Gossip

Isaiah Washington receives surprising support

Jun 20 11:52am

After being fired from hit medical drama 'Grey's Anatomy' in the wake of unleashing a torrent of abuse upon homosexual castmate T.R. Knight (who plays the super-soppy George O'Malley), Isaiah Washington has received some surprising support.

Gay and lesbian activist Jasmyne Cannick, who worked alongside Washington on the Pan African Arts Festival, has offered her help to the star.

To show her depth of feeling for the beleaguered actor she has started a petition to have his character, Dr. Burke, reinstated onto the hit show, saying that racism was the cause of his firing and not his gay slurs against Knight and bizarre on-set behaviour, including choking Patrick 'McDreamy' Dempsey.

The petition says Washington's firing "further adds to a disturbing new trend at ABC wherein minority actors have been dismissed at an alarming rate over the past two years. Blacks, including...Star Jones ('The View'), Harold Perrineau ('Lost'), Alfre Woodard, Mehcad Brooks and Page Kennedy ('Desperate Housewives') have been let go...".

Cannick states that the steps Washington took after his very public use of gay slur (both on-set, and at the Golden Globes) should have been enough to ensure that he kept his job on 'Grey's Anatomy'.

Would you like to see Dr. Burke back on 'Grey's Anatomy' next season?

Latest Galleries

32 Comments Report Abuse

1. tiffy8813 - Jun 21 08:17am

oh hell yes, the cast wouldnt be good without him. every character plays a huge part, it wouldnt be the same. it just stupid they fired him

2. wesleyglendavies - Jun 21 08:45am

oh come on, why did Josaih washington have to be fired. He had to go through all that humilation and had to appologise on national television, dont u think thats enough?

3. casaclangandre - Jun 21 09:37am

The question you need to ask is if any other stars, like McDreamy or McSteamy (well basically 'McWhite') made the same comment, would they also get fired?

4. mimsy_paper - Jun 21 10:10am

I don't really think racism is an issue here. I don't necessarily support him for what he has done but I still think he should be forgiven. Especially because he worked out what he had done was wrong, and did something about it. Besides, Greys' Anatomy wouldn't be the same without him =[

5. jojo_84gal - Jun 21 10:18am

if he doesnt go back.. wats to happen to christina? i dont wan them to not to be together in the end.. they deserve each other...

6. juliegaiter - Jun 21 11:03am

once the casts on shows start changing the programs r never the same leave him be

7. akon_emin3m_50cent - Jun 21 11:29am

greys anatomy has already lost 1 cast member, he should not get fired over something that has already been sorted out, that is just wrong. the whole show will be ruined if he isnt reinstated

8. aliciasavill - Jun 21 11:42am

I dont see why people have pitty for him. Just because he is black doesn't give people a right to say " oh its coz he's black..." and I am damn sure he knows the difference between right and wrong! Skin colour doesn't give you any special rights. Serves him right i think!

9. irinakalpakidis - Jun 21 01:04pm

Of course I would like to see him on the show. Hello, it is not going to be the same without him ???!!! All those fights between Christine and him keep the show very interesting.Can't you see that he plays a very huge role there?!! I don't necessarily support him for what he has done but I still think he should be given another chance. I am sure he learnt his lesson.

10. mimsy_paper - Jun 21 01:08pm

But we aren't pitying him because he's black. We're pitying him because he DID work out that what he did was wrong and did something about the problem. I believe the situation would be the same even if he was white or any other race. I repeat, RACISM is not an issue here.