The actress, who was once diagnosed with lung cancer and had the deadly disease again last year, is afraid that the series sets a bad example for viewers by frequently puffing away on cigarettes.
- August 24, 2010
AceShowbiz - Two-time cancer survivor Kathryn Joosten is calling for "Mad Men" bosses to air a warning about the hazards of smoking before characters light up on the hit drama. The "Desperate Housewives" star stamped out her 45-year smoking habit in 2001 after she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was told she had the deadly disease again last year and underwent surgery before being declared cancer-free in January.
The 70-year-old star admits she's worried that the characters in "Mad Men", about the advertising industry in 1960s New York, set a bad example for viewers by frequently puffing away on cigarettes. And the actress is urging producers to address the issue with an official caution.
She tells E! Online, "I think they should at least have a disclaimer at the front of the show saying smoking is relevant to the time and place with the subject matter we're dealing with and it is not recommended because it causes cancer. They should at least do that."
Joosten also wants TV executives to pay for annual chest X-rays "for any member of the cast and crew who wants one".
