Sharon Stone Comments on the T.R. Knight/Isaiah Washington Drama
I will say this: Oy.
‘I’VE BEEN called a bitch - and a lot worse - for years. And you know what, so what? People who think that aren’t going to change their minds. And I wouldn’t dream of sending them to therapy to ‘rehabilitate’ their feelings. How absurd.”
That’s Sharon Stone on the Isaiah Washington/T.R. Knight “Grey’s Anatomy” controversy. Miss Stone added, “Please, I call all my gay friends ‘big fags.’ “
I love Sharon Stone, but I think she missed the point of the issue. It’s not like random people were sent to “rehab” because they called T.R. Knight a “fag”. It was a co-star calling his fellow co-star a name, in a hurtful way. Then lying about it. Then lying some more. There were a lot of issues here that didn’t necessarily revolve around the name-calling exactly. There’s also a difference between calling your friends “big fags” and knowing that they are okay with that because you don’t mean anything bad by it, and calling a coworker a “faggot” and causing him and others offense.
Friends call each other names all the time. It really boils down to the intent behind it.
I meant to put this issue to rest, but I wanted to comment on Sharon Stone’s statements all the same.
Via | NY Post
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Commentary, Isaiah Washington, News, T.R. Knight
4 opinions for Sharon Stone Comments on the T.R. Knight/Isaiah Washington Drama
JCW
Feb 20, 2007 at 3:33 pm
My goodness Ingrid! Where have you been? Stone made those comments WEEKS ago!
In addition to what she had to say, Tammy Lynn Michaels, wife of Melissa Ethridge also stood up for him. And Rosie O’Donnell stated that she had gay friends who knew him and said he was a great guy.
The Network was right to speak out about the homophobic slur as it was terribly wrong behavior in the workplace. They should have spoken up when the original incident occurred.
People were also right in feeling angry and offended. The lack of proper response from ABC and Ms. Rhimes only fueled the flames.
All that said, however, it would seem that Mr. Washington’s real problem isn’t homophobia, but anger management issues. No excusing what he said and what it did to T.R. Knight, but it DOES offer promise that perhaps he’s not as hateful a person as this incident might have lead us all to believe.
Of course the danger in public figures using homophobic language in public was recently illustrated beautifully by Mr. Tim Hardaway. If you hear it often enough, you think it’s OK to use it, and that has cost Mr. Hardaway dearly.
Moral of the story? Racist, sexist and homophobic hate speech is wrong - period. It causes pain and only leads to more incidents occuring.
Now here’s to hoping that bridges are mended at Grey’s, Mr. Washington has learned to deal with his issues without alienating people, and that the cast can relax, enjoy one another and continue to provide us all with exceptional television.
Ingrid Diaz
Feb 22, 2007 at 2:09 am
lol JCW … I was too caught up int he Mer dying thing. Totally didn’t catch the whole Sharon Stone thing. Did hear about Rosie O’Donnell and Tammy Lynn, though. Just kind of shrugged it off. I still think they miss the point.
Surprised at Rosie, actually. She blew up at the woman - oy forget her name, Kelly, is it? - from the morning talk show for her comment about Clay Aiken (which I still don’t think she meant to be gay slurs), but this she doesn’t mind?
Ah well. I’m glad that Isaiah has gotten help. It’s good to be able to concentrate on the show again. lol
JCW
Feb 22, 2007 at 12:12 pm
BTW….
I think Sharon Stone is slowly going
Bat-Sh*t crazy, in a Norma Desmond sort of way….
And Rosie DID speak out about the Washington incident, I think in the interest of trying to be fair (rare for her, I know) she felt compelled to mention that there ARE gay people willing to stand up for him.
I do believe that most people got the point that what was said and done was wrong, and that there was intrinsic homophobia in the way the Network and producers handled the affair. I believe it may have made a difference for good.
I’m sure it had something to do with the swift action taken against Hardaway for his hate speech.
Bill Samuels
Mar 6, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Does any self-respecting gay person really want to be called a “big fag” by a [presumably] straight person — or even another gay one? Now that a moratorium has been [mercifully] called on using the N word within the black community — in New York at least — hopefully gays will follow suit and make the F** word unacceptable under any circumstances.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: