Mad Men Quotes

Context

This line is spoken by Joan Holloway, played by Christina Hendricks, in the TV show Mad Men (2007-2015).

The 50's was a weird time to work. People did all sorts of things in their offices that no one does today. They smoked, they drank, and they rode lawnmowers.

In the third season of Mad Men, a young executive named Guy MacKendrick was poised to replace Mr. Pryce at the ad agency, until he was cut off at the knees… literally.

When MacKendrick wins an account with John Deere and a riding lawnmower is brought to the agency, somehow no one sees an issue with letting Lois, the secretary, take the lawnmower for a spin inside the office. But women! They're such terrible drivers, aren't they? Well apparently this one is, because Lois careens through the office, tearing up furniture, breaking glass, and cutting off Guy's foot in the process, spraying employees with blood.

Joan Holloway, the office manager, sums it up with her trademark wit: "But that's life. One minute, you're on top of the world. The next minute, some secretary is running you over with a lawnmower."

Where you've heard it

You hear this when you're just about to have a big accomplishment—graduating high school, getting a new job—but you lose it because you didn't ask the secretary if she could drive before putting her behind the wheel of a lawnmower.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

This quote is a great way to diffuse a tense situation, but make sure you don't use it around anyone who has recently been in a freak lawnmower accident. It could still be a sore subject. (Literally.)