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Christina Hendricks wants to reach gay womenWhether you caught on to AMC’s Mad Men in its first season, or the buzz is slowly drawing you into its third, most of us by now know of Sterling and Cooper’s gorgeous, red-headed office manager, Joan Holloway. Who we should be getting to know more, however, is Christina Hendricks, the woman who makes Joan our favorite, and apparently has become Mad Men’s gay icon.
In the November issue of the Advocate, Hendricks somehow manages to make herself even more drool-worthy. She’s witty, hilarious, loves the gays and “would love” for Joan to “explore bisexuality” at some point on the series, to which I say "please, please do." In the interview, Advocate writer Brandon Voss declares that Joan is key in attracting a gay audience to the show, but the actress claims she has yet to feel the lesbian love:
We are here, Christina, and we think you are amazing! Voss didn’t let up with the gay questions, which is awesome, and Hendricks did not shy away from answering any of them. As for the “girl crush” phenomenon that somehow made Katy Perry famous, Hendricks keeps it real: To me [the “Kissed a Girl” era] started in the early ’90s, but maybe that’s just my age showing. I think it’s perfectly normal. But I have to say that in the last month I’ve heard more women say they have a girl-crush on Zooey Deschanel than ever before. She’s really popular right now.
When asked who her “girl crush” is, she said Deschanel, as well: [Laughs] My fiancé [Geoffrey Arend] is in 500 Days of Summer with her, so I’ve seen that movie three times in a row, and I’m like, "God, I love watching her!" I find her very unique and interesting. She’s lovely. The actress also said that the kiss she shared in a 2006 episode of Without a Trace with actress Frankie Ingrassia was certainly not her only same-sex smooch (“Oh, come now. It’s 2009!”) and admits to playing both a lesbian and a “slutty hetero” in Undressed, an MTV series that ran from 1999 to 2002.
More fun facts? Hendricks was goth in high school, has several ex-boyfriends who turned out to be gay and (gasp!) she is a natural blonde. …I was also very young when I was blonde. I’ve turned into a woman with red hair, so that’s all I know and all I want to know. I always think about going back to blonde or going dark, but I know I’d be sad the moment I changed it. So I just talk myself out of it, pop on a wig, and I feel better the next day.
Aside from Mad Men, Hendricks is also slated to work with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel in out director Greg Berlanti’s upcoming film Life As We Know It and is pondering a Broadway show. She, along with her many gay friends, is also hoping to see some things change in the gay rights arena soon: I have a million friends affected by the passing of Prop. 8. The sad thing is that people were so used to how unfair it is that it wasn’t that shocking. It seems like a lot of my friends are just waiting things out and looking forward to change.
We are, too, Christina, and are very glad to have you on board. Submitted by on October 16, 2009 - 1:00pm. |
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Don't watch Mad Men.....
Don't watch Mad Men..... Does anyone really? Anyhow... uh... I got nothing.
-I speak in random thoughts
Yeah, not a Mad Men follower
our Mrs Reynolds
every good Browncoat fantasizes about a night with Yo-Saff-Bridge, including the gay ladies among us, no no worries Christina - you have lesbian fans.
you said it
ive loved her since she was saffron on firefly. i was really hoping inara would fall for her faux seduction.
"if i'm to learn of love, id like it to be at the hands of someone gentle. someone who could feel what i feel." hhhhooootttttt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FxbW45nx_Y&feature=relatedhaha glad im not the only
Yo-Saff-Bridge has plenty of
Yo-Saff-Bridge has plenty of bi fans, too, even if she is a Demon Woman!
I don't fancy her, but I think she's extremely cool.
Love Mad Men!!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE...
...Mad Men. It is currently my favorite show on television. I watched season 1 on demand right before season 2 began. I saw the 1st episode and thought, "This is a bit dull. But I'll give it another try." By episode 3 I was smitten! Both Christina and January Jones are luscious to behold. But it is the subtle interactions between every character that has me hooked.
Forget Kennedy and Johnson--Joan and Betty in '64!
Career Girl
I was so happy to see
I was so happy to see Christina on the front page. Mad Men is one of the best shows on television right now, and I have seen that Without a Trace episode a few times. I know a lot of lesbians who adore her, as do I.
This season of Mad Men has shown Hendricks' acting ability, but I think they have been focusing too much on Don and Betty so far. Also, we should show Sal some love. <3
Jen, your profile picture has always reminded me of Christina.
I HAVE to start watching
UNDRESSED!
I cannot find Undressed episodes anywhere, and I'm such a fan!!
I remember a ton of gay hookups on that show... just lovely =)
Ahh, I know!!
But you can watch season 1 here:
http://www.undressedtv.com/index.php/episode-guide/season-1
They're supposed to be uploading the other seasons, but have been saying that for quite some time now, so I'm thinking it's not gonna happen.
Enjoy! :)
Thank you for the link!
Joan's a total femme icon,
Joan's a total femme icon, and I adore Christina's style in and out of Mad Men.
Mad Men's totally one of my favourite shows on right now. There was an episode in season one where Joan's roommate propositioned her, and she kind of brushed it off. Mad Men's got Salvatore, who's a closeted gay man, but that story also illuminated how hard it was for lesbians in that era as well.
Plus, love the Firefly reference, baubo - remember, she also tried to seduce Inara!
Love Her, Love Mad Men
I just got my copy of November's edition of The Advocate but hadn't looked at it yet...needless to say, I'll be rushing read this once I get home today. Also, I'm gonna have to look for the first season of Undressed online.
I'm a big, big fan of Mad Men and, of course, a big fan of Christina Hendricks (she was one of my Hot 100 nominees)...her short stint on Life was definitely a highlight.
Sarah Shahi and Christina Hendricks...on the same show! Heart be still...
At any rate, I do wish her character on Mad Men would get rid of that rape-y husband of hers (I once thought Roger was bad) and reclaim her spot at Sterling Cooper. The show just isn't the same without her.
---
Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong. - Theodore Roosevelt
She is absolutely one of my
She is absolutely one of my favorite actresses. And I love Mad Men. (I'm so worried about Sal!) Off to try to find Undressed now.
Oh, in addition to being on Firefly, she had a twenty second or so scene in a flashback on Angel. Come on, Joss Whedon should totally try to get her for a guest spot on Dollhouse. It would at least make me more enthusiastic about watching it.
"If you're wondering how he eats and breathes / And other science facts / Then repeat to yourself 'It's just a show, / I should really just relax."
Poor Sal
My heart breaks for him too. Run to Hollywood, Sal!
And yes, I loved CH in Firefly. I heart Mystery Science Theater above all else too and I love your tagline!!!
Bisexual Joan
maybe later
Maybe as time passes in the series - I read an article on Jezebel during the Peggy's haircut episode saying that Joan would have been a total fag hag in 2009, but in the early sixties she was too afraid to move away from the status quo. Peggy, on the other hand, is the epitome of the modern woman and therefore much more likely to befriend an out gay man (Kurt) and platonically accompany him to a concert.
So maybe at this point in the series, Joan's just not ready yet. I'd love to see Joan hook up with a girl, but it doesn't seem plausible for her character quite yet. Hell, it took Sal forever to even admit to himself he wanted a bellboy's hand down his pants. Maybe down the road, Joan will be an unhappy suburban housewife and end up at a consciousness-raising workshop where she acknowledges her universal appeal. I just don't see Joan as part of the pre-Stonewall set.
I think during the roommate-coming-out scene, Joan thought she was protecting her roommate by not letting her become an outcast at that time and place. Yes, her roommate was pushed back into the closet, but she (as a conventionally feminine woman) wasn't being subjected to the homophobia she could have faced had she come out, and Joan probably thought that was better for her. Misguided, yes, but realistic? Probably.
And as anachronistic as it may be, I find it oddly and slightly disturbingly romantic to see two people who want to be together but have to hide it due to not adhering to social norms - I'm sure those who were alive and had to live it during those times would think otherwise. I don't doubt at all that whether the storylines involve Joan or not, Mad Men cover more closeted-lesbian issues. Let's see what happens when Sally hits puberty, hmm?
one heck of a woman...
I never thought I'd never use this word in a serious sentence, but Christina Hendricks is fierce. She is like a perfect physical embodiment of what you want a woman to look like. And her personality in interviews seen pretty awesome as well.
Everyone hypes Jon Hamm in Mad Men, but while he's great, Christina Hendricks and Elizabeth Moss are the reasons I watch (besides the great writing and overall quality of course).
hugs are like little ounces of comfort covered in a quart of love.
She wants to reach gay women...
Hey, she has my vote! I hope it counts. LOL
_____
English culture is basically homosexual in the sense that what the men really care about is the other men. Germaine Greer
While I completely love Joan Holloway...
Girl crush
I think the most important question is "Who DOESN'T have a crush on Zooey?"
It's like having a crush on Dr Maddow or Miss Fey. Yes it's a cliché, but we can't be blamed. The CUTE is too strong in the 3 of them...
Sally Draper
True~ I fully expect a flash-forward to Sally at the first Dyke March, topless, reading her poem 'My Mother:Destroyer'
As for wanting a bit of gender ambiguity in your girl crushes, speak for yourself! Joan/Christina is pretty much my dreamboat dream...
yes!
Sally's the perfect age for that, too. She's going to grow up to be a second-wave feminist, and maybe even blame her dad for making her not trust men. (cuz, you know, that's totally where it comes from)
Rrrrraowrr!
Gorgeous. Fell for her, like many posters, on Firefly. She has good taste in women, too. Zooey is definitely crush-worthy.
Christina Hendricks, don't you worry. We're paying attention.
Red Heads Are Awesome
I LOVE her. And it doesn't hurt that she's amazingly sexy. Until the poster "sewwhat" pointed out that she was Saffron on Firefly, I hadn't realized that. ::slaps forehead:: Duh! And I loved her then.
She is GREAT on Mad Men and I love that she is getting more popular. There is nothing like seeing a voluptous women get her due.
Seriously, she's awesome.
Adore her
without a trace
i knew she looked familiar! it was because of the episode she appeared in that i started watching the show. haha. ^_^
"You can close your eyes to things you don't want to see, but you can't close your heart to things you don't want to feel."
I want to be Joan Holloway
i like mad men and the joan
i like mad men and the joan character. she's said some f*cked up things (like her racist comments to sheila, and completely brushing off her lesbian friend's feelings and emotions and shoving her back into the closet) but she's resourceful no matter what her circumstances are and i appreciate that about her. i think she was as liberated as a woman could be pre-feminism and that peggy is like the proto-feminist who's going to be even more liberated. honestly, with the way joan handled her lesbian friend, i don't see her exploring her sexuality anytime soon, they should find another character to explore lesbianism through, you know someone who will admit it exists.
i am happy to see a beautiful curvaceous woman on t.v. though. christina is lovely.
*swoons*
*swoons*
the little lioness...
Siiiiiigh...
Why do birds suddenly appear everytime you are near.... :)
God, I have a massive crush on her! Even thought about getting a pin-up of her tatooed on me. She is all that is WOMAN. Funny, smart, clever, sexy (as all hell!), curvy and I love her red hair. So don't even think about changing it!
Can't imagine her goth...
I don't dance - I just spin
What a lovely redhead!
Why haven't I heard of Mad
Why haven't I heard of Mad Men before?! :O So far I've only seen Christina Hendricks in that episode of Without A Trace but in that she was really great. :) I've watched it several times already.
Sorry I didn't pay more attention to the woman behind the character. *ducksheadinshame* She seems to be really cool and noteworthy.
Firefly
Christina...
...you can reach this gay woman any time.
(Gooby - every time I see that avatar I just fall about laughing)
Sorry Joan, Sally has the best lesbian potential
And Sally's already driven the car.
Christina
I don't watch Mad Men but Christina was in one of my all time favorite, killed too soon shows, Life. Olivia.
What a great show.
Christina Hendricks
Christina Handtricks
Christina
Well, Ms H has to start lurking here b/c the Lesbian Connection is mos def here for her.
Seriously, the woman is gorgeous and I really do like her acting. Hawk, I share your feeling of loss re LIFE. I really wanted to see what became of Olivia and Adam Arkin's character. (And let's not even mention Sarah Shahi)
Re Sally... I really like this character. It's rare to write for a child and show so many layers. This is one complicated kid. I must make a mental note of this young actress b/c she may just have a big future if she decides to pursue acting as she gets older. She's good.
It's as if Sally knows that she behaves rather strangely and she's trying to figure it all out as she goes along. No one seems to serve as an anchor or mentor for her so she seems to be winging it. At least she had her Grandpa Gene for a while. He seemed to believe in her, no matter what.
Mad Men is a great show.
Polyester Queen, oh, that Instyle Weddings edition! The photos are truly breathtaking! Beautiful.
?
What even remotely makes this woman a lesbian icon? Her bra size and tight dress?
I have watched every episode of Mad Men, some more than once. Yes, Joan is a fabulous strong and smart woman, but she bites the heads off every other woman she works with, had a long-term affair with the older married boss, she very deliberately not just gave a pass to her roommate, she outright ignored it when Carol confessed her attraction, as in pretending she didn't hear her---Then Joan went off and married milquetoast and stays with him even after he raped her at her work place in an office, lies to her, and screwed up his promotion sending her back to work after she quit-- all the while ordering her around like a little '60s wife. She doesn't seem bi-curious in any of her scenes.
Joan is one of my favorite characters on the show because of her strong character and witty lines and no-nonsense personality. But lesbian icon? It either doesn't take much or this is a great Mad Men promotion with Christina Hendricks on board with that (who, incidentally, just got married last week)....
That's funny. She wears a
What? I love Christina and
What? I love Christina and her character Joan... she is my perfect woman.
I love Mad Men, such a great show.
myspace.com/supercalamari
For Me It's Because...
As shallow as this is, I don't like her until I look at her because her name reminds me of the woman who played the bitch in Romy & Michele's High School Reunion...
But I did happen to see that episode of Without A Trace and she did a wonderful job! I'm sure she'll get there eventually.
Love Joan