Offical News About the Fight
October 24, 2006 by Ingrid Diaz
Alright, USA Today has an article that sheds a little more ‘official’ light on the subject of the whole Grey’s drama.
First, Heigl appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show (anyone have a clip of this somewhere?) and talked about it:
“There was some scuffle. … I don’t know what the fight was about. … It was something silly and manly. There was a little burst of testosterone in the room, and then within five minutes … they were totally fine and joking with each other and laughing.”
Sounds a bit like what Kate Walsh said.
Additionally:
Washington was
to have taped an interview Tuesday with DeGeneres to appear today, but canceled (citing a change in his production schedule) after Heigl playfully warned DeGeneres to “step back” during Washington’s appearance.
DeGeneres responded by saying Washington “better not call me a name … I’ll be swinging.”
Hmm. I find Ellen’s comment a little telling, about the not calling her a name. Kidding or not, I think it definitely alludes to the homophobic comment accusations. That, and the fact that he cancelled the interview. I’m not buying the change in production schedule excuse, are you? Guess he’s laying low.
All that said, ABC has officially stated that Washington isn’t going anywhere. According to Charissa Gilmore from ABC, they have “no intention of replacing Isaiah.”
[Thanks for the link, Karine!]
Well – according to People, here’s the official
apology:
“I sincerely regret my actions and the unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on-set,” Washington, 43, says in the statement. “Both are beneath my own personal standards. … I have nothing but respect for my coworkers … and have apologized personally to everyone involved.”
I, too, find the cancellation of the Ellen appearance a bit fishy… and although I’m ready to accept his apology since the people involved appear to be, I still find it a little insincere.
Would have been a nice opportunity to denounce hate speech in general – instead he opted for a very generic apology.
So to those of you who kept wanting to scream “We don’t even know it happened!” and “How can you believe the Enquirer!” I think this ackowledgement
should finally be proof that it did indeed happen.
About Ellen? I suspect he cancelled and issued the statement to People because he did not want to have to personally address the faggot issue – particularly with a gay person. Kind of like Mel Gibson and the whole Jewish thing – those kind of hateful words reveal something about what the person really feels, and I strongly suspect that Mr. Washington is indeed, homophobic.
Just my take on the matter folks.
We all know how the media likes to sensationalize anyone in the public eye. Dont believe the hype, its all publicity! Rating times are coming around, and anything to get a higher rating.
I don’t know that any of it had anything to do
with ratings or “hype”. I DO know that I very much used to enjoy Mr. Washington’s performance and storyline on Grey’s, and I can no longer
view him without the taint of knowing how he behaves behind the scenes.
To say this was all about “hype” is equlivalent to saying Mel Gibson’s anti-Jewish rant was intended to draw bigger audiences to his films.
Has the incident been sensationalized in the media? Yes, indeed it has. Does that make what was said and done any more acceptable? No, it does not.
You don’t know exactly how he behaved nor do you know how Patrick Dempsy behaved. The negative judgmental mentality is based only on stories fed to us by the media. He’s given a public apology so it’s time to move on, besides it getting boring.
mj – By his own admission, I.W. says he regrets
“his actions and unfortunate choice of words”
Yes, we DO know what has happened, he did not deny
it, he apologized for it. Apology accepted. Too bad he didn’t use the opportunity to denounce hate speech. His sincerity is questionable. Sorry you get bored by social issues, you must live in a very comfortable world indeed.
What if he didn’t use the opportunity to denounce hate speech because he actually doesn’t personally denounce it?
He regrets that he used those words to his coworkers. Possibly in that altercation he expressed his real feelings and now regrets that his real feelings took that particular expression which then became public. This may very well be as far as his regret goes.
none of us know what exactly was said or happened and its not a big deal, so what! they got in a fight, let it go! Its all so stupid and if i here about it anymore im gonna scream
JCW – I agree with you! I’m such a Grey’s fan (and formerly a Burke fan) and am very disappointed that this has happened – I too don’t think I’ll be able to watch Isaiah in the show without thinking of his poor behavior. It’s not so much the fight picking and belligerence in general – it’s more about the fact that he used homophobic language(which I don’t think anyone can doubt he used, especially after his own public apology).
I do think he’s sorry about a couple things – sorry that he got caught showing how he truly feels and even sorrier that the masses found out about it. How is the cast supposed to react to his apology? Can they really say that they don’t accept it and jeopardize a show that has immensely helped all of their careers? What about the fact that T.R. Knight was practically forced to ‘come out’ right after the fight happened (probably assuming that people would know that he was gay after having been the target of a homophobic slur)?
As for the attitude of the statement of the show’s producer that it was basically a quick thing that people should just ‘get over’ – I find it depressing that in 2006, a national tv network shows absolutely no reaction to the fact that one of its stars used hate speech(and that is exactly what a homophobic slur should be considered). If he had used a racial, ethnic or sexist slur would it be as easily dismissed? I doubt it, but really, why is it any different? I’m disappointed that the network didn’t make a statement saying they denounce his actions.
All I can say is that, unfortunately, the show has been tainted for me.
You mean if someone had called a woman on the set a ‘bitch’ we’d be hearing this same outcry? Don’t think so.
Maybe he’s not sorry. Maybe he doesn’t like gays. He apologized for the language, what more do you want? For him to apologize for his feelings?
I’m with you dl – you said some things better than I could. Unfortunately, I think due to the specific minority group targeted by Mr. Washington’s hate speech, the majority of GA
fans feel as several of the above do – No big deal – just let me watch my show.
So he’s made a public apology – no one from the show will comment further and it really is the end of the matter. For now.
I will say I wouldn’t be surprised down the road to hear more about Mr. Washington’s temper.
And ellie…to compare a common term like “bitch” which is both a noun AND a verb, to as imfammatory
a term as “faggot” is inappropriate. More along the right lines would be if Mr. Washington had another altercation with a female costar and called her a “c*nt”, in which case I ASSURE you there would be action taken against him.
He’s entitled to his opinions – if he doesn’t like
gays that’s his right. The KKK thinks of guys like him as “uppity niggers”, and I suppose that’s their right too. However, I would hope that you see what this kind of justification of people’s “rights” leads too – if hate speech is OK, then I suppose the hate crimes that accompany it are OK by you as well. I sure hope that isn’t the case.
I do try, but yes people like you do make it hard, but we’re only going to agree to disargee, so I’m moving on.
…one more than, when I say “people like you”, I mean people that can’t accept an apology. Just wanted to clarify before the media comes after me.
Geez mj – I’ve accepted the apology – it just wasn’t specifically meant towards gay people. He referenced an “unfortunate choice of words”, but that could have been anything he said during the bust-up. He certainly wasn’t willing to specifically apologize for hate speech, and that’s my issue. He’s a public figure – that’s how he makes his living – he knows how it works, and he passed on a chance to say hate speech is wrong. That’s all. Sorry you have such a problem with that, but that’s how I feel.
I be damned, everytime an issue comes up dealing with gay people why does race or ethnicity have to be brought up to help make a point? It’s their choice to be gay; the last time I checked, black people didn’t have a choice! (JCW) And further more, who gives a damn what anybody calls anybody; this is a free country; whether it’s right, wrong or indifferent. Damn, get a life and get over it already!
Hey, if what happened tainted the show for you…DON’T WATCH IT…Real simple!
Hey, a word is a just a word until it is used to denigrate a particular group of people. Faggot can be a cigarette or a bundle of twigs – but when used as an expletive, it’s offensive to the group it’s meant to insult. I feel the same way about the word “bitch” – no matter how common its usage has become.
The KKK is a group that promotes violence and death to a group of people and the day that IW promotes death to homosexuals will be the day the two examples are comparable.
I think the real issue is that he was physically aggressive – and if he WAS, if that story is real and he physically threatened a coworker – I think he should be fired and have the appropriate legal action taken against him.
But if this hasn’t happened and the main story is that he used an offensive term for homosexuals and then apologized for it, I think it’s blown out of proportion.
Ms. Brown – please allow me to assure you that gay people do not “choose” to be gay. Did you choose to be straight? If so, perhaps you could share the story of the day that you made that momentous and life altering decision? Surely such an important moment in your life must be seared in memory. The analogy between gays and other groups who have been discriminated against is an accurate one. To promote the idea that choice is involved is to put it in people’s heads that it’s OK to discriminate or denigrate – a mindset that I.W. apparently shares with you. I assure you Ms. Brown, I have a life – I just try not to let bigotry and prejudice be a part of it, I wish you’d try the same.
ellie – respect your point of view, but suggest that if you don’t think that attitudes such as the one that I.W. seems to feel are appropriate
towards gays are responsible for the beating and killing of gay people every year, you are mistaken. Please google “fag bashing” and “hate crimes towards gays” and have a look at the statistics. Doubtful I.W. would say he does not condone such things, but less enlightened individuals read his attitude and that of Ms. Brown above, as support for their feelings and subsequent actions.
Hate speech kills – for some it wounds the soul and for others it’s a call to violence.
Gay is so not natural; therefore it’s a choice or a damn curse. LOL am I being insensitive? Too damn bad, that’s my choice, my freedom! After I say this, I’m done!
I don’t watch the show first of all, however I do reside in America; where do you reside; surely not here in America with me.
Someone forwarded me the link to all of “this” and being nosey, I read some of the comments (I now regret it) and felt the need to comment on some things that was said. (JCW) And if I wasn’t clear before, I’ll state it again. It’s beyond sickening to me that every time people who are trying to be politically correct, feel the need to make a point, by stating how black people are treated (due to the hue of their skin)!
When I submitted my comment earlier, I don’t believe I gave the impression that I go out and verbally or physically bash gay people or gave the impression that I condone such acts. Again, this is a free country and people (law abiding or otherwise) are going to say and do pretty much what they want!
This whole exchange is almost comical because I’ve been called almost everything but a child of GOD and I can care less because I know who I am, so if I’m called a bitch so be it who gives a rats ass, I damn sure don’t!
Say, think and do as you please, and please let me enjoy the same freedom, this great country has provided me! I’d appreciate it!
Ms. Brown doesn’t even watch the show??
Oh well…she’s right – we all have the freedom to say and feel what we like, no argument there.
I think what she’s all about is right there in her first paragraph;
“Gay is so not natural; therefore it’s a choice or a damn curse. LOL am I being insensitive? Too damn bad, that’s my choice, my freedom! After I say this, I’m done!”
Ms. Brown, I don’t know what color skin you have, I only know that you are a bigot. And if you HAVE experienced prejudice in your life, and you STILL choose to pass it on to others, you are a stupid bigot to boot.
Sexual orientation is not a choice – your ignorant and hurtful predjudice is. You are exactly why I felt I.W. should have addressed the hate speech issue – people like him help people like you feel you are not alone in your disdain or dislike of gay people. That’s the only reason you visited this blog – to defend I.W.’s “right” to call someone a faggot, you don’t even watch the show!
I do reside in America with you Ms. Brown, more’s the pity. I just don’t believe that prejudice and bigotry should go unquestioned or be embraced as a God given right to all Americans. Follow your logic and we would have let the South split the country in two and they’d still have slavery there today.
Ms. Browne, I’m assuming you’ve done as much research into homosexuality before expressing your opinion on ‘choice’ as you did on the television show before posting on the show’s boards.
And you vote, right?
Mamma mia.
I love you ellie…
If I were’nt gay I’d ask you to marry me.
That Ms. Brown is a piece of work!
Yeah… it’s too bad I chose to be straight – it could have been beautiful.
Oh well, guess she’s off to spread the Word elsewhere now. And taken all her semicolons, too.
Isn’t it sad that so many people jump to conclusions before all of the facts are known or are quick to pass judgement. We don’t know what happened. We don’t know what lead up to the altercation between Isaiah and Patrick. We do know that Isaiah’s comment was meant to say that he is not gay leading me to believe that Patrick did something to provoke the anger. I don’t condone physical violence of any kind, but the fact that they were, from all accounts, laughing together a very short time later, leads me to believe that it was just what Katie Heigl said, a burst of testosterone, and that no one was injured. I also do not condone statements that are hurtful to anyone. More hurtful comments have been hurled at Isaiah Washington’s acting (by people that I can only surmise have not watched the brilliant way he has portrayed Preston Burke on Grey’s Anatomy) and his character (by people who rush to judgment without the facts) this past week than were warranted by the original comment. He wasn’t trying to hurt T.R. Knight or damage his career. Granted he should not have referenced him, but his comment was directed at Patrick Dempsey and I took it to mean don’t push me around and act like I am in your pocket. He was man enough to come public and apologize even though McDreamy hasn’t said a word about his role in the disagreement. I am a Grey’s fan, and more, I am a Isaiah Washington fan. He was on the Megan Mullaly show and during the interview talked about how happy he is that people all over the world seem to be accepting the love relationship between Burke and Cristina on GA. He said he hoped that this would help people be accepting of all kinds of relationships including those between two people of the same gender. I don’t think he hates gays or was bashing them. I believe he was defending himself and used an unfortunate term in the process that has been blown completely out of proportion. Although I have not read all of the posts above, I do want to make one point about race and sexual orientation. While neither may be a lifestyle choice, Isaiah Washington “came out” as a Black man the minute he was born. He had no choice. T.R. Knight could hide his gayness from the television viewing audience if he chose to do it. Whether he is gay or not, he could simply have ignored it or denied it. He is chosing to be openly gay, and more power to him. I suspect this has more to do with his relationship with a male star from another television show that it does with Isaiah’s comment. Regardless, this is his choice, not Isaiah’s fault. MJ, I am with you! Preston Burke is my favorite character on the show and no one can bring his character to life like Isaiah Washington. I am not so perfect as to have never said something in anger that I later regretted. I choose to make that same assumption of this actor.
Faggot is not an “unfortunate choice of words” one uses in anger. It is hate speech, plain and simple. An opportunity to denounce it was missed by Mr. Washington, and that’s a shame. If indeed the cast is all fine and dandy, then the incident is over and that’s that. As to the idea chat T.R. had a “choice” to simply “ignore” or “deny” his sexual orientation and that somehow that makes his gayness easier to bear than Mr. Washington’s blackness, that is a naive statement. However, I’m glad you’re supportive of him – just wish you were aware of exactly how painful I.W.’s “unfortunte choice of words” had to be for him to hear. Particularly in the workplace in front of cast and crew. I, too like the burke character…I’m just not terribly impressed with the behavior of the man who plays him
“I’m glad you’re supportive of him – just wish you were aware of exactly how painful I.W.’s “unfotunte choice of words” had to be for him to hear”.
JCW – I just have to ask, are you TR Knight? Or are you speaking for yourself. Because if you are speaking for yourself, you weren’t there and didn’t hear it or the context of the statement.
No, Vee, I wasn’t there. It’s called empathy.
I don’t have to be there when an individual is called a bitch, nigger, c*nt, wetback, or any other derogatory term to know that it isn’t a pleasant experience.
Why? Were YOU there? Do YOU think it felt good?
In exactly what “context” do you think it is appropriate to be referred to by a coworker as a “litle faggot”?
That exactly what I thought, and that’s my point, no I wasn’t there so I can’t tell you what was said or how anyone felt.
It is only hate speech if it is used as such. He didn’t say I hate fxxxots. He said I am not one. I think it was an unfortunate choice of words. He could have said, “I am not your girlfriend.” Do you think it is hard to bear being gay? I have several gay friends who live wonderful, full, and happy lives with partners who love them and many friends who support them. Their lives are not harder to bear than anyone else’s. I think your empathy is misplaced, JCW. T.R. Knight is a fine actor with many, many fans and supporters. He isn’t asking for your empathy because he chose to say to the world that he is a gay man. He may be quite proud of his life style choice. However, you are right. It is never appropriate in any circumstance to refer to your co-worker by a derrogatory name. That is why Isaiah apologized. The whole event is behind them and I choose not to let it change my regard for the show, my appreciation of the actors’ talents, or my love for the characters that inhabit Seattle Grace. Why do you need to hold on to this anger about it? Forgiveness may be as important as tolerance.
JCW you seem pretty racists to me you know all the harshes words to call people.
Are you TR Knight using a fake name? If I could fire everyone that called me a N***** there would be a lot of places closed down. No be one in the real world gets fired for saying racists comments. So let Isaiah say he is sorry and put him on probation. If he does it again fire him them.
There was nothing to say about Ellen D wonting to fight!!!! Because she is white. Lets all just over look it..
Um… Ria… Isaiah ALREADY has said he’s sorry…then he took it back, in the worst possible way. How many sorry’s are you willing to give the man? More than you’d give any white person I’ll wager.
You and I have bumped into each other in these forums repeatedly and it seems pretty obvious to me that the only reason you are here arguing on Washington’s behalf is because he’s black.
Unlike you, I do NOT view this as a race issue – I see it as a HUMAN issue, and I only wish you could as well.
I think it’s sad, because this isn’t about black or white, it’s about equal and fair treatment of people.
You’ve made your view known that you do not consider calling somone “f*ggot” as bad as calling someone “n*gger”, seems to me we’ve nothing much left to speak of between the two of us.
You’re all about standing up for the black man – right or wrong – and there’s nothing I can say to make you think differently.
JCW
I am about what is fair. I also want to save the show. I beleive that both words are bad. I think one is worst than another yeah. I feel that they can work it out between Isaiah and TR. So, see it from someone elses point. I am sorry if I have hurt your feelings, but I see a double standard here, and I can have my opinion. I love that you are passionate about your beleives but so Am I. Just as the gay community comes together, so will the black community to defend Isaiah. If
He says it again after all of this then he will have to go. I DO AGREE TO THAT..
Ria, I appreciate your attempt to meet me half way.
But as you implied, certain members of the black community are posting here simply to support Isaiah because they believe his words have not been as damaging as if a white man on the show had called him the “N” word.
However, the issue isn’t about someone calling Isaiah a name. And regardless of the fact that some people may feel the word F*ggot is not a serious word filled with hate, it is.
This truly has never been an issue of race, either in the workplace or amongst the majority of fans. I’ve always enjoyed Washington’s work and his character’s relationship with Sandra Oh.
However, if any actor on a show I watched called a fellow actor a n*gger and it became public knowledge, I’d write in to protest. And if that actor was given a second chance because he apologized, and then later on network television TOOK THAT APOLOGY BACK by denying he’d ever said it in the first place, I’d protest all the harder.
For you, for me, for the cast of Grey’s, for the fans, I hope that indeed Washington does get something good out of all this, stays employed, and shares that good.
I worry about his sincerity – he only apologized after ABC made him, only met with gay leaders after ABC set up the appointment, and only went to rehab after ABC made it a condition of his continued employment.
Still, if he comes away from this a better man more prepared to speak out about bigotry of all varieties, then something good will have come out of all this.
I don’t think Isaiah is racists he just has a bad temper and I think he doesn’t like Patrick D. for being late and Patricks lack of interest in the show. He has made it clear that he is going to do movies and he will leave the show eventually. So I think that Isaiah doesn’t have a problem with TR.