I didn’t get my due in ‘Mad Men’: Ben Feldman

New Delhi, Jun 27 (PTI) His character of an overconfident copywriter on “Mad Men” brought him international fame but actor Ben Feldman believes he could not display his talent to the fullest on the popular show. The 37-year-old actor, who played Michael Ginsberg in the series, says the Matthew Weiner-created show had too many story arcs for him to stand out. “It was the greatest thing that happened to me and I was lucky to play such a cool character. I felt I was doing important acting. I didn’t get my due a lot. I was there for sometime. It was a giant cast with many stories to tell,” Feldman told PTI over the phone from Los Angeles. The actor currently stars in a comedy TV series “Superstore”, which airs in India on Comedy Central. Feldman says the show has given him an opportunity to explore other sides of his personality as an artiste. “‘Superstore’ is more intimate. It’s just the six-seven of us. I get to explore myself as an actor a lot more. The show is funny. For me, going to work with these people 12 hours a day is the greatest job on the planet.” Talking about his character Jonah Simms, the actor says he is one of the new employees in the big-box utility store and the viewers are introduced to the world they work in through him. “He is smart and stupid at the same time, which I think is me in real life. He gets his foot stuck in his mouth, but has a good heart,” he says. Feldman says one always knows a person who has worked in a superstore. He himself waited tables in his struggling days, like other artistes. “I worked as a waiter. I feel almost every actor has done that at some point. I was happy doing it because they had flexible hours. In a weird way, you get to perform for a live audience… Saying the same script over and over again. When I used to read out the menu and specials to the guests, I’d feel I was giving a performance. I miss it sometimes.” The actor says the romance between his character and America Ferrera’s is very “high school” like. “It kind of reminds me of high school. When you are a young student, there’s a mutual crush and admiration between you. But, here, Amy’s married and that’s a big obstacle. So, it’s more like a work flirt. “Where you flirt with a co-worker and one thing that you do to handle a situation like that is be mean to them. How Amy’s character deals with Jonah. But, mostly it’s teasing and awkward situations,” he says. PTI