The “Mad Men” madness has officially made its way to Mississippi.
Jackson residents Michael Busbin and Brian Kendrick are such big fans of AMC’s hit drama that they bought a retro home in northeast Jackson inspired by Don Draper’s mid-century cool.
“It already had grass cloth wallpaper and a living room rock garden — total ‘60s vibes,” Busbin said. “We’ve updated it a little, but kept the vintage charm. We love pieces like Eames and Panton chairs — anything that feels ‘Mad Men.’ It’s how we like to live — cool, relaxed, and a little nostalgic.”
The two even commissioned local artist Ginger Williams to create a set of “Mad Men”-themed nesting dolls. The characters shrink in size from Draper to Pete Campbell. “Pete’s tiny — just like his role on the show,” Busbin joked.
To celebrate the season finale, they threw a themed party. “Our friends love to dress up and rewind the clock,” Busbin said. “It’s fun to escape the present for a while and step into a different time.”
As an education historian at the Eudora Welty House, Busbin said he finds the show’s peek into past social norms fascinating — and often shocking. “People drank and smoked at work, even while pregnant. They’d litter without thinking twice,” he said. “It’s wild to see how far we’ve come.”
But beneath the vintage style and questionable behavior, Busbin believes the show’s deeper message is about flawed humanity. “Everyone’s messy and just trying to survive. Watching that play out makes the show real.”
Fans across Mississippi agree. Holly Cox, of Biloxi, has been watching since day one — and now watches with her college-age niece. Sarah Everett said her husband knows every episode by heart. “It reminds him of a friend who worked in advertising,” she said.
John Nicholas, also of Jackson, admits he’s been sipping more Brandy Alexanders and Tom Collins lately. He said the show is “more intellectually stimulating than anything else on TV,” and he respects how it portrays the ‘60s without sugarcoating it.
“It shows the beauty and the chaos of a decade that reshaped American culture,” he said.
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