06/21/2007
Isaiah Washington Says T.R. Knight Should Have Been Fired
The Grey's Anatomy Isaiah Washington saga is not over yet.
In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Washington, whose contract with Grey's Anatomy was not renewed after an eight month brouhaha over his use of the word "faggot", accuses T.R. Knight of lying when he told Ellen Degeneres in January that "Washington used the slur against him and that 'everyone (on the set) heard it.'"
Says Washington: "That's a lie. I used the word during a disagreement with Patrick. I apologized for that. We shook hands and went back to work."
According to the paper, "Washington said Knight, who plays Dr. George O'Malley, stirred up the notion that the slur was targeted at him and created a negative work environment. Washington also alleged that Knight likely wanted a salary increase and a more substantive role for his character."
Washington, who said he may file a lawsuit, suggests that Knight should have been fired instead of him: "They fired the wrong guy. I have to clear my name. I'll start from the beginning. I'm telling everything. So here's the truth....My livelihood, my honor and dignity and my name have been so challenged...I was not fired for making homophobic slurs. I did everything I said I would do. I offered to go to counseling, to do a public service announcement. I wanted everyone to know I was remorseful."
The actor characterized his feelings as disappointment, not anger, and said there were three mistakes he made: "believing the cast of Grey's Anatomy were like family; believing I had the freedom to express myself with family and that we could resolve our issues; and trusting ABC was going to take care of me."
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Washington also recently compared his tribulations to those of Malcolm X: "Maybe for 50 years and the history of media and television I represent something that's supposed to not exist. This happened to Malcolm X, this happened to Paul Robeson -- this misconception can happen to any man of power that loves himself and wants to spread that love and that humanity throughout the world."
Grey's star says they fired the wrong guy [houston chronicle]
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 8:05 AM EST by Andy in Gay Slurs, Isaiah Washington, News, T.R. Knight, Television | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Yes, he certainly does love himself...but believing he has "power"?? Yes, ABC sure proved how much power he's got. Let's blame the victim here...that'll make it better! What an asshole!
Posted by: Wayne | Jun 21, 2007 8:23:25 AM
The man just doesn't know when to shut the hell up.
With this latest pronouncement I'm no longer willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He lists three mistakes that HE made but the fact that he used the word "faggot" wasn't one of them? Instead he plays the martyr by saying that one of HIS mistakes was believing that he could EXPRESS himself among family? Is he frickin serious with this crap? So it comes down to, "what's the world come to when you can't use the word 'faggot' among 'family'?".
The more this jerk runs his mouth the more he makes Jasmyn Cannick look like a fool for trying to get him his job back by claiming that the firing was racially motivated.
Posted by: Zeke | Jun 21, 2007 8:27:08 AM
Exactly what I was going to say, ZEKE.
What a scumbag.
At least we can move on from this knowing that he's a true bigot, and not some martyr for free speech.
Posted by: spazmo | Jun 21, 2007 8:36:27 AM
Was the firing racially motivated? No. Should he have said faggot? No. And can he compare himself to Malcom X? Hell no. But, I always thought there was more to this story and never thought Washington called T.R. Knight a faggot. The initial story was that the word was used in an altercation between Washington and Dempsey. I just wish Washington had actually just fessed up about what actually happened in the beginning.
Posted by: Brandon | Jun 21, 2007 8:46:18 AM
What a sorry sack of shit! He's too stupid to even understand what T.R. said - the slur was used against him (Isiah was talking about T.R. when he said it) and everyone involved admitted that the whole set heard him say it.
Ooh, and don't even get me started on that Jasmyne Cannick bitch!
Posted by: shane | Jun 21, 2007 8:48:48 AM
I totally believe that Isaih was in the wrong. And I would've raised hell if someone like Don Imus gets fired but Washington does not; slurs are slurs. However, I do understand his anger (but not for his dumb reason listed up there). I think he was under the impression that if he did all this stuff, then they wouldn't fire him. Say I'm sorry, do a PSA, apologize profusely some more, and keep your mouth shut from here on out. I understand his anger at being fired because I think he was caught off gaurd.
Now, as for this article, it's dumb. Washington should never have said the word in the first place. I understand his anger at being caught off guard but I also understand why they fired him. We're at a time now where saying "faggot" won't be tolerated. Just like it's not okay to call a team nappy headed hoes. It's not okay for hate speech/language to be used. And as far as I'm concerned, while it sucks he got fired off guard, he got what he deserved.
Posted by: ALLY | Jun 21, 2007 9:06:54 AM
You've got to be kidding.
Comparing himself to Paul Robeson and Malcom X? What an ego!!
Posted by: Jonathon | Jun 21, 2007 9:07:34 AM
What total utter bullshit.
Posted by: Rob (lrdarystar) | Jun 21, 2007 9:15:50 AM
This is happening **to me**, sweetie, **to me!**
Squish squish, sweetie, squish squish.
Alexis and Crystal they are not.
Posted by: Princess Superstar | Jun 21, 2007 9:17:01 AM
And everyone, let's not forget that Washington was not fired; ABC opted to not renew his contract, which is a very different thing altogether than being fired.
Washington - what a tool.
Posted by: seeldee | Jun 21, 2007 9:19:09 AM
Only in the Bizzaro World of Hollywood will you get run through the wringer of Anger Management Rehab, doing PSAs and then get fired. In the real world you get fired on the spot for being an asshole.
Posted by: steven | Jun 21, 2007 9:19:16 AM
First of all, T.R. knight did not instigate any of this, I.W. did. I.W. was the one who instigated the altercation between himself and Patrick Dempsey, I.W. was the one who said the F-word and he did use it against T.R. Knight in October of last year. I.W. said to the best of my recollection "I'm not your F---ing F---ot like T.R. knight" (my apologies to anyone reading this, I don't like typing those two f words out so I used dashes), so when I.W. said he never used that word against T.R. Knight is a bold faced lie.
Also, the fact that I.W. has the nerve to suggest that T.R. should have been fired instead of him is ludicrous beyond words. T.R. did not instigate this, I.W. did, and while I was not crazy about how ABC handled the whole situation, I.W. brought this on to himself. The correct person was fired.
Beyond that I am not going to get into any hurtful name calling, but I am truly tired of hearing I.W. spouting off his big mouth saying all of these hurtful things against all of the wrong people.
Posted by: matthew | Jun 21, 2007 9:19:48 AM
I think Katherine Heigl said it best: "“He needs to just not speak in public.”
Posted by: Brian | Jun 21, 2007 9:21:09 AM
Ah T.R. -- Malcolm X you are NOT!
Posted by: Mervin Malone Jr. | Jun 21, 2007 9:22:26 AM
For real. Malcolm X was totally doable.
Posted by: Princess Superstar | Jun 21, 2007 9:24:58 AM
It is time to permanently terminate publication of any communication from this self absorbed worthless dog. Anything this idiot has to say is not worth our time or consideration. This guy in unemployable. Given his personality, he will probably continue to live the celeb lifestyle thinking employment is just around the corner until his money runs out. The question is, will anyone give him the opportunity to say paper for plastic?
Posted by: Johnny Lane | Jun 21, 2007 9:37:59 AM
Paul Robeson? Malcolm X? How about OJ Simpson? No, "faggot" does not equal murder, but I mean in the wrong-headed sense that he is a racial martyr when he is not. Everyone knows that the initial comment came in direct reference to TR Knight. Did he say TO TR Knight that he was a faggot? No. But he said it about him. If you call a co-worker a slur in any normal company, you get fired or you would if people outside the situation realized you'd done it and had not yet been fired. Cannick's outlandish support of him (which seems to boil down to the fact that he's been nice to her, so that means he's a good person, and/or he's black, and the white gay establishment is just as racist as the white establishment). Anyone who can not observe this situation and see Washington as a deeply troubled, angry person with personality issues is blinded by the color of his skin or by his arguable talent. He's a dangerous phony I wouldn't want to work around either.
Posted by: Matthew Rettenmund | Jun 21, 2007 9:51:30 AM
"...any man of power that loves himself and wants to spread that love and that humanity throughout the world."
Sociopathic much?
Posted by: mark m | Jun 21, 2007 10:11:17 AM
Give the man another NAACP IMAGE award Quick before he impales himself or goes on a gay bashing spree and GLAAD will once again have to step in and clean up his MESS.
Posted by: MCnNYC | Jun 21, 2007 10:46:29 AM
Let me get this 'straight': he states that he was "believing the cast of Grey's Anatomy were like family; believing I had the freedom to express myself with family and that we could resolve our issues; and trusting ABC was going to take care of me."
So let's say I'm hanging with the Grey's Anatomy cast, and since we're 'family' I can just let the "N" word fly from my mouth all over the place. How would that fly?
Posted by: Gary | Jun 21, 2007 10:55:24 AM
Let me get this 'straight': he states that he was "believing the cast of Grey's Anatomy were like family; believing I had the freedom to express myself with family and that we could resolve our issues; and trusting ABC was going to take care of me."
So let's say I'm hanging with the Grey's Anatomy cast, and since we're 'family' I can just let the "N" word fly from my mouth all over the place. How would that fly?
Posted by: Gary | Jun 21, 2007 10:55:25 AM
What an ego! He actually compared himself to Malcolm X and Paul Robson? What a pathetic whiner.
Posted by: sam | Jun 21, 2007 10:57:18 AM
capital letters are upsetting.
Posted by: goldend | Jun 21, 2007 10:58:36 AM
I realize that he is as hated as say a Jerry Falwell as his words have made life 100 times worse for gays in the world and he is such a well known figure, but, he still has his rights, and if he wants to put out his "version" of the truth, let him, and, he should be able to sue, and will most likly win.
This whole thing is much ado about nothing, and the rage at this nobody actor is beyond sad, as is this sainthood of T.R. And, sorry, his words were WRONG, but this silly hatred about him makes no sense.
Posted by: mark | Jun 21, 2007 10:59:57 AM
"trusting ABC was going to take care of me"
Hah! That's freakin' hilarious! What a douche! That guy deserves everything he got.
Posted by: stevo | Jun 21, 2007 11:03:44 AM