Isaiah Washington NOT Gone from GREY’S
May 20, 2007 by Kath Skerry
Thursday’s season finale of GREY’S ANATOMY saw Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) returning to her home only to find that her not so soon to be groom, Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington) had moved out. All of his stuff was gone. But the real question remained…was he gone for good? And was Washington gone from Grey’s Anatomy for ever?
I’m not sure if you remember, but Washington was involved in this quiet, not much talked about incident where he called co-star T.R. Knight an ugly gay slur. At the time there was a strong public demand for Washington to be let go from the show, but it never happened. The only consequence seemed to be a VERY short stint in rehab (I guess there’s a rehab for everything these days), and Washington’s agreement to do some ads for GLAAD. But with Thursday’s finale, some were questioning whether or not Washington had finally faced the music. But sadly, that’s not true.
According to his spokesman, Howard Bragman, Washington will still be on Grey’s next season, “We fully expect to be back in the fall. The deal’s not done but we have no reason to believe he won’t be putting on the scrubs.”
So for those of us who were excited about the prospect of never seeing Isaiah Washington again, well, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. Seems like some levels of hatred are still acceptable.
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Ahh, but see, I think the fact that it’s not a done deal yet says a lot and ABC could be sending him a message. They just made him much more expendable than he was before.
I was outraged that ABC did not take a firmer stance with McJerk’s comments regarding T.R. Knight. Thrusday gave me a glimmer of hope that McJerk would be given his pink slip. This cements it: I will not be watching next season.
If TR Knight is gone and Isaiah stays, I don’t think I could watch this show. I’m absolutely outraged at his behavior and especially the way it was handled (not handled, whatever) by ABC and the show. If someone had called him the N-word, what would have happened? He disgust me know-I hope he doesn’t come back. And I could completely understand if TR wanted out after everything.
To think that in the beginning it was such a happy rainbow of ethnically diverse actors-one of the things I used to love about this show.
I think that the character of Preston Burke brings so much more to the show than George O’Malley has lately that I would hate to see the character go. I am awaiting the the conflict, and I expect it to be intense, between Yang and Burke so much more than this whiny, weepy, needy love triangle of Callie, George, and Izzie. (Corzie?)
frankly i really don’t think it matters whether he stays or not b/c reguardless of the drama he’s created Grey’s has been steadily going down the tubes this year. I used to love this show, but this past week i actually went out 1/2 through the finale and haven’t wanted to see the rest yet….. thats bad
Agreed. I am really hoping we get a new, revitalized Grey’s next season.
I don’t know that this is justice for T R Knight’s having to endure the slur from Washington, but it does sound like so many people are fed up with Grey’s Anatomy for one reason or other that no one is going to watch the show whether or not Washington stays. But the unjust part of that is it isn’t because of Washington’s offensive behavior but because the show itself stinks. Regardless of the way ABC ignored the uproar over what Isaiah Washington did, this season of Grey’s has made a sound case for my never watching another season again.
I am on board with those who think that Grey’s has been lacking this past season, but I plan to give it another shot come fall. I mean, LOST has a time that had us all wondering if it was worth it anymore, and now look at it now. I don’t know about you, but I am salivating for Wed. night’s finale.
As for the Washington issue, I don’t really understand the uproar. I wholly agree that the slur agains TR Knight, was NOT okay, but I don’t think it’s something that he has to loose his job over. Maybe they have all been able to work through it – we don’t know either way. And hasn’t everyone out there said something in anger that they regret??
I agree with you Deedee. What Isaiah said was awful, but I think that we’ve all said things we’ve regretted in the heat of the moment. Burke is one of my favorite characters on GA, and I’d hate to see the show without him. I want to see the fallout between him and Christina. It’s going to be great and I’d be so disappointed if we were cheated out of that. He’s apologized, now let’s move on.
i know its human nature to hold this against him forever (as its pretty clear from the article that some people have), but you know it IS okay to get over it and forgive people for not being perfect and for being bigoted. Grey’s has already sucked harder than it ever has this year and if Burke leaves, on top of Addison, we’re left with only 2 attendings. I will get over the fact that I don’t approve of Isaiah’s personal beliefs and I will deal with him still being on the show. I just really wish others would stop acting like he’s this hateful evil sick bastard of a man who deserves to be punished. No body is perfect, including every single person calling for him to be fired.
I’m not saying I’m perfect…FAR FAR from it. But I do have my beliefs and I and my opinions on the matter and that won’t change. If it were another group that were offended…one that had a stronger voice he would be gone.
Also, related to GREY’s only, I don’t think Burke has brought much the past few months. HOnestly, NOTHING to do with the Washington/Knight situation, but if Burke is going to stay around, I think he needs to do something besides lament over Christina.
of course everyone has said something he or she regrets immediately after it leaves his or her mouth. the difference is that most of us aren’t actors on very popular television shows who are open to a great deal more scrutiny than the average citizen. and most of the stupid crap I say isn’t that horrendously offensive. and then I don’t defend myself on awards shows by saying “I never called him *insert derogatory term here*.” how does that make any sense?
I strongly believe that people have got to stop using rehab as a cure-all for the dumb things they do. sometimes you just have to accept the fact that you’re a bigot and not blame your outbursts on “anger management issues.”
I love George O’Malley. I would really hate to see TR Knight leave because he doesn’t want to put up with Isaiah Washington. I don’t know that the incident in and of itself warrants his dismissal, but if the two options are to fire Washington or let Knight leave on his own, I don’t see how anyone would rather keep Washington around. to me, that is sending a terrible message: “yes, this guy may have said something offensive, but he apologized and if you’re uncomfortable working with him, then it’s up to you to leave.”
Any other job, any other show, he would have been gone ASAP. I really dislike him but my anger has subsided. I still hold some anger towards Shonda however for trying to sweep the whole thing under the rug. I remember when the controversy first started people wanted to replace him with a new doctor (Taye Diggs was the most popular choice… sort of ironic with him being on Private Practice) and she started going off on people, saying that people were racists for trying to replace one black actor with another. She’s always talking about equality of the races, but thats as far as it goes with her.
In a normal workplace TR would have a great case for harrassment against IW and SR for keeping him on staff.
I agree that Isaiah Washington is still being wrongly persecuted by something said out of anger, which he’s apologized for and even went to some type of rehab (utterly ridiculous) to change his views. Please get over it already. Some of us still prefer a bit more objectivity from the host of this TV chat site. So let’s keep it lite, or we all could just go on for days about some of the things done and said on TV that offends us. This is about what makes for good TV…politics aside, we could go to other sites for those types of debates.
Feel free to visit other sites as well for this type of debate, but with all do respect I’m not going to be swayed from posting my point of view on a particular topic because I’m going to be afraid of offending someone. The beauty of this blog is that I can post what ever I like and as long as the commenters don’t start getting nasty towards one another I have no problem having the discussion. There are clearly many points of view on this one…and to each their own.
This is not the type of content and discussion we normally have here, so I have no problem hosting it every once in a while.
IF you don’t like it (a) you don’t have to read it, (b) you don’t have to comment, (c) you don’t need to support this site. If I offended anyone here I apologize but that’s the beauty of the internet…there are so many sites to choose from.
GMMR –
I can’t say that I’m with you on this one, since I think Isaiah just made a mistake, but I have no problem with you sharing your opinion and letting others weigh in. As you said, as long as the comments aren’t being disrespectful of one another then I definitely don’t mind having a little controversy with my cup of coffee this morning.
Again, I don’t agree with you but don’t let others dictate what you post here. As you said there are others sites they can visit if they don’t like what they are reading.
Sorry GMMR, did not mean to offend, but I do like your site for the most part…and I’m assuming that your readings mean something to you, or else this blog would be sitting on your C drive (and free of advertisements).
But my point is that, I know that you have a right to your opinion as does everyone else…but this site is really about TV, which is why I assume most people here. And sometimes entertainment and politics do not mix.
Plus, you must realize that there is a reason that most entertainers stay “in the closet” regarding their sexual orientations. While we may have come a long way as a society in terms of dealing with diversity, the truth is that we still have a long way to go. So for as many of us who agree that what Isaiah said was wrong (which I agree that he was wrong), we also recognize that there a so many more and greater inequities and slights that continue to go on in our society, by people who are, in reality much more powerful but yet not as outspoken as IW. Those people pose a lot greater threat on our society than the likes of IW.
So if TV is our escape from life’s realities. Then let it be that…We’re talking Grey’s Anatomy not 60 minutes. So if you want to go there, why not hate George and Izzy’s characters for being adulterers and fornicators…now do you see the can of worms we’re opening?
McOffice fan,
Thank you for your response. I don’t mind having these discussions with people when their opinions are represented as well as yours is. We might have to agree to disagree on this one, which is fine because I don’t think we need to convince each other 🙂
You’re right that there are other issues in this world much bigger than what Isaiah Washington said. But I think his comment was a microcosm of of what too often happens in our society which is some can be discriminated against and others just let it pass on by. The point that really bothers me is that if the tables were turned and Knight made a racial slur against Isaiah then I truly believe there would have been for more serious consequences for Knight. I really do think advertisers would have felt the pressure to pull ads from Grey’s, and to stop the bleeding Knight would have been fired.
And for George and Izzie as adulterers…they are TV characters with no real consequence, right?
But again, thank you for your response. I respect your point of view on this matter.
I agree with McOfficeFan. While I totally think Isaiah’s comments were totally unacceptable I disassociate him from the character he plays on tv. He may not be a great or tolerant person, but he is a fantastic actor. Furthermore, bigotry and intolerance are still a big problem in our society. Silencing hatred will not make it go away — it will just trick us into thinking it’s gone. His comments while offensive are nevertheless illuminating about the fact that underneath this veneer of political-correctness is a an obvious prejudice. At the very least his comments have drawn attention to this fact and created awareness and discussion. This doesn’t excuse what he said–but if he hadn’t said it? He would probably continue to think about homosexuals in that way.
i don’t agree with isaiah’s views (i can’t imagine too many people in this day and age do), but if it was an actor who exhibited the typical liberal hollywood view of ‘all christians are crazy bigots’, there would be no uproar. the fact is EVERYONE has prejudices, and while it is ugly to hear them said, we cannot insulate ourselves from that. he is the best actor on that show and the character is a vital part of the show.
I totally respect your opinion, GMMR, and I’m sorry if I came off too harsh or anything. I’m not saying that if Isaiah did got fired, it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. I’m just saying that I don’t think he’s this terrible, evil, vicious person and all the nastiness out there about him just saddens me, and, honestly, comes off as hypocritical considering the nastiness of his own comment. I think he’s ignorant, I think he’s arrogant, and I think he is bigoted. And I think he has and is still learning from his mistakes.
And while it annoys me when everyone keeps bringing up the N word and how if T.R. had said it, he would be fired; its true. Just like its true that there is still a LOT of homophobia in America and that is really, IMO, the one reason why Isaiah still has a job. Its still acceptable to say those kinds of things to gay people. Until the gay and lesbian community has their own Al Sharpton, I think, unfortunately, situations like this will continue to happen.