TV: Bryan Batt Goes 'Mad' w/ Richard Jay-Alexander Part 2

In Part 2, Richard and Bryan get down to the brass tacks of the acting in film and television.

Anyone with a taste for Drama, Fashion, Scenic Design, Art Direction, Good Writing, Good Directing and Great Acting will have, by now, found themselves drawn to Matthew Weiner's genius creation - Mad Men, on AMC which plays its last episode of the season tonight, Sunday October 26, 2008 at 10pm with an encore performance at 11pm.

A couple of weeks ago, producer/director and HUGE fan of Mad Men, Richard Jay-Alexander sat at Sardi's Restaurant (234 West 44th Street) with Broadway fave Bryan Batt to chat about his suprise hit series, theatre, New Orleans (his home) and more.

AMC recently formally picked up its option for a third season of Mad Men, its hit period drama about Madison Avenue in the 1960s, which won this year's Emmy and Golden Globe for Best Drama Series. The show, currently in its second season, continues to pick up steam and these days, the cast can be found EVERYWHERE. Batt is off to do a film, one of his co-stars Elisabeth Moss is currently on the boards in David Mamet's Speed-The-Plow_311663.html">Speed-the-Plow (which opened last week) for which she and her co-stars Raul Esparza and Jeremy Piven all received rave reviews. Last night, the show's star, Jon Hamm, hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live.

As reported by CNN on Friday, October 24, 2008 "Mad Men draws a slice of viewers as slender as Don Draper's 1960s neckties, yet the TV drama unquestionably is all the rage."

Here's Part 2, and Part 1 is available here.

Bryan Batt is a native New Orleanian/Broadway veteran actor/ designer/civic activist splitting his life on three coasts: L.A., the New York stage, and his fine gift/home accessories boutique in New Orleans. He's appeared in widely diverse principal and leading roles in nine Broadway productions as well as nine off-Broadway as well including, Sunset Boulevard, Beauty and the Beast, Forbidden Broadway (Drama Desk nomination), and recent TV appearances include Rescue Me and Law and Order: Criminal Intent. However, he is most known for creating the role of "Darius" in Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey both on stage in N.Y., L.A. (Drama Logue Award) and in the feature film opposite Patrick Stewart.

Since Hurricane Katrina, Bryan has organized, hosted and/or performed in countless benefits to raise funding for hurricane relief and the rebuilding of his beloved hometown. Just three weeks after the storm, he had the honor of opening the Broadway Celebrity Benefit hosted by Liza Minelli by singing, "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans," and hasn't slowed down since. Later this summer he and pal/ fellow new Orleanian, Patricia Clarkson, host Encore!, a fundraiser for Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre ( America's oldest community theatre, which gave him his start). Recently, Bryan was honored with the HRC Equality Award, and featured on the cover of OUT magazine (Top 100 issue) as "Artist of the Year." Bryan's design work and stylish Magazine St. shop Hazelenut have been featured in The New York Times, House Beautiful (June 08), Domino, Lucky, and Traditional Homes Magazines among others.

For more information on Mad Men on AMC, click here.

For more information Bryan Batt, click here.

For more information on Sardi's, click here.

Photo Top: Bryan Batt and on-screen-wife Sarah Drew courtesy AMC Television.

Photo Bottom: Bryan Batt and Elisabeth Moss