Washington Breaks His Silence Over Grey’s Axe
ISAIAH WASHINGTON has hit out at producers of hit TV show GREY’S ANATOMY for firing him with such ease.
The troubled actor’s future on the medical drama had been in doubt ever since he made a homophobic remark about castmate T.R. Knight last October – a comment he repeated at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this year.
“Shonda Rhimes called me on Thursday of last week and told me that I would not be returning to the show. Just like she personally called me and invited me to the show. It was full circle.”
News Source: andPOP
Grey’s Petition: Bring Back Dr. Burke
Lesbian Activist Thinks Firing Was Racist
There’s been a bit of unexpected support for fired “Grey’s Anatomy” star Isaiah Washington. The New York Post reported that a gay and lesbian activist, Jasmyne Cannick, is circulating a petition urging ABC to bring Washington back to the show.
Full Text Of Cannick’s Petition
To: Steve McPherson, ABC Entertainment, Disney ABC Television Group, and Isaiah Washington Fans Around the World:
The decision to not bring back our beloved Dr. Preston Burke, played by actor Isaiah Washington, on the next season of “Grey’s Anatomy” just further adds to a disturbing new trend at ABC wherein six people have been dismissed. Four Blacks, including Isaiah Washington (“Grey’s Anatomy”), Star Jones (“The View”), Harold Perrineau “Lost”), and Page Kennedy (“Desperate Housewives”) have been let go. Add to that George Lopez, a Latino, of the “George Lopez Show” and out lesbian Rosie O’Donnell of “The View.” Now mind you, these are some of your networks most highly rated shows and so one must ask themselves, what is going on?
It’s a fact that Isaiah has been the target of an orchestrated campaign focused on getting him fired from “Grey’s Anatomy” since the incident with his co-stars was unleashed in the media. And while we don’t approve of his use of the f-word at the Golden Globes, Washington has since apologized and go onto to perform community service by way of a Public Service Announcement for the very organizations that have been orchestrating his dismissal. But it seems it wasn’t enough. Isaiah Washington doesn’t deserve to lose his job and ABC can’t afford to let another minority actor go, especially an African American considering you have so few to begin with.
Keep Dr. Preston Burke on “Grey’s Anatomy!”
If you want Isaiah Washington to stay on “Grey’s Anatomy,” please sign this petition and forward the petition to your mailing list.
Thank you for taking the time out to read this.
News Source: KNBC.COM
Washington out of `Grey’s Anatomy’
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.
Well, I am sure this answers one of the many questions many of us had about the dramatic season finale last month. It is going to be rather odd starting season 4 without Preston Burke.
News Source: East Valley Tribune
IW pulls himself out of Emmy race
Grey’s Anatomy:
Isaiah Washington pulls himself out of Emmy race
April 20, 2007
Isaiah Washington has been embroiled in controversy for months. Ever since Washington (who plays Dr. Preston Burke on Grey’s Anatomy) shouted a homophobic slur at castmate T.R. Knight, he’s been caught in a maelstrom of bad publicity. Knight, as a result, was forced to officially come out of the closet, a poor choice of words at the Golden Globes caused a rift in the cast, and Washington has remained on shaky ground throughout.
So, what’s the best way to climb out of the abyss of negative media coverage? Baby steps. It was recently announced that Washington will be the only member of the Grey’s Anatomy cast to not submit himself for Emmy consideration. This is the sort of selfless gesture that Washington needs to start winning back fans. However, is it really a show of good faith, or is it an empty gesture?
Would Isaiah have been considered for an Emmy award if he had thrown his hat into the ring? I don’t know. He’s quite good as Preston Burke, playing him very intense and introspective. It’s a unique portrayal, but the degree of difficulty seems low. Then again, I’m not an actor and can’t really comment on how hard a certain role is for an actor, but that’s just my feeling on Washington. So, I wouldn’t give him my Emmy vote if I had one.
There have been questions on whether or not Isaiah will keep his job on Grey’s for the long term, but that talk is mostly of the speculative gossip variety. For a show like Grey’s Anatomy, losing a character like Preston Burke would have a ripple effect on the entire cast and, unless an actor is completely unbearable, you normally won’t fire someone just because you don’t like them.
In terms of nominations, Patrick Dempsey will likely get an Emmy nomination in the Lead Actor category, and I’m betting either Chandra Wilson or Katherine Heigl (or both!) will get a supporting nod. Other than that, I wouldn’t expect anything more on the acting side of things for Grey’s.
-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
IW makes donation
‘Grey’s Anatomy’
star makes donation to project on African slave trade
March 15, 2007 (LOS ANGELES) – Isaiah Washington, who traced his ancestral roots to Sierra Leone through DNA testing, has donated $25,000 to a computer animation project that aims to detail the Atlantic slave trade.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” star started a nonprofit foundation last year to improve the lives of people in the West African nation.
“The stories of innumerable Sierra Leoneans that were forced into slavery have yet to be extensively told,” Washington said in a statement. “I believe this project will begin to shed some much-needed light on the region, both past and present.”
The computer project focuses on Bunce Island, an 18th-century slave-trading castle that sent African captives to North America. Joseph Opala and Gary Chatelain, professors at James Madison University in Virginia, are directing the project, which will show the castle as it appeared in 1805.
They hope to create an educational CD that will let students to look at the castle and its details to see what Africans experienced 250 years ago.
“Our computer animation project will allow us to go beyond the imagination, and actually see how the Atlantic slave trade was carried out,” which is crucial because events then could not be documented by photography, Opala said in a statement.
Washington’s donation was made through his Gondobay Manga Foundation and the Friends of Sierra Leone, a spokesman said Wednesday.
The star of ABC’s hit medical drama came under fire this year for using an anti-gay slur, for which he later apologized.
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On the Net:
Isaiah Washington wins NAACP Award
Finally some good news in regards to Preston (Isaiah Washington). From Buddy TV on March 6, 2007:
Grey’s Anatomy’s Isaiah Washington Wins NAACP Award
After a string of frazzled intrigues, Grey’s Anatomy bounces back with positive news. Isaiah Washington, cast member of the popular medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, redeems himself from his unpleasant slur as he won Best Actor in a Television Drama at the 38th Annual NAACP Image Awards.
This second win in a row serves as a breather for the highly stressed actor. “The last time I was up here I felt deserving of something,” expressed Washington. “This time, I feel extraordinarily privileged…I’m humbled and honored to be recognized by the NAACP.”
More Bad News For Washington
Isaiah Washington May Lose Out On Grey’s Anatomy Pay Raise
“Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington is at risk of losing out on a pay rise after his homophobic outburst earlier this year.
Washington shocked Golden Globe Award attendees in January by calling gay co-star T.R. Knight a homophobic slur – and the episode is likely to cost the star a wage boost, according to Page Six.”
While I never saw the Golden Globe Awards this past January, in some ways I feel the media is making too big of a deal out of this.
News Source: Star Plus News Blog
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