More on Washington’s Temper
Well there were these allegations against Isaiah Washington from one source (which I’m still a little iffy about), and now there’s a few more according to EURweb:
In 2000, Washington was starring as Miles Jenkins on an episode of Showtime’s “Soul Food” in Toronto when he reportedly got into a shouting match with Nicole Ari Parker, whose character Teri was Jenkins’ ex-wife.
According to TMZ, they were shooting a scene in which Washington was supposed to give her a superficial kiss. “We’re told to the horror of everyone, Washington grabbed the woman and planted a ‘forceful, aggressive kiss,’” TMZ reports. “The actress became irate, which then infuriated Washington who began screaming at her.
And:
Another incident reportedly took place in 1997 when Washington was supposed to be a guest star on the TV show “High Incident.” According to TMZ, his gig ended abruptly after he got into a physical altercation with a crew member. Police were reportedly called out to handle the situation.
I love how all of this stuff is popping up now. I wonder if the incident with Dempsey and Washington would’ve even hit the media if Grey’s Anatomy weren’t the huge hit show that it is now.
Either way, it’s looking more and more like the media is trying to bring Washington down. I’m still looking for info from Washington himself on any of these things.
Meanwhile, the rest of the cast continues to deny that anything is wrong at all.
Walsh, who plays Dr Addison Montgomery-Shepherd on the show, claims its back to business as usual on the set.
She explains: “We’re all good. They had a squabble. I actually wasn’t there that day.
“I can tell you that we were shooting in Seattle just a week ago. All I know is I was there for one scene and there was no one there.
“And then the guys were there, both Isaiah and Patrick, doing their stuff, and there were literally throngs of women, like 300 women and everybody was going crazy. It’s all good.”
Does anyone find that quote a bit nonsensical? Like answering without answering?
Anyway, from the comments you guys have been leaving, it seems there’s two camps: the Fire Washington camp and the He’s Innocent Until Proven Guilty One.
I think with anything involving Hollywood, it’s really hard to say one way or another, especially since a lot of this “news” is coming from the media and very little is being said by those directly involved.
Unfortunately, however, I’m starting to think most of these accusations are true. I don’t think T.R. Knight would have come out of the closet when he did if not because of something that happened/was said.
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POSTED IN: Isaiah Washington, News, T.R. Knight
12 opinions for More on Washington’s Temper
Suria
Oct 23, 2006 at 4:42 am
E-Online said that ABC execs said that they are not planning on replacing or firing him. This was on Saterday.
JCW
Oct 23, 2006 at 10:21 am
I.W. needs to issue an official statement stating that he did not do and/or say what he is accused
of. If he is not contradicted by his co workers, then I would certainly believe him.
Meantime, you can expect that all the actors connected with the show will tow the company line as it affects their livelihoods.
Again, the disturbing part about it all is that I find it hard to believe that if a similarly offensive slur occured towards a woman or another minority, and it became public, it would be a much bigger deal. If a white cast member was publically quoted as calling a black cast member a nigger, you can bet the N.A.A.C.P. would get involved and pressure ABC for clarification and/or action, had the incident really taken place. The fact that so few people seem to care if someone is called a faggot in the workplace says volumes about our society.
t. clark
Oct 23, 2006 at 10:59 am
i dont know what should happen, but i do know this… there arent many shows that can keep their audiance if the main characters are replaced… some can like bewitched and charmed…. but those were lucky… charmed was luckily accepted as a good change… no doubt due to shannon doherty attitude after being replaced… she said things that made the fans irate which made them embrace rose mc gowan even more… as for bewitched well that was before my time… basically it comes down to i. washington himself… if he trash talks the show then the fans will be there to push him out the door… i think that the cast they have now is perfect and it would be horrible to see it change… so if things can be handled without the loss then i say that is for the best… but then again i love i. washington…
JCW
Oct 23, 2006 at 12:04 pm
See what I mean? t.clark just doesn’t want his/her favorite show altered - doesn’t give a rat’s ass if someone on it behaves in a homophobic
manner towards a fellow cast member who happens to be gay. Now, if I.W. says nasty things about the show, well, that’s another matter!
I guess as long as it doesn’t hurt YOU, it’s OK?
Look - I’m not saying fire him or don’t fire him -I’m just saying clarification is in order, and if it happened, now that it’s public knowledge, a public apology is in order. Millions of gay people, their friends and families have been offended by what was reportedly said - I.W. needs to denounce hate-speech - whether he did it or not - it’s a win-win for him as it will clear up questions regarding his character.
mj
Oct 23, 2006 at 6:07 pm
Please, this is not about the public. This is about the cast resolving whatever is going on. They know what happened and any apologies made should be between them. No one owes the public anything. You’re exaggerating about millions of people being offended. Moovvee on.
JCW
Oct 23, 2006 at 9:06 pm
As usual, because the affected party are who they are, namely gay people, you’d like to downplay it.
The slur has been made public and a public apology or denial is in order. Anyone ever connected with the business knows this.
I do indeed hope that behind the scenes people have made a real peace. However, the incident has gone beyond that.
Exaggerating the imapct of this incident? It does harm to the heart of every gay person who has heard of it, as well to those who love them. Beyond that, it was offensive to every caring, reasonable person who heard of it.
mj, either you yourself have issues with gay folk or you are just plain lacking in empathy. Either way, perhaps it is YOU who ought to “Moowee on” -
Whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean.
Shari
Oct 29, 2006 at 5:18 pm
JCW, do you have issues with people who do not type well or do you simply not read well? I believe MJ was saying “move on” in a very emphatic way, and I for one agree with her. From what I have read and heard about Isaiah Washington, I do not believe he is a gay basher or gay hater. He was angry and used a term in the heat of an argument that he has apologized for. T.R. Knight was not even present in the room at the time. It was not directed at him or gays in general. The man has apologized. Come on. Where is your empathy? This actor has been raked through the coals for a comment made on a closed set that someone immediately rushed to tell the media about and which has been so blown out of proportion that it is ridiculous. I wonder how much the on set mole was paid for starting this whole ruckus. Hmm. Could it have been the costumer that had a bone to pick with Isaiah? There were pictures of T.R. Knight and his new boyfriend in the news within days of this altercation and he was looking happy and fine. Who is really being hurt by this? The very fact that you would accuse a fellow poster of having issues with gays simply because he or she chooses to support an actor who is currently being persecuted for few seconds of anger, tells me that you jump to conclusions quite easily.
JCW
Oct 30, 2006 at 9:30 am
Shari - you’re awfully eager to gloss over what occurred. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again -if the actors are all fine, then great!
However, I.W. missed an opportunity to denounce hate speech - and that IS what he used - HATE SPEECH. I think that’s a shame, but I do not think it an oversight or accident on his part.
For someone who seems to put a lot of stock in empathy, where’s yours for gay people who are denigrated in the workplace or society in general?
For the record, had I.W. referred to Sandra Oh as a “Slanty-eyed chink bitch”, I would be just as outraged and hope just as much that he would denounce such language and attitudes.
Steph.
Oct 30, 2006 at 2:03 pm
You seem to really not like I.W.
And i would stand up for my gay friend aswell if Patrick said a rude gay comment to him/her.
He deserved it. Maybe not that agressive, but Patrick shouldnt of said such a stupid comment because it wasnt funny.
Steph.
Oct 30, 2006 at 2:09 pm
Oh my god. Im such an idiot. I didnt actually read that, i just wrote what i had heard. I heard that Patrick made remarks to T.R. and W.I. stood up for him.
Ok, dont like W.I. anymore. And agreeing with you there JCW. Sorry!
JCW
Oct 30, 2006 at 11:11 pm
Steph - Liking or not liking I.W. really isn’t the issue. As I’ve said before, we all have prejudices and we all make mistakes.
He never denied the slur he used or the context
in which he used it, although he did offer a generic public apology. We must assume that he offered something more substantial to his cast mates and crew if they’re OK with it.
I only hold out to you and other Grey’s fans that as a member of a minority group, I.W. could have used the opportunity to enlighten and inform his viewing public about the harm that hate speech does. That he chose not to do so was his decision.
I do not dislike him for it, I’m not trying to get him fired…I just think that we all need to stand up on this issue when we have the chance because hate is what’s tearing the world apart all around us.
That’s all I’ve been trying to say.
Shari
Nov 4, 2006 at 5:52 pm
He said what he did was wrong and beneath his own standards of conduct, and I believe him. He also said he had the greatest respect for his castmates. I don’t believe he intended it as hate speech therefore did not use it as an opportunity to denounce hate speech. You have already stood up on this issue enough for all of us. In response I am standing up for Isaiah Washington by saying that I accept his apology as coming from his heart and from all we have heard so has T.R. Knight. I don’t believe he hates gays and have heard him speak to the contrary. You see it differently, which is of course your right, but why can’t you let it go? If hate is tearing the world apart, a lack of forgiveness is keeping it it pieces.
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