Jon Hamm

Episode of Good Hang with Amy Poehler · April 28, 2026 · 1 h 13 min

Amy Poehler talks with Jon Hamm about his path to acting, landing and ending Mad Men, SNL, 30 Rock, the Loser's Lounge, Bad Bunny, and Shoresy.

Summary

Amy Poehler opened the episode by speaking with John Slattery, Jon Hamm's Mad Men co-star, who recalled auditioning for Don Draper before learning the part was already cast, described his relationship with Hamm as brotherly but equal, and said he sometimes asks himself what Hamm would do. Slattery attributed Hamm's range in drama and comedy to emotional intelligence and a lifetime of close observation.

Hamm then joined and recounted how he met Paul Rudd in St. Louis around 1989 and later Adam Scott, moving to Los Angeles cold in the mid-1990s. He discussed his small, creatively encouraging high school, playing catcher and realizing he did not love baseball enough to go pro, reading plays aloud as a child, and losing his mother at 10 and father at 20. He described years as a working actor who tested for seven pilots in the year he landed Mad Men, and told the story of Matthew Weiner introducing him around as Don Draper before he knew he had the job.

The two discussed the Mad Men finale, including the Big Sur group therapy scene, which Hamm said carried the weight of not ruining the ending; he said he believes Don returned to advertising and found some peace. They recalled their Loser's Lounge awards-night charity parties, Hamm hosting Saturday Night Live while Poehler was about to give birth, and how Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels opened comedy to him, leading to his 30 Rock role. Hamm also discussed The Town and its Boston setting.

In the final segment Hamm explained that Bad Bunny's music became the soundtrack of his relationship with his wife Anna, praised the Super Bowl halftime show as an expression of joy and togetherness, recommended the Canadian comedy Shoresy, and mentioned upcoming seasons of Your Friends and Neighbors.

Chapters

0:05
Introduction
Poehler introduces Jon Hamm and previews the conversation before calling John Slattery.
2:13
John Slattery on Hamm
Slattery recalls auditioning for Don Draper, his equal brotherly bond with Hamm, and Hamm's competence.
8:47
Hamm arrives and the friend group forms
Hamm reunites with Poehler and explains meeting Paul Rudd and Adam Scott before moving to Los Angeles.
16:08
High school, baseball, and books
Hamm describes his creative high school, playing catcher, reading plays, and his comedy-record childhood.
23:34
Losing his mother and chosen family
Hamm talks about his mother, grief, his aunt, and the families formed on long-running shows.
27:47
Landing Mad Men
Hamm recounts years of near-misses and the arduous audition process that ended with an unannounced job offer.
32:33
The Mad Men finale
The pair discuss the final season, the group therapy scene, and what became of Don Draper.
41:58
The Loser's Lounge
They recall their charity party for awards-night losers, Frances McDormand paying in, and Poehler's broken toe.
46:38
Hosting SNL
Hamm remembers the cast pitching in Mad Men costumes and Poehler's last show before giving birth.
51:46
Mentors, The Town, and 30 Rock
Hamm answers Slattery's question about whom he turns to, then discusses The Town and joining 30 Rock.
59:36
Bad Bunny
Hamm explains why Bad Bunny's music matters to him and praises the Super Bowl halftime show.
1:04:15
Shoresy and wrap-up
Hamm recommends Shoresy and mentions new seasons of Your Friends and Neighbors before Poehler's closing tribute to Frances McDormand.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

John Slattery
Slattery says he sometimes asks himself what Hamm would do because Hamm is good at most everything.
“sometimes I actually think, what would Ham do? Like in a certain situation or whatever, because he's just, he is good at most everything he does”
Listen from 4:54 · Mad Men
John Slattery
Slattery argues Hamm's skill in both drama and comedy comes from long attention to the craft.
“it makes sense that he's as good at drama as he is at comedy because it's something that he's paid attention to”
Listen from 5:41
Amy Poehler
Poehler says catcher was a favorite position because the catcher acts as captain and is involved in every play.
“Catcher because I felt like Catcher is the captain. You're in every play”
Listen from 19:07 · Baseball positions
Jon Hamm
Hamm says professional athletics demands constant training, so one must truly love the sport.
“It's 24-7, even in the off-season. You're training, you're training, you're training. So you better love it”
Listen from 20:25 · Baseball positions
Jon Hamm
Hamm says there is never a good time to lose a parent, having lost his mother at 10 and father at 20.
“There's never a good time to lose a parent. It stinks. It just does. I lost my mom when I was 10, my dad when I was 20”
Listen from 24:00 · Grief
Jon Hamm
Hamm recounts that in the year he landed Mad Men he had tested at the network for seven different projects.
“I was the other guy in everything. And in fact, the year I got Mad Men, I had tested, when we used to do that, seven times”
Listen from 28:11 · Pilot season
Jon Hamm
Hamm relays Matthew Weiner's view that the characters should end the series only slightly better.
“people to realize that the characters are, are going to be just a little bit better at the end, just a little bit,”
Listen from 33:50 · Mad Men
Jon Hamm
Hamm says he felt enormous pressure not to ruin the ending of the series.
“the responsibility of like, don't fuck this up. You can fuck anything else up, but you cannot fuck this up”
Listen from 36:33 · Mad Men
Jon Hamm
Hamm believes Don Draper returns to advertising, finds peace, and reconnects with his children.
“I think he goes back. He is a successful advertising executive and I think he finds happiness and peace. I think he connects with his children”
Listen from 40:49 · Mad Men
Jon Hamm
Hamm says someone counted roughly 80 cigarettes smoked by him in the Mad Men pilot.
“somebody watched the pilot just to watch how many cigarettes I smoke. And I think it was something like 80 in a one hour pilot”
Listen from 41:38 · Mad Men
Jon Hamm
Hamm explains that award winners had to pay to charity to enter the Loser's Lounge party.
“if you wanted to come and you were a winner and you had a statue in your hand, you had to pay”
Listen from 43:24 · Loser's Lounge
Jon Hamm
Hamm says he is highly self-reliant and has been on his own for a long time, sometimes to a fault.
“I've been On my own in one way or another for a very long time. So I am very self-dependent”
Listen from 52:27
Jon Hamm
Hamm credits Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels with opening comedy roles to him.
“Tina, I credit Tina along with Lorne for allowing me to be in comedies”
Listen from 56:29 · 30 Rock
Jon Hamm
Hamm says he and his wife discovered Bad Bunny around 2018 before he was played on U.S. reggaeton radio.
“This is like 2018. He wasn't even played on the reggaeton stations in LA or New York”
Listen from 1:00:36 · Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show
Jon Hamm
Hamm says the halftime show reminded people that togetherness and joy are valuable.
“Remind everybody that maybe together is a little better than siloed and apart and that joy is kind of great”
Listen from 1:03:14 · Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show
Linked moment · 1:06:17Skip to 1:06:17 using a listen link in the info box.
Jon Hamm
Hamm praises Shoresy for depicting women, many of them Indigenous, as those in power without making a point of it.
“And it's a tremendous show because it highlights most of the people in power that are running things are women”
Listen from 1:06:17 · Shoresy

People

In the conversation

Amy PoehlerAmerican actress, comedian and podcast host, formerly of Saturday Night Live
Jon HammAmerican actor known for playing Don Draper on Mad Men
John SlatteryAmerican actor and director who played Roger Sterling on Mad Men

Discussed

Paul RuddAmerican actor and longtime friend of Hamm
Adam ScottAmerican actor and friend of Hamm
Matthew WeinerCreator of Mad Men
Tina FeyAmerican comedian who toured with Poehler
Lorne MichaelsCreator and executive producer of 'Saturday Night Live'
Frances McDormandAmerican actress who attended the Loser's Lounge after winning an Emmy
Bad BunnyPuerto Rican musician whose Super Bowl halftime show Hamm praised
Jared KeesoCanadian actor and creator of Letterkenny and Shoresy
Ben AffleckDirector and star of The Town
Anna OsceolaActress and Hamm's wife, who appeared in the Mad Men finale
Franz BeckenbauerGerman football great who shared an elevator with Hamm
Robert Carlock30 Rock showrunner who invited Hamm onto the show
Jerry BruckheimerFilm producer Hamm had dinner with

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From the publisher

Jon Hamm is a proud member of the Loser's Lounge. Amy hangs with the actor and talks about the best positions to play in baseball, how many cigarettes he smoked in the pilot of 'Mad Men,' and his alter ego, Juan Jamón. Host: Amy PoehlerGuests: John Slattery and Jon HammExecutive producers: Bill Simmons, Amy Poehler, and Jenna Weiss-BermanFor Paper Kite Productions: Executive producer Jenna Weiss-Berman, coordinator Sam Green, and supervising producer Joel LovellFor The Ringer: Supervising producers Juliet Litman, Sean Fennessey, and Mallory Rubin; video producers Jack Wilson and Aleya Zenieris; audio producer Kaya McMullen; social producer Bridget Geerlings; video editor Drew van Steenbergen; and booker Kat SpillaneOriginal music: Amy Miles Use coupon code ‘EATCESAR10’ at Cesar.com for 10% off Shop your favorite local grocers on Uber Eats! https://www.ubereats.com/brand/kroger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 27, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Comedy Interviews·TV & Film·Film Interviews