52 of the Most Hilarious Jon Hamm Moments on His 52nd Birthday
While Jon Hamm will always be synonymous with Don Draper, when he’s not playing iconically tortured ad men, he’s almost always in the pursuit of laughs. In fact, there’s not a seminal, beloved piece of comedy over the last couple of decades he hasn’t appeared in — from Archer and Big Mouth, to The Simpsons and Saturday Night Live, to Barry and Bridesmaids. And frankly, that’s just scratching the surface. Hamm is consistently reaching new comedic heights, too, with the recent Confess, Fletch serving as the latest high-water mark.
This is worth celebrating every day, but given that Friday was Hamm’s 52nd birthday, it’s a particularly good time to highlight 52 of the most hilarious moments from his career (oh the symmetry!). Such as…
His ‘Mission Impossible’ Mask on ‘Childrens Hospital’
One of the strangest character reveals ever, but pretty par for the course for Childrens Hospital.
Getting Sneezed on During ‘Between Two Ferns’
Come for the “joke” about his relationship with the actresses on Mad Men, stay for Zach Galifianakis sneezing in Hamm’s crotch.
‘Shy Ronnie 2: Ronnie & Clyde’
While Hamm is not a major player in this SNL short, it does end with him tagging along with Rihanna.
‘SpongeBob SquarePants’
As ad exec Don Grouper, this is just one of many ways Hamm lampooned his star-making role on Mad Men over the years.
‘Keeping Up With the Joneses’
Hamm plays the straight man again to Galifianakis in this “my next-door neighbor is a spy” action comedy. It could have used some ferns, but enjoyable.
‘Jon Hamm’s John Ham’
With a name like Jon Hamm, this SNL sketch pretty much wrote itself.
‘Can I Take a Shit in Your House?’
Needing to use the restroom in a daydream cameo on Barry.
Getting Cult-y on ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’
Hamm had a recurring role as Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne, the leader of the cult that kept Kimmy in an underground bunker for 15 years. This scene shows why you never put him on the stand.
‘M.O.D.O.K.’
Watching The Great British Bake Off in his helmet as Tony Stark/Iron Man in Marvel's short-lived animated sitcom.
While not intentionally funny, Hamm’s appearance on the 1996 dating show The Big Date is “fabulously” cringey today.
The Voice of Reason on ‘I Love You, America’
The best thing to happen to Lincoln in a theater.
‘The Ambiguously Gay Duo’
It’s even more awkward as live-action.
'Travel Man'
Hamm’s quite lively touring Hong Kong with Richard Ayoade.‘Shrek Forever After’
As the voice of Brogan, Hamm is the assistant leader of the Ogre resistance and shows Shrek something he didn’t know he could do.
His ‘30 Rock’ Character Arc, Part 1
Hamm first appeared on 30 Rock as Liz’s neighbor Dr. Drew Baird. Liz makes up a new persona in order to impress him, but their first date ends in disaster.
His ‘30 Rock’ Character Arc, Part Part 2
As Liz and Drew’s relationship progresses, Liz starts to realize that Drew isn’t really that bright and that he’s been getting by on his good looks this whole time. The writers only made Drew more and more incompetent from there. At one point, he has pirate hooks for hands because he lost one hand waving while exiting a helicopter and the other from a fireworks accident.
‘Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp’
As The Falcon, he receives instructions from Ronald Reagan in a way that seems entirely Ronald Reagan plausible.
‘7 Minutes in Heaven’
Another sharp clowning of Don Draper.
‘The Simpsons’
No voiceover career would be complete without guest starring on The Simpsons. In his Simpsons guest spot, Hamm fabulously assigns Homer the undercover name Nicky “Blue Pants” Altosaxophony.
‘Campaign Ads’ from ‘SNL’
“One thing I know is that to get these things done, you’re going to need a Finger in Butts.”
‘Gilmore Girls’
Playing up the dreamy Jon Hamm thing hard.
The Made-for-HBO Comedy ‘Clear History’
Featuring Larry David in a wig getting his energy redirected back at him by Hamm.
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’
And here Hamm becomes Larry David.
‘American Dad’
Jon Hamm doesn’t need you getting involved in domestic disputes.
Stage-Climbing to Emmy Gold
Stairs are for losers.
‘Billy on the Street’
Hamm holds his own asking people if they’d help him hold Billy Eichner.
‘‘Back to the Future’ Auditions’
Hamm does a pretty darn good Robin Williams impression in this SNL sketch.
‘Toast of London’
On this episode of the British sitcom, Steven Toast (Matt Berry) suffers a head injury that causes him to become obsessed with Jon Hamm.
Receiving ‘Mad Men’ Tips from Peter Griffin
The way to improve Mad Men is clearly lightsabers and Ace Frehley.
Taking Himself Out with a Chair in ‘Tag’
He can do physical comedy, too.
Getting Dipped By Daniel Radcliffe and Shooting His Younger Self in the Foot in ‘A Young Doctor’s Notebook’
The premise of this pitch-black period comedy is that Hamm plays a Russian doctor who interacts with his younger self (Radcliffe) as a new doctor during the Russian Revolution. It’s very fun — and very nuts.
Playing a Talking Toilet on ‘Bob’s Burgers’
“Please sit to create profile.”
Getting Small as the Leprechaun Lad in Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘The Terrific Ten’
Hamm does his part in an all-star cast in the J.J. Abrams-directed fake trailer for the movie based on a comic book that Kimmel came up with when he was eight.
‘Don Draper’s Guide to Picking Up Women’ from SNL
A sample piece of advice: “Disappear for weeks at a time.”
Hustling Geriatric Women on ‘Web Therapy’
The premise of Showtime’s series about a therapist seeing her patients over the internet turned out to be ahead of its time.
‘7 Days in Hell’
Hamm served as the narrator for this tennis mockumentary. In the scene below, Andy Samberg does cocaine every way possible — all while playing tennis.
‘Tour de Pharmacy’
The same people behind 7 Days in Hell also spoofed the cycling world’s doping scandal, with Hamm once again serving as the narrator. Just look at John Cena go!
‘Prepare for Torture, Which I Do’
In Minions, he voices Herb Overkill, main baddie Scarlet Overkill’s husband/weapons designer, who the Minions get to lighten up.
‘Confess, Fletch’
“Can you just tell homicide? It’s 5 Union Park. They’ll be interested. They like murders.”
On His On-Set Injuries on ‘Mad Men’
“The first season a piece of the set fell on my head.”
‘Jon Hamm and Jack McBrayer Leak All Their Secrets (Before the Government Can Sell Them)’
McBrayer: “I’m a mannequin that came to life but 10 years ago.”
Hamm: And I animated him.
‘Hamm & Bublé Restaurant’ from ‘SNL’
Hamm and crooner Michael Bublé open a restaurant together: “If you’re looking for a romantic night out at a restaurant that specializes in pork dishes and fine champagne…”
As Ed on ‘Parks and Recreation’
Leslie Knope: “Clean out your desk, you’re fired.”
Ed: “I understand, thank you for the literally hundreds of opportunities you’ve given me.”
‘Metalocalypse’
The voice behind the Sultan.
‘Good Omens’
As co-showrunner Neil Gaiman told Variety, “Good Omens just would not be the same without the astonishing Jon Hamm as Gabriel, everyone’s worst boss.”
‘Big Mouth’
When a script calls for scallops to talk seductively, there’s only one man to call: Jon Hamm.
‘Bridesmaids’
Playing Kristen Wiig’s self-absorbed fuck buddy Ted, Hamm helped create one of the goofiest sex scenes in film history.
Providing ‘Unqualified Advice’ from the Backstage of ‘The Tonight Show’
Finally, a real comedy pro on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
‘The Curse’ from ‘SNL’
‘The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret’
He’s *almost* as good at mocking himself as he is mocking Don Draper.
‘Archer’
Easily one of the best guest voices in the history of the show.
‘Mad Men’
While Mad Men was largely a dramatic show, there were some brilliant comedic moments like this one where Don Draper takes speed and gives our favorite motivational speech ever.
