In today’s edition of Celebrity Redemption, Grey’s Anatomy doc Isaiah Washington is making the rounds with a public service announcement promoting, yep, tolerance. No, really. Read the full post.
May 25
2007
03:13 PM ET
Isaiah Washington's PSA: Are you buying this?
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It’s just too weird. The man is a much better actor than this. (Not as a friend-but as an actor.) So does the frozen delivery mean he’s unconsciously unrepentant even though he’s trying? Or is he doing this because he has to, but is signaling to us with his body-language that he doesn’t mean it at all? A head-scratcher because he’s so good as an actor, he’d be able to lie to us much better than this.
I agree with a lot of the others; he’s such a good actor, he should be able to pull of “sincere”. He does on a weekly basis as Burke.
I’d say your assumptions were right on target. If you are going on TV to do a “please forgive me”, at least appear to be sincere.
Isaiah Washington is not now nor has he ever been a bigot. The ridiculous over reaction to the use of a derrogatory term during a heated argument has been played to the hilt. Of course he was sincere in his public service announcement. He even helped write it. This is a man who made a mistake, apologized, and tried to move on but the media would not allow it. He handled the negative attention poorly and put his foot in his mouth at the Golden Globes, but that does not make him a homophobe. He has no history of homophobia. Don Imus is an outspoken bigot who has insulted African Americans for years. The fact that young girl athletes were the target this time was his undoing. There is no comparison between Isaiah and Don Imus. Anyone who cannot see the difference isn’t looking very hard. If ABC is so influenced by the pro-gay media that they would fire Isaiah over something said on a closed set that should have been handled then and their by the people involved it would be a joke.
Yes, in response to your question. You are being way too hard. What more can the man do? He has apologized profusely. He did not call TR Knight the f word to begin with in a confrontational way. He referred to him by that word when arguing with someone else. TR was not on the set at the time and overheard it. It was an error and he apologized. The second time he did not call TR the word, as your column implies, he was trying in a clumsy way to say he had not called TR the word to begin with, meaning in his face, calling him a name. He does not deserve this bad press. He apologized in private and in public, went to rehab for anger management, and at the request of GLAAD agreed to help in their anti defamation campaign. He is honoring his commitment and we have no reason to believe he is not sincere. In fact, he wrote parts of the announcement himself and if you have ever heard him speak in interview, much of it sounds like Isaiah, not like Shonda Rhimes. Get off of his case!
Oh, brother. As always in today’s society, if one speaks ill of African Americans, it means a loss of one’s career, extreme shock and outrage from the public at large, and humiliating mea culpas across the broadcast spectrum. But, insult a homosexual? It’s a quiet slap on the wrist from the superiors, and an admonishment to “get off his case” from the hardly-outraged masses.
You’re being too harsh. He’s already apologized for what he said. Honestly, what more do you want him to do? Get off his back people. He deserves to be on the Grey’s. That show will suck without him.
It’s unrealistic to think that you can evaluate Washington’s level of remorse from his PSA. While I think most of the points you made were fair, it seems ingenuine to expect to know what sincerity looks like in real life. He’s doing the umpteenth take of a scripted speech. He could have performed with remorse–but that doesn’t mean sincerity or honest. Bottom line–you have no way of knowing, and it’s unfair to make an evaluation based on facial expression. As if certain emotions always dictate a specific facial reaction.
“We have the power to heal and change the world with the words we use” – seriously? If it’s that simple then exactly what words need to be said to achieve world peace, stop global warming, etc, etc? Did anyone else notice that as well as the “I want to hurt someone” glare, the entire speech is delivered almost sarcastically. I could swear that he is even stifling a giggle at the end when he says the last line.
Stop comparing gays to racism!!! I am black and believe me there is a difference!!! It’s a lifestyle not a Race!!! My best friend is a white lesbian but she is not black.
Mr. Washington is an excellent actor who should be allowed to keep his job. The show will not be the same without him. He has, apparently, very strong convictions that frustrated him to the point of name calling. It only comes with spiritual maturity that one can control themselves and realize that when people are engaging in questionable behavior you must show compassion and love them more. I think he should get his job back with the requirement of counseling on the control of his own behavior.
Thanks Donald. Clarification is indeed necessary. Racism and lifestyles are two different things. One is personal preference and the other breeds hate-oh wait! They can both breed hate.
I thought the ad was sincere. I just don’t get it. What more to people want from him? Is it not enough he made a mistake and appologized, now people need his blood too. I feel horrible for him now.