by Ceinna Childers

Created on: July 03, 2007

Isaiah Washington did not call anyone a faggot. He used the word faggot during a heated conversation with someone else. The homosexual cast member was not involved in the disagreement. When the gay cast member heard of the altercation, he chose to come out of the closet at that particular time, making it appear as though Washington forced him out by using the slur. This couldn't have been further from the truth.

Many people have said if someone had used the "n" word they would have been fired, too. If they had called Washington the "n" word they should have been fired, too. If Washington had called T.R. Knight a faggot he should be fired. He did not call anyone this particular name. In fact, the quote was something to the effect of, "Are you saying I'm a faggot," and was directed at Patrick Dempsey, a heterosexual cast member.

Once the media feeding frenzy, based on erroneous information began, it was too late for the truth to take hold. Negative gossip has a way of taking on a life of its' own and once it has, people don't care about the truth anymore. They just want to continue feasting on the reputation and character of another person. Truth be damned, tabloid journalists want ratings, and carnage sells! No one could hear the truth over all those glass houses shattering anyway!

Isaiah Washington most certainly should not have been fired. He jumped through ABC's hoops while they continued to try to put the best face on the story. It's called spin. The more they spun, the more out of control the gossip monster became and the more Washington looked guilty. You don't keep changing your story if you did nothing wrong. If you look at it from start to finish, Washington is the only one who never changed his story. The media kept the pot stirred while Washington went to counseling and made public service announcements. If ABC and Grey's Anatomy had stood by their man, mediated any disputed between cast members, and kept telling the truth no matter what, this would have quietly faded away.

The powers-who-be at ABC did the viewers of Grey's Anatomy a great disservice and slaughtered their own cash cow in the process. The fans of Grey's Anatomy would have stood by the show and all of its' cast members if they had been given the opportunity. The truth would have been enough to keep Grey's in tact, keep the fans of Isaiah Washington and T.R. Knight viewing in full force, and ABC would have needed to do nothing but set the tone and example by standing up for the integrity of their own show. Obviously they have no idea what a prize they had in a solid Grey's Anatomy and a cohesive cast. They have underestimated their own show's value and the value of their viewers. Isaiah Washington's firing did not solve any problems; it created some.

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