After playing a lawyer representing American counterculture hero and beat poet Allen Ginsberg in the new biopic "Howl," Jon Hamm has realized that in today's world, there aren't many people pushing the boundaries with their artistic voices.

The "Mad Men" star told MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival that today's pop-culture heroes only make big moves in order to garner press, not because they actually have something to say.

"We do have a lot of people, at least in our entertainment culture, who exist to push those boundaries," he said. "I think the difference nowadays is some people do that more for press or more for the value of getting your name out there or making a splash, rather than the kind of artistic approach."

Hamm did note that, much like Ginsberg — who was arrested for the content of his genre-busting, sexually provocative epic poem "Howl" — there are a few artists who are willing to take genuine risks for their art.

"If you look at Kanye [West] or if you look at Lady Gaga or if you look at people that are just doing this stuff — they're pushing it!" Hamm said. "I watched Lady Gaga's performance on 'Saturday Night Live,' when she was wearing this crazy thing with the swirling, she looked like the planets or something. I was like, 'Right on!' She had to awkwardly sit down at the piano, and then played awesomely."

"Howl," which stars James Franco as Ginsberg, premiered at Sundance on Friday.

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Check out everything we've got on "Howl."

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