In West Texas, oil is king, and the courtiers tend to be very colorful characters. In Landman, a new Paramount+ series co-created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, the billionaire barons, the speculators (known as “landmen”), and the rough-and-tumble workers all get their close-ups. Jon Hamm’s character, Monty Miller, plays one of the region’s titans. Here, the actor shares his key components to the good life. —Ashley Baker
Airline: There are no perfect airlines, but I hear some are less imperfect than others.
Airport: There is no perfect airport—by design, they are meant to confound. I will say, however, the recent glow-up on LaGuardia is impressive!
Alibi: “It wasn’t illegal, because I was president at the time.” Sadly.
Birthday: Aboveground.
Boyfriend/girlfriend: The first one, right? Then you quickly realize that you are wrong.
Car: Mercedes-Benz. And I’m not just saying that.
Child: One’s own, I’m assuming, because everyone else’s are monsters.
Cocktail: I’m a fan of the Paloma these days.
Cocktail appetizer: Pig. Blanket. Insert.
Couple: An astoundingly watchable show on Netflix.
Disguise:
Hiding in plain sight is remarkably effective.
Drive: Highway 101/CA-1 from Santa Barbara to Big Sur is about as amazing as it gets.
Enemy: Well, I’m told that Man is the Most Dangerous Game, so I’d assume that the perfect enemy is … oneself?
Escape: Running for president, winning, and then pardoning yourself!
Family: The one you make.
Flaw: By definition, if it’s perfect then it isn’t a flaw—it’s a feature, not a bug!
Foil: I guess the Leon Paul Sub Zero with pistol grip?
Hideaway: Big Sur.
Hotel: Passalacqua, on Lake Como.
Insult: “I don’t think about you at all.”
Jacket: I have this French-blue chore coat from Paynter I can’t stop wearing. Good weight, good color, and good pockets.
Last Meal: Fried chicken. Every meal.
Match: Can’t miss with an Ohio Blue Tip, but if you want something fancy, go with something Swedish like a Three Stars …
Movie: I think Tootsie is about as perfect a movie as you can get.
Neighbor: Friendly, helpful, and silent.
Novel: A Prayer for Owen Meany, or really anything by John Irving.
Pants: I have had four or five pairs of Imogene + Willie jeans that I have worn out, worn through, or sized out of. I love ’em.
Pens and pencils: Blackwing makes beautiful pencils, and I like a Pilot pen.
Pet: Murphy. He’s the best boy in the whole world.
Piece of advice: “This too shall pass.”
Podcast: Right now, I’m having a hard time waiting for new episodes of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast to drop.
President: Jed Bartlet.
Restaurant: Little Dom’s, in Los Angeles.
Shoes: I have a pair of Rag & Bone boots that I am on the second soles of. They’re amazing.
Singer: Super-subjective, but, boy, Brandi Carlile comes pretty close.
Street: Sesame.
Storm: Good movie, better book.
Television series: Ahem, I was in it.
Time of day: Magic hour in Los Angeles is pretty damn close to perfect.
Toast: “Here’s to us! Who’s like us? Damn few.”
Vacation: National Lampoon’s.
Work of art: Ideally, it’d be your life, right? I mean, I’m aiming for perfect. If I hit “pretty good,” I’ll be all right.
Jon’s Essentials
