Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

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Isaiah Washington Apologizes, Admits Conduct Unacceptable, Will Seek Help Comments (Page 2)

62 Comments

  1. Burke Backer

    Just a slight correction, Isaiah graduated from Howard University in Washington DC, not Harvard. I so agree with you, Kitty. I hope Shonda and everyone else associated with GA are able to settle the bad feelings and hurt that this entire incident has caused for many people including both Isaiah and TR. You and I will have to agree to disagree about the motives of both Isaiah and TR in this situation, Kitty. Really, the only one who had anything to gain from all of this is actually the media hounds who would not let it die the first time and brought it up yet again after the GGs.

  2. Burke Backer

    Hello Kitty, I hear what you are saying, but Isaiah didn't bring it up. Ted from Eonline did. At their moment of celebration the first question he asked was about Isaiah's homophobic slur. Isaiah was trying to clarify that he did not call TR the slur. He was not calling him a name in that situation, but rather trying to end the constant questioning about it.

  3. Burke Backer

    Hi Fran, I think he is very sorry for marring what should have been a happy occasion by responding to the reporter. I also think he is very sorry that anyone thinks he intentionally set out to hurt TR Knight. Nothing that I have said is inconsistent with Isaiah's apology.

  4. Kitty6464

    T.R. was a complete...COMPLETE (I say) gentleman. You can never tell a person's character until they are made to respond to something. He proved to me that he's got class. The comment in question was discussed and it was decided by T.R. that it was nothing to get worked up over. Yes, it was painful, and as an "educated" man, I find it hard to believe that IW could've even thought about the word without associating pain with it.
    It's a DERROGATORY word. With education, knowledge is supposed to ensue. With knowledge, comes compassion and understanding. With compassion and understanding, comes patience and tolerance.

    Unless IW is from another planet, he is, by right, a poor representative for Harvard.

    I'm sorry, I like the guy, but I despise his action, and I am ashamed of him for denying his fault and
    later trying to gain acceptance by "dramatically" apologizing, only after the ABC head officers get involved.

    Had the shoe been on the other foot; all hell would still be b

  5. Kitty6464

    Thank you "Burke Backer". In light of your response, allow me to clear up something.
    Whether or not the intention was negative, has no bearing on the fact that it caused a social disruption. As mild as it may seem to some, it is important to others who says what, and why they say it. The art of free speech, like anything else, has its loopholes. IW found it necessary to use that right and say something that would later be seen as inappropriate. We are granted free speech with the hope that we as adults will understand that everything, including words, have their place in society.

    Regardless of his motive, regardless of his mindset at the time of the incident, the comment was said not only once, but twice; in two different settings and seasons, by the same person. It's not so bad that he uttered this tasteless and ignorant word, but the fact that it had "supposedly" been quashed and then it was repeated some 4 months later is really what created the hooplah.

    If it matters to

  6. Fran

    I wonder if BB is a close personal friend of IW, or how she can read his mind.
    It seems to me she thinks she knows what his intent was, when he himself says he can't explain it.
    Others react to what they saw on Golden Globes night. If IW himself can admit in a statement that he marred what should have been a great evening for the cast, why can't she? If he says he regrets what he did, why does BB keep saying it was unintentional, and so on and so forth...

  7. Burke Backer

    I do respect the people on this website and their opnions even when I don't agree with them. Some people, however, post inaccurate information about what happened and make absolutely hateful comments about Isaiah Washington based on information that is at best only partially known. It is clear that Isaiah and TR have a different version of what happened back in October. It would be great if they could work out between themselves what actually happened and why and get past it. Isaiah should not have used the term he used whether to someone else or to TR. If TR was offended by the use of the word it might have been better to discuss it with Isaiah and get it worked out rather than having a press conference to talk about being gay and talking about it again on a talk show. Neither man has acted in the best interest of the show and the fans, and in my opinion Katherine Heigl does not help by taking sides. These are both her castmates. She told Ellen initially that she wasn't on the

  8. Grey

    well, i didn't format that message well, but you get the point. here is the one with girls and george

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sotAfH4BJQ

  9. Nikki

    "Is the difference between "calling" someone that word and "referring" to someone as that word significant? Whether or not he said to his face or behind his back does not change anything"

    I completely agree with you. Whether he said it to his face or behind his back is irrelevant because he still said it and it was still refering to T.R. On top of the fact that he was fighting with another castmate. I don't understand why another castmate has to be brought into a fight that doesn't involve him.

    And I go back to my comment about the n-word. Both are deeming words and to certain types of people both are offensive. I'm sure that IW as at least once in his life been called the n-word and I'm sure that he didn't like it. So why would he call T.R. the f-word? Obviously, T.R. isn't going to like being called that either.

    I also don't understand why this had to be brought up again months later. I'm sure the situation hadn't calmed on set but it had calmed in the media and by IW taking

  10. Milly

    "I RESPECT YOUR COMMENTS, DO EVERYONE A FAVOR AND RESPECT THIERS POSTED HERE ALSO"

    Exactly. No one here should feel ashamed of themselves for having an opinion (good for you for having one!). It is about IW and the controversy, not about the commentators.

  11. Milly

    He did not say he didn't use the word, Milly. Go back and listen again. He said he did not call TR a faggot. TR didn't even say Isaiah called him a faggot. He said he overheard Isaiah use that word in an argument referring to him. Is there some reason that you do not want to see the difference? Is there something that you have against Isaiah other than using an ugly word in an argument?

    Is the difference between "calling" someone that word and "referring" to someone as that word significant? Whether or not he said to his face or behind his back does not change anything, IMO. The meaning is intact; it is the same.

    Anyway, I certainly did not come here to change anyone's opinion, only to express mine, which leads to confusion when reading both your questions, particularly: "Is there something that you have against Isaiah other than using an ugly word in an argument?" Honestly, that doesn't deserve an answer. Obviously I think that his comments and his behaviour thereafter are en

  12. GINA

    THIS COMMENT TO DIRECTED TO BURKE BACKER

    YES I DID KNOW THAT IW WAS A GRADUATE OF HARVARD, WHICH DOES NOT IMPRESS ME A BIT. YOU WOULD THINK THAT SUCH AN EDUCATED MAN WOULD BE ABLE TO COME UP SOMETHING MORE CREATIVE. AS FOR ME "KNOWING " HIM , NO I DONT KNOW HIM NOR DO I WANT TO, I BELIEVE SOMEONE ELSE WROTE THAT APOLOGY, EVEN THE PRESIDENT HAS SOMEONE WHO WRITES HIS SPEECHES. I HAVE LOST EVER BIT OF RESPECT FOR THE GUY(IW) AND NOTHING YOU (BURKE BACKER) CAN SAY OR TYPE TO CHANGE MY MIND. IVE READ YOUR COMMENTS, I RESPECT YOUR COMMENTS, DO EVERYONE A FAVOR AND RESPECT THIERS POSTED HERE ALSO.

  13. Julia

    all of you should be ashamed of yourselves. are you even diehard grey fans to begin with? so IW says the f-word. . .big deal! i say rubbish now & again. . .at work, sometimes at home, when i'm in the car, etc. . .but that shouldn't result in a termination. . .that's jst ludicrous!

    "ppl who live in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones"

  14. Burke Backer

    Gina, I'm sorry you feel you have to yell. Do you know Isaiah? He is a graduate from Howard University. I believe he is educated enough to write his own heart felt apology. I have no reason to doubt his sincerity and neither do you.

    "BUT ALSO FOR THOSE WHO STRUGGLE WITH THE DAY TO DAY HATE THAT IS DISHED OUT LEFT AND RIGHT BY SOCIETY AS A WHOLE"

    Who is dishing out the hate now and who is it directed at? Isaiah's comments were never filled with hate towards TR. They were even directed at TR.

    Isaiah cannot be replaced as Burke. The character is too much ingrained by the nuances that this actor has brought to the part. It is time for the fans of GA to get a grip and a little better perspective on what happened.

  15. Burke Backer

    "His comments to Access Hollywood's Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush and his persistent insistence that he did not use the word completely evaporated any credibility he may have had."

    He did not say he didn't use the word, Milly. Go back and listen again. He said he did not call TR a faggot. TR didn't even say Isaiah called him a faggot. He said he overheard Isaiah use that word in an argument referring to him. Is there some reason that you do not want to see the difference? Is there something that you have against Isaiah other than using an ugly word in an argument?

  16. Burke Backer

    No one should use language that belittles another human being, but it happens all of the time. The difference between Mel Gibson and "Kramer" Richards and Isaiah, kitty6464, is that both Gibson and Richards directed their slurs at people with intent to cause pain and embarrrassment. Isaiah should not have used this word, but TR was not on the set to his knowledge. He did not direct it towards TR. His intention was not to hurt or humiliate his castmate. TR claims to have overheard it. There is a world of difference when you put intention into the equation.

    The fact that he used this word could be symptomatic of some underlying feelings that being gay isn't okay. If that is the case he needs to address it in his own heart. I don't think that is the case because it would be very hard to have the long career that he has had in a place very pro gay rights and harbor negative feelings without them coming out before. I don't know though. But it is also not necessariiy symtomati

  17. Burke Backer

    Oh come on people. He said one word one time not directed at TR and not intended to cause him hurt or embarrassement. He was then put in the position by Ted from Eonline of having to defend himself. By denying out loud the word that some of the less reputable media people were accusing him of calling TR it opened all of this up again. No one should lose their job over one slip of the tongue and another media set up.

    I would really like to see Isaiah and TR come to an agreement about what actually occurred on the set and deal with the misunderstanding. They need to make a joint statement of whether or not this fracus is over. If they are able to do that and the rest of the cast is satisfied that it was not Isaiah's intention ever to harm TR, the rabble rousers should back off and let us enjoy the entire cast of Grey's.

    Grey, it doesn't take a man to go on television and call your castmate a liar. It takes a child who needs to have the last word. TR would have been more

  18. katherinefan

    HAHA...i loveee how katherine stood up for TR, i hate isaiah, he can never shut up about anything!he always try to say sorry because he can never keep anything in him....

  19. Christopher

    I will no longer watch Grey's Anatomy until Washington is fired.

    As long as he's on the program, I know there's a subtext of homophobia among the cast and it's a distraction and offensive.

    Imagine if one of the cast members had referred to Washington as a "n****r?" All hell would've broken loose -- as well it should.

    This is just not something I want to know is happening behind the scenes of an otherwise fine program.

    Too bad Issah Washington had to ruin it.

  20. Grey

    mj, sweety, 45 and 52 don't add up to 100. It's more like 49-51. Anyway, it looks to me as though IW is on the down-low.
    Oh and my 2 cents. Should IW be fired? No. Who turned out to be much more of a man? TRK!
    I think we should all just shut up now.

  21. mj

    Apparently, I'm not makiing "assumptions" if there are people who don't feel he deserved to be let go. And popular opinion, well CNN conducted a poll on whether he should be let go and the results: 45% yes, 52% no.

  22. Kitty6464

    GETTING FIRED FROM SEATTLE GRACE...
    Well, here it is, a whole 4 months after the first incident between our beloved male characters, and it rears its ugly head again. The "F" word from Isaiah has become the focal point that should not have been.

    I've been hoping he would grow up in the months passed, but apparently, he didn't get that memo.

    I LIKE HIM, I LIKE HIS CHARACTER, BUT I DESPISE HIS ATTITUDE OFF-SCREEN.
    Here's where my duck gets plucked:

    If you said it, fine, admit it; apologize sincerely, and then move the hell on.
    If you didn't say it, don't say it! If you apologize for saying it, don't bring it up again months later and say you never said it. Otherwise, what was the frickin' apology for in the first place?

    It's understandable that people have personal opinions of others. The point is, some things are not to be said out loud, and especially if national cameras are rolling to pick it up. You'd think Mel and Mr. Richards would've made that very obvious. A

  23. mj

    BB, I agree with you about KH. Her comment to a reporter was "I don't think Washington means it the way it comes out", but yet she blows it all out of proportion. I don't get her at all. She even when on to say "she didn't know if he [Knight] was hurt". I think someone needs to sit down with her too and find out whats going on, because there is something straight about her behavior.

  24. Milly

    Sometimes it goes beyond how much you love a program, so please don't make assumptions on what it means to be a fan.

  25. mj

    Well, for everyone that says they won't watch if he stays on, their is someone who won't watch if he leaves. So the bottom line is that GA will be gone sooner than later. So if want to see that happen, than you're not a GA fan anyways.


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