud.” Yeah, Faye knows something’s going on with Megan. As to her talk with Peggy. I think Faye believes (like most people at SCDP) that Peggy slept with Don. So she’s kind of chilly to her. Peggy saying how she liked Faye since she didn’t play games. Um, that’s what we saw Faye doing all the time in her first appearances. The name tag thing and such. Perfect amounts of Betty and Sally in this episode. The actress who plays Sally is amazingly good. One thing really ticked me off though: The “coming attractions” consisted entirely of old clips (including ones from this episode). They couldn’t show us any bits from the next episode at all? What’s going on here? I have gotten used to being mislead by the preview and now we don’t get a real preview at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/70 "2010-10-13T14:49:29Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > [@lindsaybluth](#): > > > > I assumed she was Italian because she talked about her dad being a two bit gangster, which I took to mean the mafia. > > > > But she _does_ use some Jewish phrases…hmm. > > She could have a Jewish mother (and thus be Jewish in the eyes of a rabbi) and have an Italian father. As Gregory House would say, that explains everything. > > [Plus there’ve been Jewish mobsters](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_Lansky) – as well as Irish and polish – so we needn’t bring the Italians into the equation at all. Carla Buono explains [how she differs](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/09/mad-men-cara-buono.html)from Faye: > [@](#): > > I have naturally dark, almost black hair and she’s blond. She’s also Jewish. The line she says in the phone booth when she’s telling her boyfriend off. “Go … in the ocean.” That’s an English translation of a Yiddish expression. And her father, though he’s a gangster, he’s not of Italian descent. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/71 "2010-10-13T14:53:56Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > …Midge rejecting the check was strange. It didn’t take much to cash a check in those days. > > …One thing really ticked me off though: The “coming attractions” consisted entirely of old clips (including ones from this episode). They couldn’t show us any bits from the next episode at all? What’s going on here? I have gotten used to being mislead by the preview and now we don’t get a real preview at all. Midge’s dealer probably worked on a cash-only basis. She couldn’t wait. Answers to your last questions: They could have, but they chose not to. Because they are torturing us. Remember, after this Sunday we will have\* many\* months without Mad Men! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/72 "2010-10-13T15:17:37Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I’m pretty sure he wanted Rachel to bolt with him when Pete was threatening to expose him. That’s when she was like “Hmmm…ok…wait what about your kids?” When he wanted to take Midge away, he just invited her to join him in Paris. You are correct. It’s weird how hard it is to differentiate some secondary characters in Mad Men even thought they are distinctly different. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/73 "2010-10-13T15:21:30Z")
I didn’t realize Faye was Jewish until she referred to Don’s “punim”. Of course, Harry has been using Yiddish words that he picked up from his show-biz contacts, but he’s so awkward about it that it’s obvious he’s not Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/74 "2010-10-13T16:56:49Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > …One thing really ticked me off though: The “coming attractions” consisted entirely of old clips (including ones from this episode). They couldn’t show us any bits from the next episode at all? What’s going on here? I have gotten used to being mislead by the preview and now we don’t get a real preview at all. AMC did the same thing with last season’s finale. And the ad campaign for this season consisted entirely of clips from seasons 1-3. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/75 "2010-10-13T16:58:26Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > > [@ftg](#): > > > > …One thing really ticked me off though: The “coming attractions” consisted entirely of old clips (including ones from this episode). They couldn’t show us any bits from the next episode at all? What’s going on here? I have gotten used to being mislead by the preview and now we don’t get a real preview at all. > > AMC did the same thing with last season’s finale.. I was glad of it. I don’t want to be spoilered. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/76 "2010-10-13T17:01:57Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Where the hell did Pryce come up with $ 50,000? I thought he was a middle manager and he did not get any part of the giant buyout cash when the British firm bought Sterling Cooper. Pryce came from the British firm that bought Sterling Cooper. He was installed to cut their costs and make the firm more profitable. Just a nitpick, of course, since you’re right he didn`t get any of that buyout, but for the record he actually arrived after it. > [@lindsaybluth](#): > > I think he came from money as well; his father seemed right at home in the Playboy club, not because of the women but because of the influence/money aspect. Last season the leaders of the British firm that owned Sterling Cooper treated Pryce really poorly. Not just because they were going to send him to India, but they had just a supremely douchey attitude that they could just send him anywhere like chattel and it was absurd for them to even consider his wishes. I always understood it to be because he wasn’t from the same social class as them. I don`t understand social class in the UK now, let alone in the 1960s, so maybe I’m wrong about that. But I thought we were supposed to understand that Pryce was not an upper class sort of fellow. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/77 "2010-10-13T17:10:41Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > …I don`t understand social class in the UK now, let alone in the 1960s, so maybe I’m wrong about that. But I thought we were supposed to understand that Pryce was not an upper class sort of fellow. Class in the UK has more to do with ancestry than money. It’s entirely possible that Lane’s father was the middle class man who clawed his way into the upper class (in terms of finances), he could’ve even married an upper class girl, and despite the Pryce family having just as much money as them, living next-door, hiring domestics from the same agency, sending Lane to the same public school, university, etc they’re still considered middle class and beneath them. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/78 "2010-10-13T17:21:40Z")
Pryce’s father was in sales. That’s definitely not upper class. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/79 "2010-10-13T20:09:18Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I was glad of it. I don’t want to be spoilered. If you can be spoiled by Mad Men previews, you should set up shop as an oracle. Last week’s previews made it look like Don was trying to get hired elsewhere (“My firm doesn’t know we’re talking.”). Week before that, it looked like Joan was going to meet Dr. Rape at basic (lonely shot on the bus). Pretty much the only thing I’m sure of after seeing the previews for the next week is, whatever it looks like, is the one thing that _won’t_ happen. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733/80 "2010-10-13T20:11:13Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > > I was glad of it. I don’t want to be spoilered. > > If you can be spoiled by Mad Men previews, you should set up shop as an oracle. > > Last week’s previews made it look like Don was trying to get hired elsewhere (“My firm doesn’t know we’re talking.”). Week before that, it looked like Joan was going to meet Dr. Rape at basic (lonely shot on the bus). > > Pretty much the only thing I’m sure of after seeing the previews for the next week is, whatever it looks like, is the one thing that _won’t_ happen. Well, that means that one option is eliminated, doesn’t it? The preview bit that made it look like Peggy was about to be fired meant that Peggy was NOT about to be fired. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-men-4-12-blowing-smoke-open-spoilers/556733.md?page=5)