June 21, 2007
Isaiah Washington: They fired the wrong guy
The former Dr. Preston Burke on ABC's hit series Grey's Anatomy told the Houston Chronicle that T.R. Knight should have been fired from the show instead of him.
Washington was let go on June 7, just a month before filming for the new season was to begin. He has been slammed with negative publicity since October. That's when he allegedly used an anti-gay slur during an on-set disagreement with co-star Patrick Dempsey.
The Houston native's interviews with the media since then have been limited.
"I have to clear my name," a determined Washington told the Houston Chronicle in a telephone interview from the set of his new movie, The Least of These. "I'll start from the beginning. I'm telling everything. So here's the truth."
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.
Knight, who acknowledged that he was gay after the incident, told Ellen DeGeneres in January that Washington used the slur against him and that "everyone (on the set) heard it."
Washington said:
"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."
He said he is considering a lawsuit.
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May 12, 2007
T.R. Knight was told not to come out
Before Grey's Anatomy star T. R. Knight came out last year, some advised him not to do it, he says in a new interview.
While friends were "beautifully supportive," Knight, 34, tells The Advocate in its June 19 issue, others cautiously advised him, "Don't do it – don't do it now."
Looking back, he says:
"I remember saying to someone when I got one of those 'don't do it' [comments] – I just remember hearing my voice being calm and saying, 'No, it's going happen. It's going to happen. I'm just letting you know.' "
Ultimately, he's glad he decided to come out after castmate Isaiah Washington referred to him on-set by a homophobic slur.
"I made the decision to make a statement," he says. "I could have not [spoken up]. I could have retreated. But I'm definitely happy I made the decision."
Since coming out, Knight, who plays the unassuming Dr. George O'Malley on the hit ABC drama, has seen his character marry Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) and bed fellow M.D.'s Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl).
Off camera, Heigl is a close friend, but she says he came out to her gradually.
"There came a point where we were close enough friends that he would just talk about dates or about other guys."
"I wasn't shocked or surprised. ... It was more just like, 'Oh, okay, now I know why you don't want to go out with me.' "
But Knight, who is single insists coming out hasn't much affected his love life. He says with a laugh that he still assumes people aren't interested in him, but notes:
"Too much aggression isn't a good thing either."
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February 1, 2007
Sharon Stone & Tammy Lynn defend Isaiah Washington
In the latest news of Isaiah Washington/T.R. Knight "Grey's Anatomy" controversy, two actresses have gone public to express their support for Isaiah Washington, who is currently in anger management rehab for allegedly calling co-star T.R. Knight a “faggot,” and then using the offensive term again at the Golden Globes to deny that he ever said it.
Gay actress Tammy Lynn Michaels, partner of rock star Melissa Etheridge, defended the actor in a posting on her blog, Hollywood Farm Girl. She says the Isaiah Washington that she has come to know through playdates with their respective children “is not that man” described in the press as a hot-tempered, homophobic outcast.
She writes:
he is not a bad man ...
i forgive his words,
because truth be told
i do not believe
the word
faggot
lives in his heart
Sharon Stone has also come to Washington’s defense, telling the New York Post that his anger management deal is ridiculous.
"I've been called a b*tch - 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. Please, I call all my gay friends 'big fags'."
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January 19, 2007
Isaiah Washington issues statement on 'anti-gay' remarks
Isaiah Washington of Grey's Anatomy said he had "never" called gay castmate T.R. Knight "a faggot" at Monday's Golden Globes. Knight had earlier told Ellen DeGeneres that he had heard Washington use the term during a scuffle with Patrick Dempsey on the set of "Grey's Anatomy."
Isaiah Washington had seen issued a statement.
"I apologize to T.R., my colleagues, the fans of the show and especially the lesbian and gay community for using a word that is unacceptable in any context or circumstance. By repeating the word Monday night, I marred what should have been a perfect night for everyone who works on "Grey's Anatomy." I can neither defend nor explain my behavior. I can also no longer deny to myself that there are issues I obviously need to examine within my own soul, and I've asked for help.
I know the power of words, especially those that demean. I realize that by using one filled with disrespect, I have hurt more than T.R. and my colleagues. With one word, I've hurt everyone who has struggled for the respect so many of us take for granted. I welcome the chance to meet with leaders of the gay and lesbian community to apologize in person and to talk about what I can do to heal the wounds I've opened.
T.R.'s courage throughout this entire episode speaks to his tremendous character. I hold his talent, and T.R. as a person, in high esteem. I know a mere apology will not end this, and I intend to let my future actions prove my sincerity."
ABC has gotten around to responding to Isaiah Washington's use of a gay slur at the Golden Globes. The ABC statement, first reported by TV Guide, reads:
"We have a long-standing policy to create and maintain respectful workplaces for all our employees. We dealt with the original situation in October, and thought the issue resolved. Therefore, we are greatly dismayed that Mr. Washington chose to use such inappropriate language at the Golden Globes, that he himself deemed 'unfortunate' in his previous public apology. We take this situation very seriously, and his actions are unacceptable and are being addressed."
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November 4, 2006
War on the Set! - Grey's Anatomy, US Weekly Nov 6 2006
Details after the jump.
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October 23, 2006
T.R Knight spotted with another man
T.R. Knight who plays Dr. George O'Malley in Grey's Anatomy has been spotted with a man. The star publicly came out to People magazine earlier this week.
The man has been identified as Luke MacFarlane, and he plays Scotty on ABC's Brothers and Sisters.
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October 20, 2006
T.R. Knight 'Dr. George O'Malley' is gay
T.R. Knight who plays Dr. George O'Malley on the hit ABC drama, Grey's Anatomy has just confirmed that he's gay.
"I guess there have been a few questions about my sexuality, and I'd like to quiet any unnecessary rumors that may be out there. While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."
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