Jon Hamm's Angry Response To Hazing Past Revealed — As Hollywood Star Finally Breaks Silence On Shocking Abuse Claims
Jon Hamm has reacted angrily to fresh grilling about hazing past which has threatened to end his career.
April 24 2025, Published 11:19 a.m. ET
Mad Men star Jon Hamm has broken his silence on his hazing past with an angry outburst.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Hollywood actor, 54, has spent decades trying to move on from the saga, which threatened to destroy his career.
The Mad Men star was accused of allegedly 'torchuring' a fellow student while at Texas University.
During his days at the University of Texas in Austin, he allegedly "tortured" Mark Sanders in a humiliating style, which resulted in his fellow student dropping out of school.
Hamm has never apologized publicly and insisted previously Sanders' claims were "sensationalized" and not entirely "accurate."
But after details of the incident reemerged this week, sparking renewed calls for him to face public scrutiny, Hamm was once again asked about it by a reporter, and his response was brutal to say the least.
Hamm, here with wife Anna Osceola, has spent decades trying to move on from his hazing past.
He said: "I think you should call my rep, who are you? This is inappropriate, it's a very odd choice for you to call me.
"They are claims that have been around for years. No, I don't want to respond!
"I'm a little bit offended that you called my personal line, that's why we have representatives."
Sanders, who is now a successful lawyer, has never spoken about his trauma outside of giving an agonizing interview to prosecutors during the criminal case at the time about how he was beaten with a paddle, dragged around a room by his genitals, and had his pants set on fire during the hazing ordeal.
He was left with a fractured spine and nearly lost a kidney due to the damage he sustained.
He said of Hamm: "He hits me right over my right kidney.
"I mean, square over it. Good, solid hit. And that stood me up.
"I'm hurting bad. I mean, being hit right where the kidney is, it's killing me."
Hamm allegedly violently yanked victim's underwear up and began moving it back and forth in a 'sawing' motion.
Sanders described being forced into a dirty, confined area known as "the pit" and ordered to do press ups, despite his agony.
He alleged Hamm and another frat member then violently yanked his underwear up and began moving it back and forth in a painful "sawing" motion.
Sanders continued: "I was hurting really bad and I remember I was looking up at the ceiling, and I was gritting my teeth and squinting my eyes ... it was sawing and it was hurting."
He claimed that Hamm then took out a lighter and torched the belt loop on his jeans.
"My head is down," Sanders said, "I mean, my chin is in the chest at this point, I see him light the lighter and put it to my pants.
"I was kind of panicking, because I was wearing a cotton t-shirt. I actually tried to put it out with my hands, and Jon Hamm wouldn't let me. He made me blow it out with my mouth."
Hamm says accusations have been 'sensationalized' and he was 'essentially acquitted' in criminal case..
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Sanders also described how Hamm allegedly took out a claw hammer and hooked it under his genitals before dragging him around a room.
Hamm was arrested for alleged assault in 1993, but the charge was dismissed.
He completed a period of probation.
Hamm, who married second wife Anna Osceola, 37, in 2023, was quizzed about the hazing in a 2018 magazine interview, and he reluctantly answered, saying: "I wouldn't say it's accurate.
"Everything about that is sensationalized. I was accused of these things I don't... It's so hard to get into it.
"I don't want to give it any more breath. It was a bummer of a thing that happened. I was essentially acquitted.
"I wasn’t convicted of anything. I was caught up in a big situation, a stupid kid in a stupid situation, and it's a f--king bummer. I moved on from it."
