OlderIsaiah Washington: Patrick Dempsey Made Me Use the F-word
Isaiah Washington is blaming co-star Patrick Dempsey’s lateness to the Grey’s Anatomy set for the “brawl” that riled Washington up enough to use a homophobic slur.
Washington spoke up about his experience on Larry King Live and explains that he “regretted not confronting Dempsey the first time he was late, so he challenged him the second time.”
On Dempsey first erupting: “He became unhinged, sprayed spittle in my face. I’m asking him why is he screaming at me. … He just becomes irate.”
On Knight claiming the slur was directed at him: “It’s a lie. He misrepresented himself.” (He says he used the term “faggot” as a synonym for “wimp”.)
On Knight lying to advance his career and to get more money: “He has been very disappointed in playing the character he has been playing. He told me that.”
On repeating the slur backstage at the Golden Globe Awards: “I wish I could take that back.”
On defending his actions: “I am not homophobic – in no way, shape or form.”
Washington fought back years when King asked if any cast members had written to him. Only Sandra Oh had sent him an email…
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118 Comments
73 piper, with a low
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I bet you think the Duke Lacrosse players were guilty too? As someone said, if he had ANY case he’d be suing Disney and ABC for wrongful dismissal but he won’t because he cannot afford to have their HR file on him made public
The man is such a great actor. Why didnt’ he just keep his mouth shut and move on! He made a mistake. He said he was sorry, MOVE ON! Blaming people — even if true — is NOT the way to win back your fans. Leave it alone Mr. Washington. Move on with your life and career and you’ll be hired for your acting skills and not your mouth.
77 Um : 07/03/2007 at 10:22 am
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You’re a bit slap-happy with your accusations. What is up with your desperation to have everyone agree with your opinion?
it’s not only sandra oh who sent him an e mail, but kate walsh and shandra wilson too!!!! YOU REMENBER THAT ISAIHA!!!!!!!!!!! DON4T FORGOT THEM!!!!!!!!
What is up with your desperation to have everyone agree with your opinion
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Grow up. Your comparing Jennifer Aniston and Michael Vartan to this situation shows how immature you are. Go back to the Brangelina threads
lol, i think he fought back tears, not years ^^
anyway, he needs to move on… i´m glad they fired him although i´ll miss burke on the show but i´m not sorry for him.. he gets what he deserves
81 Um : 07/03/2007 at 10:31 am
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And you lack comprehension skills, much less insight.
Go back to **** and Jane!
That pedastal comment was funny, coming from a cult memember. He just needs to move on, he is a decent actor and should land on his feet unless he continues to bash this show or ride the crybaby train.
He is an amazing actor - he and Sandra were the best on Grey’s. I actually liked George and Izzy before this happened, but I think the two of the handled it sooooo poorly and now I cannot stand either of them and do not want to watch them anymore. Izzy especailly should have kept her mouth SHUT! I do believe the two of them used this controversy to try to demand more money and better roles.
I think it is sad that Isaiah did all that he was asked to do to “make up for it” and then was fired. If they were going to let him go, they should have done it right after the Golden Globes. He should not have said it, but do we not forgive anymore? Truth is they needed him to finish the season because he is the best actor on the show. Grey’s has gone seriously downhill and the loss of Dr. Burke has made the show even weaker. Sad.
84 Mmmmm : 07/03/2007 at 10:36 am
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Sweetie… you comment on the BAMPZS boards more than I do, so stop frontin’. And unlike you, I don’t roost on a thread for people I don’t like, posting for hours at a time, acting like I’m doing some sort of public service. And I don’t hide behind ‘freedom of speech’, while not recognizing the responsibility involved in doing so; you, on the other hand, do.
So back to Isaiah… he will survive this; he has a right to speak up for himself. And if it turns out to be the wrong move, oh well.
That was Ted C at the GG’s who kept pestering him about the situation. Washington has made it very hard on himself because now this is what he’ll be known for. Expect the tabloids to dissect his appearance on LKL and dig up things and incidents from his past he didn’t want out in the public arena.
HW is run by the gay mafia, yo
Racism has not disappeared. It certainly has not disappeared in America. Whether or not you believe Mr. Washington, racism still exists. The issue of whether it exists in this situation can be debated but Washington was gagged. He now has the right to defend himself. He is a very good actor. He had no choice but to give his side of the story. No matter who is your favorite, you all read these blogs and message boards. How many times have you seen false information? How many times have you known what the tabloids say was a lie or a slanting of the truth?
A lot of actors have attitiudes. If it was about his bahavior then he should have been allowed to resign or made to resign a long time ago. ABC made it about the use of the word. I believe he used it towards himself. I have heard men use it as a synonym for sissy or weakness, particularly black men. This got blown all out of proportion by the tabloids. He denied trying to stangle Mr. Dempsey (who is also known to have a diva attitude, that is why he had a hard time for years before Grey’s)
By the way, he was a contract employee and not an at will employee. Any lawyer would place a for cause clause in an employment contract. That is a main benefit contract employees have over at will employees. The fact that ABC waited till the end of his contract and then decided not to pick up his option tells me that his version may be closer to the truth then all the blogs, message boards and tabloids. For cause means you have to have legally viable reason to break the contract. ABC did not do that but strung him along until the contract ran out. Then they did not need a reason. They could just simply not renew his contract. Which is the course they took.
The man is a very good actor and he definitely had a career prior to Grey’s and I hope he has one after.
Smilehexe why you bashing Ellen here? She’s a great actress.
IW is an unprofessional actor and ABC fired him.
86 piper, with a low
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But piper let me ask you…you seem to think that Washington was/is some big Hollywood actor/star, I don’t get that. He’s been a yeoman at best with supporting characters and bit parts so how do you think he has all this star quality? I’m not attacking, I’m just curious.
he was a contract employee and not an at will employee. Any lawyer would place a for cause clause in an employment contract.
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He was a contract employee but there are also stipulations in contracts. They could of fired him and then paid out his contract but I believe because the season was not over they had to keep him to finish the year out.
For cause means you have to have a legally viable reason. It is not just about paying out the contract. I write contracts for a living. I still say he was strung along and his version (of the disagreement w/ Dempsey and that he was not referring to Knight) is probably closer to the truth than all the other stories floating around.
90 The Awful Truth : 07/03/2007 at 10:56 am
86 piper, with a low
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But piper let me ask you…you seem to think that Washington was/is some big Hollywood actor/star, I don’t get that. He’s been a yeoman at best with supporting characters and bit parts so how do you think he has all this star quality? I’m not attacking, I’m just curious.
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Actually, my point was that he wasn’t a big star, like Michael Richards… that’s why he will be fine. When an actor is a ’star’, it is often seen as a hindrance after their claim to fame is years behind them. Isaiah Washington is a good actor; he had some spotlight from Grey’s; even more glare from the negative publicity from dropping the f-bomb. But he wasn’t the center of the show; ABC never took the opportunity to build any campaigns around him; they may be more advantageous in the long run. If he works hard, he will continue to get work, especially if hard work and excellent execution of it is his signature. But if hair, abs, and public sympathy are your major claim to fame, then there is plenty of reasons to worry.
Should Isaiah Washington put a lid on it eventually? Absolutely. Because if you look at Delta Burke and all of the drama associated with her firing, yes, her departure damaged Designing Women, but it didn’t prove too lucrative to her career in the long run. Hopefully, Isaiah will have more sense and not talk about on an ongoing basis like Delta Burke did. But fortunately for Isaiah, his firing probably won’t yield him cr@ppy projects like Delta or Women of the House.
2 A Certain Smile : 07/03/2007 at 11:07 am
For cause means you have to have a legally viable reason.
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Right. Not adhering to the policies and procedures of the company that employed him and that’s inclusive of behavioral issues and creating a hostile enviroment. ABC could of fired him if they wanted to but they wanted to work with him until it because overwhelming that they couldn’t. Isaiah Washington is not bigger then Disney or Grey’s. He had to go, period. Now, it’s all sour grapes.
Sorry, but his version of events don’t even make sense. He still could not and did not address why TR Knight would make up the whole situation and lie on national televison and be forced to come out because of this. It doesn’t add up. Sometimes it is what it is and nothing more.
Maybe he was trusting the wrong person. I have seen him in many movies, he is very talented. Patrick in his face may have been ok, but could have been fueling and leaking all the info. Seems to be to me Patrick had the superior complex, he is the star and how dare you talk to me like that. I am glad he put them on blast, like Star did on Barbara Walters. People felt Star was this or that, even
larry was being smart to her, but Rosie showed everyone that Star was telling the truth. So I applaud him for still telling the truth.
*shaking my eight ball*
My question: “Will Isaiah ever work in Tinsel Town again?”
Answer: “Outlook is grim.”
He seems like a decent guy. tbh i don’t like the way everything played out from day one. if his story is true then abc shouldn’t have gaged the cast. Dempsey and Isiah should have cleared the air and chalked it out to a misunderstanding. I don’t buy that he called TR a ******. It seems like TR took the opportunity to play the victim in situation. Why did he have to out himself, go on Ellen ect., only to boost his career. His character sucks and I believe that he wasn’t satisfied with his story line until recently. Everyone should have explained the situation and then dropped it, instead it seemed like they let Isiah take the fall and then it spiraled from there. If he did call TR a ******, they should of worked it out between closed doors and supported eachother as an ensemble. Instead TR was unreceptive and Katharine clearly took sides. Any way imo this show is going downhill anyway. Burke was one of my favorite characters and Isiah is a talented actor so it won’t be the same. He has a right to tell his side, now it should rest.
He’s a MORON like KATE WALSH THE HORRID *****!!
Grey’s will be better without these two idiots!
86 piper, with a low
now that is funny, i think you are the team leader. LOL that was good public service, what do you think you are offering to the world and the public with your sad theories and dreams of being part of family that doesnt know who you are? oh gosh, total crack up. Running along hag the B&A thread is screaming for some hits. Careful watch that Pedestal that B&A are on, they might fall off thanks to you. Tick tock tick tock
Btw dont ever call me sweetie you freak.
@Violet
Sorry if I hurt your feelings. Was not intended. Ellen Pompeo is just not my taste of actress, plus she has the biggest part on the show. This is not fair. In the third season I see no development of her character, which maybe is also a problem of the writers, I don’t know. Look at Sarah Michelle Gellar in “Buffy”, she got better with every season, as if the role grew with her age, absolutely great. Great actress, great storylines… and Marti Noxon worked on both shows, probably more people I guess.
At the beginning I thought Meredith was funny… but now, after almost three years, I think she’s clumsy somehow. Then this theater with McDreamy, together, apart, together… not my thing. Cold coffee never tastes. And honestly, who wants a man who cannot decide? What kind of man is that? And, hello, a surgeon who cannot decide? Such people should decide about life or death in a second, hopefully. Why then not in private life? That’s a paradox. So she is not my taste, he even less, this couple just does not interest me at all. No offend to the people who like them.
The person above me seems to dislike Kate Walsh. Well, I think her part is interesting. Don’t know a thing about the actress, neither do I care, but the character is one of my favorites.
Smilehexe: I agree with you I don’t care for Meredith either and I also agree that if Meredith had died I would not have missed her character one bit. She would have probably been better as a full-time narrator, narrating the lives of the friends she left. My favorites on the show are Burke, Addison, Alex, Kristina (even thou she had to grow on me, at first I thought she was just to frigid), McSteamy, Dr. Bailey, and Dr. Torres. The others (Izzy, McDreamy, Meredith, and George) can have a very minimal role and the show would have been better with the others. I woul have also have liked to see them give the Chief more definition in role with his marriage than what they did, that was way more interesting than Izzy & George sleeping together, which basically put me to sleep, those two are two boring and izzy is just crazy in an unattractive way.
I will probably check it out this season coming up, but if it is full of the mess that it had last season I will no longer watch. The only interesting part of the last season was Kristina & Burke.
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