T.R. Knight Confirms Slur Was Made, Resulted in His Coming Out
T.R. Knight says that hearing Isaiah Washington call him a "faggot" on the set of Grey's Anatomy gave him the courage to come out of the closet - and that he's speechless that Washington on Monday denied using the word.
In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres, which aired on her talk show today, Knight says something changed inside him when he overheard an argument in October between Washington and Grey's Anatomy co-star Patrick Dempsey during which Washington used the slur.
"It's an awesome word, isn't it?" the actor told DeGeneres sarcastically. "I've never been called that to my face. So I think when that happened, something shifted, and it became bigger than myself."
Shortly after the on-set dustup, Knight confirmed he is gay - the kind of public announcement he says isn't his style, but he felt was necessary.
"I was under no delusions," he said. "My friends on the set knew. We talked about it. Publicly, it's not my thing to call up People magazine and be like, 'Hey, you want to know something about me?' I could've just let it slide and not said anything, but it became important. It became important to make the statement."
In the Golden Globe Awards press room on Monday night, after Grey's Anatomy won Best TV Drama, Washington dubiously fielded a question from a reporter about the incident and denied using the slur, which rekindled interest in what could have remained a dead issue.
"No, I did not call T.R. a faggot," he said. "Never happened, never happened."
But Knight told another story to Ellen DeGeneres.
The talk show host said, "And then the other night at the Golden Globes, I guess Isaiah Washington is starting up the whole thing up again which is kind of crazy..."
"Yeah, he denied that he said it (faggot)," Knight said, "and I don't know what to say about it. But it's pretty bad."
Washington's denial also infuriated Grey's Anatomy cast member Katherine Heigl, who reproached her co-star during an interview Monday.
"I'm going to be really honest right now, he needs to just not speak in public. Period," she said. "I'm sorry, that did not need to be said, I'm not okay with it."
In today's interview, T.R. Knight also thanked DeGeneres for her courage in coming out as a lesbian 10 years ago.
"It just made all the difference in the world," he said.
January 17th, 2007 11:36 AM
It's so sad..i wonder...'why can't everyone just get along?'. Its true - this could have been a dead issue if IW didnt say that word again at the GG. Aggrivated or not, he could have used a better word. Calling someone who is gay the 'f' word is like calling someone who is black the 'n' word. I am a straight white female and i have to say - both of those words are just harsh - raw - and completely wrong - ESPECIALLY amongst reports. I do not see any justificaton of using either of them. So maybe IW needs to think of it that way. But i really do wish this situation would just go away.
January 17th, 2007 11:47 AM
In his own way, I think IW was trying to kill the questions about the incident, hoping by saying that no one else would ask anymore questions about it. Because I agree, enough is enought! Even KH said something about him not meaning it the way it came out. I think if people would have taken the time to calm down and think about it, it wouldn't have been such a big issue.
January 17th, 2007 12:00 PM
I really wish that Isaiah hadn't handled the GG situation the way he did. I get that he was sick of everybody asking him. I get it - i've been sick of everybody asking him. He has the right to be frustrated, but why, why did he have to leap across from the other side of the room to interrupt Shonda and use the word that he was accused of saying in the first place? Why? It was over - done! Sure, he's gonna get asked about it, but the cast reached a level of peace and understanding. I saw the interview with access hollywood after Katherine's statement, and if he had just waited to make his own peace, and handle it in that fashion, then that would've been fine. Now he pretty much welcomed it back into the press after winning an award infront of the entire cast including TR - they should've been happy but now...now TRs doing this interview and boom, its back. I really respect TR and i respected IW back when he released his apologies, but now i don't know what to believe. All i know is, i really hope this resolves itself for good soon. George is my favorite character, and Burke is intriguing aswell - i certainly wouldn't want to lose either of them over something like this. I just want the cast to be cute and happy again!!!
January 17th, 2007 12:09 PM
Now Mr. Wahington adds insult to injury, lying on top of uttering racist remarks? Way to go !!!
January 17th, 2007 12:17 PM
Isaiah Washington is nominated for an NAACP Image award - please ask for his nomination to be withdrawn:
imageawards@naacpnet.org
January 17th, 2007 12:36 PM
I am very disapointed in mr. washington for using that word. As an african-american he should know better than to use that word. Using the f word is like using the n word.
Patrick and T.R always took the high road when the question about the fight was asked. In fact T.R and Patrick sort of covered for mr. Washington by not going into great detail about the fight. But after lying in front of everyone about that word, I don't blame T.R for finally telling the truth about why he came out.
By shouting it out in the manner that he did, he ruined that special night(golden globes) not only for Shonda but for the cast as well. He just added more fuel to the fire and it will be hard for me to look at him in the same way that I had use to. I have lost respect for him. I know people make mistakes and everything but you just can't use that word. How would he like it if Patrick or T.R had shouted the N word in the same manner that he shouted the F word? All hell would break loose and Patrick or T.R would be fired on the spot.
I was hoping that this fight would never come up again but mr. washington wasn't thinking and now thanks to his actions this fight is now at the center of the show again instead of that amazing golden globe winning.
January 17th, 2007 2:06 PM
Viki,get over yourself! You don't know how it feels to be black or gay! So you have no clue if both words carry the same hurtful feelings or not! I hate hearing ignorant people, such as yourself,say dumb things...Anyway, It was an argument between two adult males. If the "sweeter" of the two's feelings got ruptured then, oh well! "Stay out of a man's face, if you don't wanna get hurt", I always say!!
Oh by the way TR Knight is a "fag" by his own admission!!!
January 17th, 2007 2:10 PM
All of you are a bunch of Sissy's. HE IS A FAG!!!!!
He is a male that has relations with other men!! In short... A FAG!!!
January 17th, 2007 2:31 PM
How did this whole thing start? What exactly prompted IW to call T.R. a faggot? In one of the magazine interviews with PD it was explained a little but I find it all to be very confusing. Could someone straighten me out? And I just want everyone to be friends again....
January 17th, 2007 2:46 PM
It doesn't matter that TR is saying thiis now, which I don't know if I believe him. Even before this interview, people believe that IW had said the slur anyways. I honestly don't feel that IW was trying to hurt him, he was defending himself. First, TR wasn't in the room and didn't hear it, now he was coming around the corner and hear it. At this point, it a matter of he said, he said. They need to work this out and move on, and focus on the show. Let TR and IW work it out. The problem is that everyone is trying to get into it: KH, media, etc. I can't believe that TR is upset because he told the reporter he didn't say it. He was trying to make it understood that he didn't say it, so that the others [reporter] would leave it at that. IW apologize to all parties involved for whatever happened. And, Cemroar it's people like you that make it hard for others. I truly believe that IW is not a racist. Let them work it out so we can continue to have our Greys. The show is what is it because of the great cast.