Jon Hamm, famed for his role as Don Draper in AMC’s Mad Men, is once again under the spotlight after decades-old hazing allegations from his college years resurfaced this week.
The Daily Mail reignited the controversy on Tuesday, publishing a detailed exposé about Hamm’s time at the University of Texas in the early 1990s. According to the report, Hamm was a prominent member of the Sigma Nu fraternity, where he allegedly took part in brutal hazing rituals that left at least one pledge seriously injured.
The article — tied to the Daily Mail’s new podcast series investigating celebrity scandals — claims that a 1990 hazing incident resulted in one pledge suffering a fractured spine and nearly losing a kidney. Disturbing allegations describe Hamm setting the pledge’s jeans on fire by igniting a belt loop, among other abusive acts.
The most shocking accusation involves Hamm allegedly using a claw hammer to drag the pledge across the room by his genitals during the hazing ordeal.
Following the article’s publication, Daily Mail reporters reached out directly to Hamm for comment. Hamm, irritated by the personal outreach, criticized the approach.
“I’m a little bit offended that you called my personal line. That’s why we have representatives,” Hamm reportedly said, labeling the call “inappropriate” and declining to offer further comments. He acknowledged the allegations stem from decades ago and made clear he had no intention of revisiting the events.
This isn’t the first time Hamm has addressed these accusations. In a 2018 interview with Esquire, Hamm was asked about the fraternity controversy. He downplayed the severity of the reports, stating, “I wouldn’t say it’s accurate,” and dismissed the media portrayal as “sensationalized.”
“It’s so hard to get into it. I don’t want to give it any more breath,” Hamm added at the time, describing the ordeal as “a bummer of a thing that happened” and noting, “I was essentially acquitted. I wasn’t convicted of anything.”
He admitted he was “a stupid kid in a stupid situation” and emphasized that he had moved on with his life.
Esquire journalist Maximillian Potter, who conducted the interview, noted Hamm’s visible discomfort when the topic was raised. Potter reported that Hamm had initially faced assault charges tied to the hazing allegations when he was 20 years old — charges that were later dropped, resulting in no conviction.
The hazing incident had originally been reported in local Texas newspapers in the early ’90s and resurfaced nationally in 2015, including coverage by The Washington Post.
The Daily Mail’s latest coverage suggests there are now calls from some quarters for Hamm to be “canceled” over the old accusations. As of now, aside from his brief remarks to the outlet, Hamm has not issued any additional public statement.
Despite the renewed controversy, Hamm’s career remains active. He has recently starred in major productions like Top Gun: Maverick and the TV series Fargo.