The Grey’s Anatomy Isaiah Washington saga is not over yet.
In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Washington, whose contract with Grey’s Anatomy was not renewed after an eight month brouhaha over his use of the word “faggot”, accuses T.R. Knight of lying when he told Ellen Degeneres in January that “Washington used the slur against him and that ‘everyone (on the set) heard it.’“
Says Washington: “That’s a lie. I used the word during a disagreement with Patrick. I apologized for that. We shook hands and went back to work.”
According to the paper, “Washington said Knight, who plays Dr. George O’Malley, stirred up the notion that the slur was targeted at him and created a negative work environment. Washington also alleged that Knight likely wanted a salary increase and a more substantive role for his character.”
Washington, who said he may file a lawsuit, suggests that Knight should have been fired instead of him: “They fired the wrong guy. I have to clear my name. I’ll start from the beginning. I’m telling everything. So here’s the truth….My livelihood, my honor and dignity and my name have been so challenged…I was not fired for making homophobic slurs. I did everything I said I would do. I offered to go to counseling, to do a public service announcement. I wanted everyone to know I was remorseful.”
The actor characterized his feelings as disappointment, not anger, and said there were three mistakes he made: “believing the cast of Grey’s Anatomy were like family; believing I had the freedom to express myself with family and that we could resolve our issues; and trusting ABC was going to take care of me.”
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Washington also recently compared his tribulations to those of Malcolm X: “Maybe for 50 years and the history of media and television I represent something that’s supposed to not exist. This happened to Malcolm X, this happened to Paul Robeson — this misconception can happen to any man of power that loves himself and wants to spread that love and that humanity throughout the world.”
Grey’s star says they fired the wrong guy [houston chronicle]
