The 'I Feel Bad For You / I Don't Think About You At All' meme originates from a dialogue exchange in the TV drama Mad Men, featuring characters Don Draper (played by Jon Hamm) and Michael Ginsberg (played by Ben Feldman). This particular exchange involves a confrontational moment where Ginsberg expresses sympathy for Draper, to which Draper chillingly responds with indifference. The scene captures Draper delivering the line with a dismissive attitude while in an elevator, showcasing his typical aloof and commanding presence. This particular moment has since been widely used in various object-labeling memes, exploitable images, fan art, and parodies, where the text is adapted to different contexts or overlaid onto different images for humorous or poignant effect.
The original scene is from 'Dark Shadows,' the ninth episode of the fifth season of Mad Men, which first aired on May 13, 2012. During this scene, which occurs in an elevator, Michael Ginsberg confronts Don Draper about preferring his own advertising idea over Ginsberg's. In response to Ginsberg's comment 'I feel bad for you,' Draper coldly replies, 'I don't think about you at all,' and exits the elevator, leaving a significant impact on viewers. The clip featuring this exchange was later uploaded to YouTube by Mari natin on August 17, 2012, where it gained significant attention, becoming a foundational element for the widespread meme format it sparked. You can view the original scene on YouTube.[1]
Origin: 2012