Jon Hamm’s 90s Dating Show Stint Features Actor With Tragic Hair [Video]

Mad Men’s Jon Hamm wasn’t always smooth or wearing million dollar suits. It’s hard to imagine, but back in the 90s Hamm was still patrolling for an acting job and women, apparently. Anyone that remembers the 90s might remember the often wacky experiments networks took on to find what works for reality television. For many this was the golden era where everything was thrown at the wall to see what worked and what failed to impress.

This green thinking lead to some surprisingly brilliant material like the first five seasons of The Real World. Fortunately for our entertainment it also resulted in a myriad of dating shows like, MTV’s Singled Out, Blind Date, and The Big Date.

Today the internet has been blessed with Jon Hamm’s appearance on The Big Date. In an episode from 1996, a then single 25-year-old Jon Hamm is one of the unlucky in love bachelors vying for the attention of a contestant named Mary. Hamm, with his 1000 watt smile, tragic half ponytailed hair, and an ill-fitted shirt sat along two other bachelors as he made the most of his appearance on The Big Date.

Seeing as Hamm had his work cut out for him with the other two bachelors, Jon whipped out a charming smile and questionable play on words to capture Mary’s heart. (Note: one of the bachelors rocked a mean bleached out hairdo which was all the rage back then.)

In order to win over Mary, Jon Hamm had to detail the perfect date, and his description is nothing short of priceless. With a playful smile, Hamm said:

“Start off with some fabulous food, a little fabulous conversation, end it with a fabulous foot massage for an evening of total fabulosity.”

Unfortunately contestant Mary made the biggest mistake of her life and decided to pick someone else over Jon Hamm. Bummer.

Jon Hamm isn’t the only one to go on to greater things. Host of The Big Date Mark L. Wahlberg now hosts the Antiques Roadshow, which seems like a vast improvement.

Fortunately for Hamm he found his calling as an actor and not a reality star. Before he scored roles in Mad Men, and 30 Rock, he taught drama at his alma mater in St. Louis, Missouri.

Two years after his stint on The Big Date Jon met his longtime partner, actress and writer Jennifer Westfeldt. The two have been together since 1998, and live in Los Angeles.

Check out this very 90s Jon Hamm in the clip below: