Mad Men

Didn't we have this same discussion last year in the Dexter thread?

Benson has similarities with Don Draper. He's not Don himself, he's just the same kind of guy, who left a shitty life (Draper being from a brothel, Benson from hillbillies) getting some shit job (Draper selling furs, Benson being a senior VP errand boy) before being able to be hired in a company like SC&P. They're both shallow, twisted characters, lying their way around and they both clearly have an agenda though it's unclear right now what is Benson's agenda.

There was another theory at some point : Benson is a DoD / FBI agent, vetting SC&P for future military contracts. Someone even implied he's getting close to Joan to have personel files access. To be honest, I think Benson at this point is just another Draper-like character deserving general character progression. First seasons of the show were "Who's Don Draper", now it's "Who's Bob Benson". I mean come on, they even share the same initials name thing (DD and BB). And if you want more foreshadowing :

Um, Bob told Pete he was gay. There is no speculation. He is gay. To say he pretends to be gay to fuck with Pete is ninth level stupid

I'm a fan the Bob Benson is Peggy's abandoned son from the future come back time traveling to save the life of his biological mother theory.

More like Peggy's son, John Conner, sent Bob Benson back to the past to save his mother's life. Then Bob saw Joan and was lost in them titties for about a year or so.

Dabamf_sl said:

Um, Bob told Pete he was gay. There is no speculation. He is gay. To say he pretends to be gay to fuck with Pete is ninth level stupid

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Pete hates the gays. It has been established in the show. He puts Pete on tilt with one of the things he knows will get at him. Bob is lying about being gay.

Brad2770_sl said:

Pete hates the gays. It has been established in the show. He puts Pete on tilt with one of the things he knows will get at him. Bob is lying about being gay.

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Here is a really long article about being gay in the 1960's. A choice quote :

In 1968, homosexuality was a recognized mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association. A gay man in 1968 could not only be fired, he could be jailed, institutionalized, subjected to electro-shock therapy and even chemically castrated.

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http://www.tomandlorenzo.com/2013/06...le-favors.html

Bob isnt gay. To me, it is obvious he is not.

*edit- Plus, thats an article written on a gay site, so just like all you faggots, those fags want him to be gay too.

What motive would Bob have to fuck with Pete before Pete had a problem with him, by pretending to be a way that could get him ostracized or even fired? Makes 0 sense

Dabamf_sl said:

What motive would Bob have to fuck with Pete before Pete had a problem with him, by pretending to be a way that could get him ostracized or even fired? Makes 0 sense

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I can reverse this on you too. What does he gain by building/having a gay relationship with Pete? This whole season has done nothing but show that Pete is losing what he once had. He was desperate to take Ken's spot at Chevy even though those guys almost killed him twice. Bob gains NOTHING by getting with Pete as a gay man.

The burden if proof is on you to claim it's some elaborate manipulation, not those who take it as it is shown.

Brad2770_sl said:

I can reverse this on you too. What does he gain by building/having a gay relationship with Pete? This whole season has done nothing but show that Pete is losing what he once had. He was desperate to take Ken's spot at Chevy even though those guys almost killed him twice. Bob gains NOTHING by getting with Pete as a gay man.

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He gets to be with the guy who he says he cares deeply for and has shown it all season. Didn't know that when you were gay love caring and happiness didn't exist.

Brad2770_sl said:

Pete hates the gays. It has been established in the show. He puts Pete on tilt with one of the things he knows will get at him. Bob is lying about being gay.

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Hw would Bob know that? He never talked to pete about homosexuality until he was making his move. You're overthinking i so hard right now. Probably about as hard as Bob is for Pete. Bob is gay as fuck. He LOVES the cock.

the real question is, is bob a power top or a power bottom? His legs don't look like they can generate enough thrust.

I think Bob may prefer to be the lemony center in an off brand Oreo cookie.

And if you're gonna go in for making the gay sex why wouldn't you want to be in the middle? Seems to me like the middle would be the primo real estate.

That'd be like having two chicks but making one of them sit on the couch and watch until you're ready for a switch.

To be honest, I'm not entirely convinced Bob is actually gay either. It was shown repeatedly all season that Bob's primary focus is advancing his career and that he'll do anything to accomplish that. Not that I don't think he would've played catch if Pete accepted his offer, but were his motivations truly a desire for Pete or was he just whoring himself out because he thought it would get him ahead? Perhaps a little of both? Bob Benson is a con artist and manipulator, and I think there's some part of him who is still trying to figure out who this Bob Benson fiction he has created actually is. I also think there's some element of that in his relationship with Joan as well. Is he truly interested in her or does he just see it as advantageous to get close to her?

According to Matthew Weiner:

Weiner: But I?m not even sure if Bob is gay -- he might be one of these polyamorous people who is fixated on Pete. That?s what I like about him.

THR: That is exactly what I wondered. Is Bob actually gay? But I put a darker spin on it. I saw him potentially as a type of grifter who preys upon people and does what it takes to seduce and betray or seduce and conquer them.

Weiner: There is that. That is definitely true that he has a lot of that. There?s also the other quality that people who are like that have. They are convincing because they really do believe it, and that?s why it?s so dangerous sometimes to spur them, because then they -- the rejection can also be something that is insurmountable. So is he so Machiavellian that he can just turn it off and on and he?s faking all of it? It?s pretty convincing when he tells Pete that he lives and dies for Pete?s happiness. I think you?re talking to someone who is not faking it. And he certainly doesn?t want to be called a degenerate.

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Dabamf_sl said:

Um, Bob told Pete he was gay. There is no speculation. He is gay. To say he pretends to be gay to fuck with Pete is ninth level stupid

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There is so many people conveniently lying in this show, you can't really assume one is gay because he stated it. For all it's worth, we don't really know Benson's intentions right now. He stated he does know the aid DREAMER doesn't like women and he made a move on Campbell, but we don't really know his agenda.

EDIT: it's interesting to notice Benson never made a move on Cosgrove. Why ? Cosgrove is (when Benson is mysteriously hired) balls deep into Detroit contract, while Campbell is the underdog in the agency. He has family issues, business issues (no spoilers but Vicks LEL) and having hard times getting any new contract while being a partner. Bensonseemsto be concerned about Draper (who wouldn't ?) yet he doesn't make any move on him. He's going into Joan's friendzone while taking care of Campbell issues. We have to take Weiner's style into consideration : he acquired his style on The Sopranos' fifth season over Chases supervision, therefore he has a thing about characters appearing out of nowhere, deserving the show / other characters as a whole. Maybe Benson is just another Draper, inventing his way into Society's sucess ladder, or maybe he has a secret agenda. Maybe he's just a supporting character, or maybe he has a prime role in the last Mad Men's season. Who knows ?

Considering next season is the last season, Don has to go down. I think Benson will be it.