Isaiah Washington, who has said he needs help to resolve issues "within my own soul" following his anti-gay remarks, is seeking counseling, he said in a statement to People Wednesday:
"With the support of my family and friends, I have begun counseling. I regard this as a necessary step toward understanding why I did what I did and making sure it never happens again. I appreciate the fact that I have been given this opportunity and I remain committed to transforming my negative actions into positive results, personally and professionally."
The actor remains at the center of a firestorm of controversy after using a gay slur to refer to his costar T.R. Knight, who is gay.
Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of Grey's Anatomy, replied with her own statement Wednesday - and by reading between the lines, it appears she is either not ready to decide, or unable to predict what ABC executives will do regarding Washington's future with the show.
"We applaud and encourage [Isaiah Washington's] realization that he needs help and his subsequent choice to seek immediate treatment for his behavioral issues," she said. "All parties are seeking to address the issue in a way that underscores the gravity of the situation while giving us all a foundation for healing."
Washington, who plays Dr. Preston Burke on the hit ABC show, first used the slur during an on-set argument in October, then repeated the word at the Golden Globe Awards last week, while denying he used itthe first time.
Knight has said that the incident in October prompted him to come out of the closet. Washington apologized last week and promised he would seek help.
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21 Comments
January 24th, 2007 4:25 PM
this is all just to save his job...he is not sincere at all..he knows he is about to get canned...
January 24th, 2007 4:34 PM
i love Dr Preston Burke, and IW is the right person playing it...I don't care if IW is a racist, or a sexist or whatever...He is not my idol..and he certainly hold no moral authority over me. I just want some good television on TV that is all...if IW is fired, I am quitting the SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Shonda should have handled it more approriately in October when it first happened..she should have just told him "You know, I cannot let this ever happen again, whether on set ,or in the press room...if you do this again, you will get fired and it will be hard for me to save your ass". And I can't believe she laughed when IW made that faggot comment at Golden Globe. Who is holding Shonda responsible?
January 24th, 2007 4:35 PM
He won't get canned, and he shouldn't be. Still it won't change the fact that he is one lying SOB. Let's give it up for another round of name calling
January 24th, 2007 5:26 PM
Personally, I think Ms. Rhimes laughed out of nervousness.
Let's not make her responsible for his actions, please.
January 24th, 2007 5:42 PM
ok, i agree..let us not make Rhimes responsible for his action.
And let us not blow this whole thing out of proportion.
But I know I won't be watching the show if he is gone..
January 24th, 2007 5:56 PM
I also agree that it's not Shonda's fault. It's not like she MADE him say it, i will still watch it if Burke isn't there, but it won't be the same "Grey's Anatomy" that i love!
January 24th, 2007 6:23 PM
drop the fricken subject
January 24th, 2007 6:59 PM
Ok he said the word like what, half a year ago and your still talking about it. GEt the hell over it. He is an awesome actor maybe not a great person but who cares. i don't think i would watch the show if he was tooken off. All you gays out there need to take whatever is up your butts out and GET OVER IT!!!
January 24th, 2007 7:25 PM
I will watch the show if he stays or goes.....no matter what GA is an amazing show and even if it will not be the same you should not throw the baby out with the bath water....
oh, and shonda is not to blame.....
January 24th, 2007 7:31 PM
Every night when I get home from work I dread going on line, afraid that I am going to read that ABC has succumbed to pressure from a rabid public who are out to crucify this man. To me that would be the worst possible thing that they can do, because it would be like trying him by public opinon rather than by the facts of the situation which only they truly know. Losing Burke would ruin the show for me and many others. Isaiah is going to great lengths to show that he is sincerely sorry for offending anyone. Still you read posts that he is only doing it for this reason or that reason. I still believe it was unintentional. I still maintain that TR made the situation far more serious than it needed to be by going to the press. But I am so grateful that as of this moment we still have a Preston Burke who is in love with Cristina Yang to watch on Thursday night. So I'll read the unkind posts and the vicious attacks on him and continue to love the character and respect and like the man, more so than ever because he is showing all of us how important this is to him. I will continue to support him and hope that the sanctimonious people calling for his head turn their hatefulness onto someone else more worthy in the near future.