Isaiah Washington Says ABC Racist, Rehab Crap
The day will come when shamed "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington will stop being entertaining and I will ignore his rants. Today is not that day. Oh, no. In his new interview, Washington calls his rehab "crap put out by ABC".
You have to hand it to this guy - he sure knows how to spark up controversy. Too bad the most dramatic moment of his acting career may actually take place off-screen.
In a new interview with "Newsweek" magazine, Isaiah claims he was fired because of racism. He also says there is no rehab for homophobia - it was just "crap" put out by the network.
"I went into an executive counseling program which many people in this industry know about and go to. They knew what the program was but chose to call it what they wanted to fit their agenda. And more importantly, I volunteered for it because I wanted to understand my fight with Patrick and how it got out of hand like that. I thought [ABC] sending me meant they actually wanted me to succeed and come out on the other end."
Washington then attacked ABC saying race played a significant role in the decision to let him go:
"Someone heard the booming voice of a black man and got really scared and that was the beginning of the end for me. It didn't help me on the set that I was a black man who wasn't a mush-mouth Negro walking around with his head in his hands all the time. … I had a person in human resources tell me after this thing played out that 'some people' were afraid of me around the studio. I asked her why, because I'm a 6'1" black man with dark skin and who doesn't go around saying 'Yessah, massa sir' and 'No sir, massa' to everyone?'"
Interestingly enough Washington acknowledges his on-set temper troubles (which, in addition to homophobic-slur-fiasco, appeared to have played a significant part in the decision to terminate his employment) with the following statement:
"I have a mind of my own and I do speak it when I feel it's right. In this business that's considered being difficult and hard to deal with."
Although Washington did not mention his last week's theory about the conspiracy created by T.R. Knight and Katherine Heigl, he does seem detemined to take everyone down with him as he descends into a PR-grave he has dug out for himself.\
Meanwhile, ABC has declined to comment.
Call me superficial, but I can't wait to see the actor's appearance on Larry King LIVE on Monday. Oh, boy! The fun has only begun.
Labels: ABC, Grey's Anatomy, Isaiah Washington
posted by Justin Van De Kamp at
2:15 AM
15 Comments:
didn't Greys Anatomy have a blind casting procedure? if ABC was racist, why put in sarah ramirez? or how was Rachel griffith allowed to have an "almost-affair" with michael beach? I love how he puts so much spin into what has been already documented. does he know that everything that he has said or will say is going to be contradicted?
True or not, the conspiracy theory is entertaining.
To be perfectly honest, I am beginning to believe that the REAL truth is somewhere in the middle. Using a homophobic slur is bad but really no reason to tank someone's career. They really didn't have to even let it become public. While I don't think they fired him because of race, I do feel that there is a huge double standard in this country. I mean, would IW have been fired for calling TR WT? I highly doubt it. IW bring his race into it though is intresting and I am going to enjoy it.
I'm tired of this guy. Everyday he comes up with a different theory. One day he says he sorry, one day he says TR is a evil mastermind planning to fire everybody and conquer the world and now ABC is racist?
He doesn't want to understand he was fired because he's a train wreck and problematic, not because he's black. He gets into fist fights, for christ sake. It doesn't take much to understand nobody wants him around because he means trouble and because the rest of the cast doesn't like him.
I'm not looking forward to hear what he's going to say next. I don't think it's entertaining, i think it's sad.
All I have to say is AMEN Cibele!!!
I agree wit him with the double standards and labelling of being difficult with opinions, however, I agree with Cibele. I don't find this entertaining. I haven't for a very long time. He does have a new theory each week, and ironiclally none of his theory seem to involve his behavior. Behavior, not of opinions like other entertainers, but of lashing out of people. He made headlines for his behavior Soul Food, High Incident, Ghost Ship, and now this.
He was a loose canon and very aggressive. Not assertive, but very aggressive. I don't think we had any right to hear about the dealings and so forth on the set, but he is making it public from his insane point of view. In this recent article he practically insulted Shona Rhimes, Chandra Wilson, and James Pickens Jr. The only ones that haven't been insulted yet are getting smaller and smaller. He is just proving why he was fired. He should have taken the high rode, and he has learned nothing from his consueling.
To think Katherine Heigl went on record with Ryan Seacrest(you can find it on his site) that she would hate for IW to fired. That she would be pissed about it. Or the rest of the cast who was supportive of his return(minus T.R. since he didn't comment on the manner). Now this guy is attacking, mudslinging, and etc. them. My friend put it best talking about the cast's the faith being misplaced :(.
I understand why these pathetic publicity stunts, or whatever they are, can be entertaining, though I've never really enjoyed them. I ummm what's the word... "appreciate" IW's creativity, but this should have stopped weeks ago. Yes, they never should have happened in the first place (the homophobic incident and him getting fired(though I don't think the decision was based on this race, I don't think they should have fired him, because I still think Burke really loved Cristina and would have married her had they not fired IW... anyways...)) but with IW going on and on, I am really going to start disliking GA very soon, and it has been the show I cherished the most even though I started watching it this year. I always thought of Burke as the most sensible character in the show and that's why I liked him. I do know that IW isn't PB but still, with Burke gone, and IW making accusations all over the place, I can't help but dislike Burke and the show. I don't know if it's just me, and it probably is.
I agree with you, Anonymous. I was thinking about people like James Pickens Jr today. I highly doubt he's walking around saying "yes, sir" or "no, sir". I can bet he's not like that and i don't think anybody fears him and he's black. Now he says that people are afraid of him because of his color. Well, i wonder WHY he doesn't admit people are afraid of him because he gets himself into fights and show violent behavior and speak really offensive word towards his castmates?
You said perfectly: "ironiclally none of his theory seem to involve his behavior". Is always someone else's fault. IW has to face what he is and stop involving race and color on this. He's the one wrong, he was the one fired, not the entire race.
First he chokes PD. Later he LIED and said he never spoke the F word (we all saw that one on the Golden Globes). Then he admitted and apologized. Then he talks a lot of crap about the person he was supposed to be apologizing (showing his apologies were tremendaly FALSE, showing NO REGRET). Then he lies again saying he never had any problems on previous jobs. Then he says the network is racist. There's one thing we should learn about all this: IW lies all the time.
And i read something on a blog and have to paste it here:
"Ok, so here's the thing. Regardless of what color you are, I dare you to get up from your desk right now and choke your nearest co-worker. Then when you're done, point to one of the gay dudes in your office and scream as loud as you can that he's a "faggot." Make sure everyone sees and hears you do all this. If my calculations are right, not only would you get fired, but I'd say you'd have about two minutes before you get tasered and dragged out to the parking lot for the stoning".
And i swear this is the last thing i said about this
I'm getting tired... hahaha
This is entertaining because had IW insulted TR for being White, and used a slur against him for that, he'd still be on the show. So, I think its entertaining that he brings race into this because its what the left side always goes on about and I just love it when they themselves are accused of it.
Allow me to clarify something.
When I said in my post that Isaiah Washington was entertaining, that is because I no longer take the guy seriously.
For me, he has turned into a parody of himself. And it probably happened the moment he accused T.R. and Katherine of conspiring to have him fired. And the latest rant? Well that just took the cake.
Initially, as a gay man, I found his use of the slur offensive and his behavior aggravating. But after all these months (and especially the last two weeks) I had to choose whether to pity him or laugh at him, and - for the time being - I chose the latter.
Let's see what happens when he finally speaks up in his first major TV interview about the incident. And I wish ABC or Patrick Dempsey responded to his accusations.
In any event, I hope we can put this behind us before the new season begins and the focus on what really matters - the show we (still) love.
Justin, i understood what you said and i can see why people think it's entertaining. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just a way to see things. I wish i could be like you guys and not take it seriously. But somehow i take it seriously and get sad about all the things this guy is talking about TR Knight. I mean, he's been through a lot, people are talking about his sexuality all over and IW not only offends him, but make serious (and completely insane) accusations. And now this racism accusations...
But i guess everybody should move on. I'm starting to laugh about it too. The more he talks, the less i take it serious. I was reading some blogs and websites and very fez people take him seriously.
I sorta wish he'd fire back some other way, mainly by doing some other entertainment project. He should just be there the next time the white race is insulted to make sure whoever says it loses their job as well.
I agree Justin and Cibele again. I mean I do take somethings seriously to the point it drives my loved ones insane, but believe it or not just like Justin the moment Isaiah did his whole conpiracy theory I started to laugh. Like I said before I don't think it's entertaining, but you can definitely laugh at this stuff a little bit. Last week, the blogs were so funny I had to laugh at the conspiracy theory even though my favorite actors were used in an attack manner by IW. I don't like Isaiah now insulting his former bosses and fellow African-American actors/actresses. Cibele pointed out one of the many many contradictions Isaiah has made over and over again.
We don't know the full story and we probably never will, but I think for right now the cast and ABC are doing things okay. Not responding for now. The cast are on vacation and trying to forget this stuff and relax. Or filming movies, and having a good time because within two weeks the cast will return to the set. And soon enough they will be asked questions concerning Isaiah's dismissial, and accusations. If some want to dodge the question that is fine, but if some don't that's great. It's just for right now there really doesn't need a PR tactic because IW is totaly destorying himself. The more he talks the more inconsistent and deeper he gets.
I'll watch Larry King Live on Monday, even though I really don't want to see him attack the castmembers again :(, but if he goes on just to rant and rave more. And act like he didn't change his story..he'll just be a hypocrite. We know he changes his story all the time. He has a new theory each week. Basically for me the whole Larry King Live show will not change my opinion of the man. He did too many interviews already that his reputation and image is ruined. Larry King Live won't change that IMO.
This is one way to keep a show in the news through the summer hiatus.
I love when liberalism colides with itself. Nothing is more entertaining. And I hope this goes even farther.
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