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"Mad Men" shows Salvatore a gay old time!
I watch a lot of television and Mad Men is by far one of the best shows on for many reasons. Whether you find Jon Hamm's mysterious yet sultry Don Draper appealing or whether you're a fan of the gender politics of the time, a huge shout out is in order to AMC for airing such a show and to Matthew Wiener for creating such a twisted masterpiece. One of the more subtle and sometimes easy-to-overlook characters is the closeted Art Director of Sterling Cooper, Salvatore Romano, played by out actor Bryan Batt.
Elliot Lawrence (Paul Keeley) Last season we caught a glimpse of just how repressed dear old Sal can be when he met up with Belle Jolie head honcho Elliot Lawrence. Ever since that touch and Elliot's advances we've been waiting for more insight into just where Sal stands in his own sexual skin. I'm torn as to whether or not Sal knows 100% that he's gay; he's the best actor in the room if he does. Not only can he yuk it up with the boys and put a gal down, he's gone as far as to take a wife this season! That's right, Sal has a beard, which kills me because I'm a huge fan of Sarah Drew who plays his betrothed, Kitty Romano. Is this the biggest cover up on the show? If so, Don Draper could take a cue from our quiet queer.
Sal and his Beard (Sarah Drew) This season has featured Sal on a weekly basis as one of the usual entourage but last night was the first time he had more than 3 or 4 lines followed by a sly smirk to play with. A couple weeks back (Ep. 2.03 "The Benefactor") Elliot made a reappearance but the two barely had a moment or two to chat. Elliot asked how Sal was doing and he coldly replied. A tense scene that spoke volumes yet there has been no follow up or focus on Sal's personal life since ... until now. Kitty finally got the screen time she deserved (and Sarah Drew did not disappoint - heartbreaking and breathtaking) when Sal invited Ken Cosgrove over for dinner to critique his latest short story (and to bat his eyelashes like a love sick puppy). Poor Ken, poor Kitty and poor Sal.
Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton) Sal spends the entire evening buttering and liquoring up naive Ken while Kitty watches her husband's face glow and his breath linger on every word coming out of Ken's mouth. Hell he even pockets Ken's lighter as some sort of schoolboy memento (please don't let Sal be a crazy stalker). When she confronts Sal for making her feel like an outsider you can see his face drop, the disappointment set in and damage control begin.
Sal knew exactly what he was doing by inviting Ken over but he obviously got caught up in the moment and let the charade fall for a minute. It's so sad the lengths to which Sal has to resort in order to hide his true identity. I'm sorry he's had to drag Kitty into the act in hopes of maintaining status quo but it's inevitable that one day he will embrace Bryan Batt is magnetic in this role and I'm grateful that Mad Men is an ensemble piece that's not afraid to go there. I hope we don't have to wait another season to see more homo-happenings and I hope that we've not seen the last of Elliot and/or Miss Kitty! What do you guys think? Are these little glimpses into Sal's life enough or would you like to see more of a focus on his closeted lifestyle? Discuss. Submitted by on Mon, 2008-09-08 08:51. |
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Just catching up with this show and its truly amazing
I was an adolescent during this period and remember it well. The show is a triumph of art direction. This is EXACTLY the way the high-end urban world looked and felt. Obviously the show takes its cue from Far Far Heaevn. But whereas Todd Haynes was doing a tribute to Sirk, this is more Vincente Minnelli (Some Came Running) and Robert Wise (Executive Suite )
Bryan Batt is PERFECT in deineating this character. But then all the characters on this show are fascinating. Everyone has secrets. Everyone has an agenda. And everyone is their own wrost enemy -- except maybe for Peggy.
Peggy is my hero
Wait a minute
Bryan Batt is gay?OK,guess I have to start watching this show then!From all the pictures he is just so adorable!
edit:Do any of you guys have more info about him?I`m dying to know more.I read somewhere that he has a boyfriend and they have been together for a very long time.Is it true?
Maybe AE can arrange an interview with him someday?PLEEEASE.T-T
He's from New Orleans
Finally -- substantial Sal!
I love everything about Mad Men -- especially Bryan Batt's exceptional work (often with little more than 3 lines and smirk-take in an episode). He's a great secondary character, and like the other secondary characters (Joan, Kinsey, Ken, and Harry) we're fortunately getting to know a bit more in this second season.
Everything about the show is so deliberate that I have high hopes that we'll see the evolution of Sal's character, a longer reappearance of Eliot, and more Ken-smitten Sal in the weeks to come.
One positive sign: The Mad Men Powers that Be actually built a three-room set for Sal and Kitty , so I'm betting we'll return to Sal's sometime in the near future...
Bryan Batt
I laugh at you....I love it.
Jimmy Barrett was fabulous in tonight's episode. I love how he called out Don (about his affair with his wife), while ending up with a smile on his face. LOVED IT.
Love me less, but love me a long time - Les Chansons D'Amour
Caught this last night
I'm glad to see I wasn't misreading the subtext with Sal. I liked Ken. I'd have invited him over too!
I only saw one episode before now. Maybe I'll have to go back and catch up with it.
Mad Men, Bad Men.
I'm sorry but I decided to watch this show and what I saw just bored the hell out of me. It is such a boring show. There is nothing remotely gay and everyone is just so bland.
If they had made this show in an alternate universe where Sal could come out and not have to hide it would be more interesting. Hiding in the closet and marrying a woman as a beard is so passe.
I understand it is the 1960s or whatever era but Sal is not a movie star who has to hide, he is a business man and in a lofty postion. He doesn't have to shout out "I'm Gay" but at least show him have discreet relationships with men. I'm sure there were alot of business men in that era who had relationships with men, we see that today where men from that era have been with one man for years and they met in the 60s.
I will probably start watching only if they pair up Sal with another man and only then if they make the show more interesting and not sleep inducing.
Shows based on a sense of reality is ok for a time being but after awhile it gets repetative and monotonous. I live in reality, I don't care to watch it on TV or the movies. I abhor movies and shows that have "based on real events" unless it has something to do with the supernatural.
Mad Men is too factual and I will only see it when AE reports on an interesting twist or situation. After all AfterElton is my source for all things gay or otherwise.
This is my 2 cents (or is it $1?). I apoligize to the people who like this show but it is not for me.
Live Long and Prosper