It could just be the washed-up carcass of Meredith, but something about Grey’s Anatomy smells fishy here at PopWatch HQ. ABC announced today that Taye Diggs has joined the Grey’s spinoff about mighty neonatal surgeon Dr. Addison Montgomery. So think about it: creator Shonda Rhimes wants Isaiah Washington outta there, but needs a sneaky way to do it besides a straight-up firing. So she can introduce Diggs’ character in a Grey’s epiosde that will serve as a back-door pilot to the Addison spinoff, and she can quietly write Washington out at the end of the season by breaking up Burke and Cristina (Sandra Oh, pictured). Then, if the Addison show isn’t a great big hit (or if it never gets off the ground in the first place), she and Taye can merge back into the Seattle Grace lovefest, and there’ll be a new attractive black man who is not a known homophobe on Grey’s. The switch can be blamed on story lines and development decisions. With all the glam publicity sure to accompany all of this, it’s a win-win for ABC.
What do you think? Are we being overly conspiratorial, or is this a plausible scenario?
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Isn’t Taye Diggs the kiss of death for tv sitcoms, whether old (Ally McBeal) or new (Day Break). I guess Shonda just can’t look past that smile.
i love taye diggs, but i see him as a movie man, not tv. and if rhimes really wanted to get rid of isaiah, shouldn’t see write him in the spin off, which is, let’s face it, doomed to fail?
Isaiah won’t be going anywhere.
Oh god, Taye Diggs? Why do I feel as if I’ve lived through this day before, over and over and over and …
They should get rid of Snadra Oh. She doesn’t fit in a show full of “dreamys” and “steamys” when her looks simply make folks queezy.
Nice way to push your own agenda, EW. I had held you in higher esteem than other websites. I will do so no longer.
That’s a lot of money to be spending just to get rid of an actor and fill the ‘black lead’ quota. I don’t buy it, sorry.
I still think this is SUCH a bad idea…
Wow, Dre, a lot of people think that Sandra Oh is quite attractive, myself included. Sorry she doesn’t fit into your botoxed reality and instead represents a quirky beauty that I find wonderful to see on screen.
As for the conspiracy theory I don’t buy it, but who knows. Odder things have happened behind the scenes.
Please let this be true! I don’t like the one-for-one trade idea, but Washington has GOT to go. Whatever it takes, I’m fine with. Of course, I would also be fine with Meredith dying….
Washington SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED!!!!!! Period, I don’t care how they get rid of him, just do it!! What an a** that guy is seriously, and I am not even gay but if it had been a race issue I know I would have been personally offended so that’s where I’m coming from.
Sandra Oh is the best drama actress on TV next to Mariska Hargitay and I also think she is a really sexy, beautiful and smart woman.God bless her because without her ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ would be a very different show, just check her reactions tonight when she finds out Meredith isn’t reaction.She is amazing!!!!
get rid o’ Isiah Washington already
I really think Burke needs to be fired or die or something on the show because what Mr. Washington said should not be tolerated and I hate his character! I think Christina is so much more interesting on her own and they way he pushes her to be someone other than who she is for their relationship is horrible. It will be great for May sweeps!
My prediction is that Burke dies tonight….
There have been reports of a major character dying tonight, my money is on Mer’s mom.
Mia
P.S. Even though I LOVE ADDISON and Kate Walsh, I HATE the idea of her having her own show. She is great on GA. Can Shonda do 2 shows at once?
Sounds like danger to me!
I don’t know about your theory, but Taye Diggs deserves to be on a big hit and his participation guarantees that I will be watching.
Not Taye Diggs. That sucks. But, I don’t feel the love in the relationship between Burke and Christina. They are always at battle. But, Taye Diggs. That washed out drama king. He can’t act and he definitely has no charisma. Besides Shonda Rhimes, he hates black women. Didn’t you hear his comment about having black women as a partner…it ended with “that has one of them”. He was telling the interviewer to talk to a black man that acutally has a relationship with a black woman. You’re a black woman. I know you are not going to put another admitted bigot on the show. He is no better than Washington. Come on…do better. Black women will boycott this show if he stars in it. As for the spin off. That show, too. Get rid of the bigot Washington. But, don’t trade one bigot for another. Taye doesn’t like you Shonda, because you are a black woman. He just desperate. Don’t feed the dog a bone. He’s not that hot. Now, if you want hot…Morris Chestnut. Hint, Hint!
This idea is even dumber than Slezak’s premise for the spin-off.
And Callie O’Malley dies tonight.
I think you hit the nail in the hammer. As much as i want a double dose of Shonda’s wit… its bad idea for her to split her time.. look at Aaron Sorkin; splitting b/w West Wing and Sports Night cost both shows. GA needs full time attention since its not a procedure show like Law and Order… and hmm Addison aught be the new Chief. This is an ensemble show like Friends which we all knoe failed whe focused on one character (Joey) I hope this is classic GA dropping false spoilers and news to keep us fans on out toes
Annie, it’s like you read Shonda’s journal! I bet it all comes true…especially that whole not being “a great big hit” thing.
this is a great conspiracy theory. Sign me up for it!
that seems like a lot of money and effort to just get rid of someone if that’s what they want. this theory holds no water for me. furthermore i think that addison/kate are worthy of their own show. get rid of sandra oh? you have got to be kidding me she and chandra wilson are simply the best actresses on grey’s.
In this day and age I cannot understand how people can be soooooo shallow.SandraO is beautiful.Even if she just does’nt fit into some people’s idea of what beautiful is.
shame on you
Put Taye Diggs in anything and I will watch, one of my favorite actors!!! The man is SO SO FINE!!!!
This is way out there, dude.
Spend your time convincing your higher-ups that you need a moratorium on freaking Lost covers instead.
I really hope that they do not do this spin off. I think Addison really adds to Grey’s and she would be missed. That being said, I think Burke does too – regardless of his crappy remarks. And trust me, if you think that Isaiah remarks are the worst thing said in a workplace environment – that you clearly aren’t living in reality. Also, he did goto anger mgmt therapy. In most work places, you wouldn’t be fired but required to goto sensitivity training. My point is we love the show as it is – don’t take any one away!
Oooh Anger Management! Like that is so incredibly life-changing! Give me a break. Taye is OK but I hope this theory is true. I just want Isaiah off no matter what. I think a neo-natal storyline would be awesome. That also spells the end of the relationship between Sloane and her as he would likely stay on regular GA.
I can’t begin to tell you how sick to death I am of all of this nonsense. Number one, Isaiah Washington is not a homophobe because he used a taboo word for gay one time in an argument. Show me any evidence to the contrary over a decade in the movies and on television. The Burke and Cristina couple have many, many fans. To replace Burke on this show would be suicidal and the height of ridiculousness. This is almost like brainwashing. The pro-gay media has pushed this issue and pushed it to the point that even people who were surprised and disappointed at the way Isaiah went about defending himself at the Globes are now supporting him. The media needs to back off and let the people involved solve their differences. He made a mistake and he is doing all in his power to rectify it. His acting on the show and his characterization of Preston Burke is superb. Taye Diggs will be good for the spin off. We don’t need him at Seattle Grace.
I think it’s sad that people (including the writers at EW) think that you can just trade one black actor in for another. Like, “OK we get rid of Isaiah Washington but we have to keep the ‘black seat’ so let’s go find another black actor because they are all so indistinguishable from one another.” Give me a break. Shonda already addressed rumors such as this when it was suggested that Isaiah would be replaced by Eric LaSalle or Boris Kodjoe. It ain’t happening.