http://kartheiser-grl.livejournal.com/45675.html

Q&A - Vincent Kartheiser (Pete Campbell on Mad Men)

In this exclusive interview with AMCtv.com, Vincent Kartheiser
discusses his character Pete Campbell, not to mention the actors
portraying him in the "You Could Be on Mad Men Contest."

Q: Episode 2 has Pete coping with the death of his father -- and you
coping with the death of Christopher Allport, the late actor who
played him. What was that like?

A: Christopher Allport was really great. We only had one scene with
him last year, but it was a great scene. And I think the way Matthew
[Weiner] handled it in the show is amazing because he doesn't play to
that obvious reaction. The death of someone so pivotal in your life
really creates a self-analysis...I think the bigger question about
the episode is "How are we supposed to respond in certain situations?
What am I supposed to be doing now that this thing has hit?" This is
a very small and bad analogy, but I just had a flood at my house, and
I looked at my house full of mud and I was like, "What am I supposed
to do?" I knew there was something I should be doing in this
situation, and I think emotionally that's what Pete's going through.
I'm just thankful that my parents will live forever, because that's
just how it's going to happen, okay?

Q: Do you think this development makes Pete more sympathetic?

A: I think people should be able to empathize with him on a certain
level. It's hard for me to think too much about whether the viewing
audience is going to sympathize or not with Pete, because this is a
character that I've now been with for three years. I think there's a
certain amount of people who still won't like him. And I think there
are people in the world that when I hear bad things have happened to
them, I won't sympathize or empathize. Some people have it coming.

Q: What's the hardest part about playing Pete?

A: The most difficult part sometimes is that people are constantly
shunning him and locking him out of conversations. He gets humbled
several times in the first season, and I think it's a strong
character trait of his that he can take that and continue to bully
his way into the next thing. But it's such a blessing to have a
character like this. The words just jump off the page and the
characters fall in line and very rarely or ever do you see someone
going, "What am I doing this for?"

Q: Have you been paying attention to the videos of fans saying your
monologue for AMCtv.com's contest to win a role on Mad Men?

A: Yeah I have. I feel anger towards all of them that they're trying
to one-up me. [Laughs] I don't get it. Why don't you guys just go do
Jon Hamm. Come on! Who wants to be Pete Campbell anyways? I mean, I
do. But I didn't think there was any other freak out there who wanted
to be Pete.