Report: Isaiah Washington in Therapy
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.
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.
January 24th, 2007 8:36 PM
Isaiah take care and heal. Your fans will always be here for you.
January 24th, 2007 8:50 PM
I agree fran, she wasn't laughing. She was just happy and giddy from the win, and when IW made the statement she didn't see it has an attack on TR, just IW defending himself from the press. Those who dislike Isaiah saw it differently. But I'm through with it, I just wish IW well, so we can continue to enjoy him and Sandra on the show.
January 24th, 2007 8:58 PM
i just couldnt agree with you more..
Sandra Oh and Isaiah Washington are great actors..they have great chemistry on set...
they bring such a dynamic spirit to the show...
can you imagine how BORING grey's anatomy would be without Burke and Cristina?
I only watch it becasue of Burke and Cristina..
January 25th, 2007 7:28 AM
Seriously!
He shouldn't have done that, but he did. He's hateful for that.
But he is a great actor. It would be sad watching him "die" or "get another job" to leave the show.
He is chauvinist but seriously, people need to get over it.
He spoke it out, but "non-famous" people do it everyday!
If i were Rhimes, I wouldn't know what to do.
January 25th, 2007 4:31 PM
http://newsletters.tvguide.com/W0RT020C7D49DFADB231130C4FF3D0>Click here.
January 25th, 2007 4:32 PM
http://newsletters.tvguide.com/W0RT020C7D49DFADB231130C4FF3D0
January 25th, 2007 4:33 PM
ok so go to that link and you can see a preview for tonight....it is different that the one above.
oops about the first link it doesn't work ..use the second one.
January 25th, 2007 4:34 PM
The ratings will dictate whether IW is going to remain on the show...
January 26th, 2007 6:08 PM
does no one else work? how many times have we all gotten upset with a co-worker and say things we didnt mean,he without sin cast the first stone!,do you think your boss should fire you or send you for counseling? if that was the case the whole country would be on unemployment.get over it!,look at him for his work .Everybody gets so bent out of shape over what one says when they need to start looking at theirselves,because no one is better then the other.
January 26th, 2007 8:41 PM
This is OFF TOPIC, but didn't see anything about this here, didn't know where to post. Celebrity Baby Blog is reporting that Jillian Dempsey was in labor earlier today (time not given) and that she and Patrick are expecting their twin sons 'within 18-24 hours'. Patrick may already be a father for the second time by now. I don't have the link for Celebrity Baby Blog, so please Google it if you want to read the post for yourself.
February 2nd, 2007 1:46 PM
Isaiah is OK. TR needs to develop a thicker skin. Sticks and stones, you know. This is much ado about nothing. Frankly, if I hear one more word about it, GA is off my channel line up. And you can thank your overly PC'd cast for that.