Isaiah Washington Takes the High Road

Regardless of what really happened on the Grey's Anatomy set, we all know the ultimate result was that Isaiah Washington was not asked to return to the program.

As Isaiah attempts to restart his career, he paid a visit to the set of Access Hollywood for a candid interview with Billy Bush - mere hours after it was announced that T.R. Knight received an Emmy nomination.

"Do you think he benefited from this dust up?" Isaiah was asked by Bush regarding T.R. Knight and his Emmy nomination.

"T.R. Knight is a good actor. He has been a wonderful actor from day one," Isaiah said. "T.R. Knight, congratulations. He finally got the attention he deserved."

In fact, it was only well wishes from Isaiah for his former Grey's Anatomy co-star who received his first Emmy nomination on Thursday.

"Whether or not it serves any particular agenda that he's nominated now, to make a point, I can't speak on that. That's theoretical. I don't know, but good for him," the former Dr. Burke said.

Washington claims the controversy stemming from the Grey's Anatomy set had nothing to do with his decision to not submit his name for Emmy consideration, as actors typically do.

"It wasn't about not submitting because of the backlash," Isaiah Washington said. "I didn't want the pain of being nominated and losing. I didn't have a good time at the last Emmys. It was the stress of 'Are we going to win? Are we going to win?' the whole day. I remember being on the red carpet and my wife and I had the biggest argument because of my nerves."

Of course, it's not the first time the pressure of an awards show appears to have gotten to Washington, there was the post-Golden Globes incident.

"When you got up on the mic and used 'the word' for the second time, was that not just trying to disarm everybody and address the big elephant in the room?" Bush asked.

"Yes," Isaiah said. "It backfired hugely."

But did the party atmosphere of the Globes contribute to the notorious remark?

"The thing about the Golden Globes, why it's such a great awards show, is that everybody has a few drinks," Bush noted. "Did you have a couple of cocktails?"

"Oh yes. I was kind of asleep at the wheel," Isaiah laughed.

However, ABC's ultimate reaction wasn't exactly swift.

"It took ABC eight months to fire you. That rules out moral outrage," Billy said. "Sometimes in organizations people look and see who is more of a legal problem. Did you lose a political struggle?"

"I don't think I lost. I think the executive producers and the creator lost," Washington replied.

It was Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes who called Isaiah to give him the news.

"She didn't call to fire me," he said. "She called to give me a heads up as a friend."

But that very same day, Isaiah Washington got another phone call - from NBC, offering him a guest spot on Bionic Woman.