LOS ANGELES -- Isaiah Washington has lost his job on the hit ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," five months after creating a furor with his use of an anti-gay slur.Washington's contract option was not renewed for next season, series producer ABC Television Studios said Thursday.
"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore," Washington said in a statement released through his publicist, Howard Bragman, without elaboration.
He drew fire after using the anti-gay epithet backstage at the Golden Globe Awards in January while denying he'd used it previously on the set against cast mate T.R. Knight.
Gay rights groups and cast member Katherine Heigl, who publicly denounced Washington, were among his most vocal critics.
"This is something that will have changed the scope of his life," Heigl told Entertainment Weekly last month. Washington was "sorry and embarrassed" for the mistake, she said.Washington tried to make amends and said he was seeking therapy.
He also met with officials from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and filmed a public service announcement in which he said "words have power" to hurt or heal.
The May finale of "Grey's Anatomy" opened the door for the departure of his character. Burke was on the verge of marrying Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), but her doubts at first delayed and then derailed their splashy wedding.
Later, Yang found that Burke cleared out his favorite possessions from their apartment.
In May, Bragman said the actor intended to spend the summer working and not worrying about the show. Washington intended to continue his charity work in Sierra Leone, which a DNA test showed to be his ancestral home, and work on an independent movie.
8 comments:
Free speech is essential to a good and creative society. That means that any fool can say any god-damned thing.
Violence is the only thing that should be connected with consequences.
Sticks and stones.
Well said Skip.
But I think it is has been well established that this issue is more about Group Identity Politics than speech.
The perceived penalty for offending Homosexuals is higher than the perceived penalty for offending other Americans.
Thus the disproportionate media coverage and the public crucifixion of Mr. Washington.
"He Hath Offended The Gays"
He might do well to raise his intuition. All of us can choose our actions but we can not always choose or know every consequence of those actions. Every action has built-in consequences. We may think them unfair when compared to actions we deem as similar in nature but again, we do not get to decide what’s fair and not all by ourselves. Hopefully though this he is experiencing a lesson in mindfulness.
There's a big ol' homo mafia. It's deep how much they control. I hear you can't even get a job in ATL if you ain't suckin' dick.
Big J
then don't apply for work in ATL.
Jasai... Well said... Life comes with pitfalls... If you are wise enough to understand where the mine fields are and to you avoid them... Otherwise be prepared to be blown-up!
At the end of the day even blacks have "Group Identity Politics" its called "Bill Clintonism Politics"
"But I think it is has been well established that this issue is more about Group Identity Politics than speech". Vesey
Yup, and a liberated and free culture, would not pick up stones and start murdering people with them, for perceptions of abstract belief system ideas.
Our education system, which is run without a fact based system, is to blame for the present state of the dumbed down culture.
Conspicuous consumption is fueled by ignorant consumers, that value nothing, except the main mantra of America. 'Everything for me, and nothing for you'.
What none of you seem to be aware of, that most anyone who knows I.W. personally, is that he is bisexual, lived with a male lover when he dropped out of college and has had numerous sexual relationships with men. His homophobia is born out of his personal sexual repression. So you're dealing with this with half information and you shouldn't make Isaiah your anti-gay poster boy.
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