Gay Character Dropped from Mad Men

Salvatore Romano, the gay character on Mad Men played by Bryan Batt, was fired for being open about his sexual orientation at the end of last season, and now it appears that he won't be returning to the series on AMC.

According to TV Guide, Batt, who is gay, says that he has not been called yet to shooting for season 4, which is set to begin in March.

Series creator Matthew Weiner tried to explain the decision to TV Guide.

"We don't murder people on our show, but for there to be any stakes, there have to be consequences," said Weiner. He called the loss "a tough moment for the show, but that's where we are. I know how people felt about Bryan. I obviously love working with him, and he has been an indelible character since the pilot. But I felt it was an expression of the times that he couldn't work there anymore. It's the ultimate case of sexual harassment."