T. R. Knight
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Rumors have been circulating that a crass comment from Isaiah Washington during his on-set argument with Patrick Dempsey may have prompted the decision of T.R. Knight (right) to go public regarding his sexuality.

We emphasize the word rumors, because these claims are still wholly unsubstantiated. Past colleagues of Washington's have been relaying accounts of surly behavior on set, and several tabloids are speculating that the man who plays Dr. Burke may be replaced.

But according to a statement released by ABC and sources close to the set, that is not true. Isaiah will be sticking around. However, our sources do report that things are still shaken up on the Grey's Anatomy set and the production department is struggling with how to best to handle the aftermath of the scuffle -- both on set and in the storyline.

The Insider has refrained from commenting on this issue due to the lack of credible information. But if a remark from Washington did force Knight out of the closet, as is being reported, that would be very upsetting.

This was obviously a difficult week for T.R., regardless of what prompted his decision to go public. If he did so not entirely of his own volition, it would be extremely sad. Above all else, we're supportive of T.R. and his decision, and hope he's not suffering any backlash.

But unless Washington's role in the matter is confirmed, it does little good to speculate. Releasing irrelevant stories from Isaiah's past does nothing but fuel rumors and keep the incident from blowing over.

For all we know, he said everything attributed to him -- but he also may not have. The media is clearly conducting a hit job on Isaiah, trying to give a story legs it doesn't have. At least for now. Unless that changes, we're staying above the Fray (bad pun intended).

Here's hoping that the incident is resolved and Grey's Anatomy carries on in all its marvelous glory. If we hear anything new, we'll share it with you ASAP.

T.R. Knight is gay. This we know, following his public announcement last week. While it doesn't change the way we perceive T.R. Knight whatsoever, to most of us, this revelation was a surprise.

But not so for CBS reporter Robb Todd. He knew that a long time ago that Knight was gay, because apparently, the Grey's Anatomy star changed his cell number last year.

How's that? Come again?

An anonymous source happened to get Knight's old New York number and has been getting misguided calls for the actor ever since.

The calls have included drunk dials from girls (who obviously didn't know about his sexuality), a job offer for a commercial, and calls from people wanting to know the location of award-show after-parties.

The source wanted to change phone numbers because it was wasting his Sprint anytime minutes. Todd advised against that, for the entertainment value of getting other people's voicemails often rivals that of prime time TV (possibly even the top-rated program).

Then, last month, this Deep Throat received a mysterious text message.

"Hey, it's Brian... in New York, Kevin's ex. Will be in L.A., for an art auction next week. Wondering what you're up to."

Brian? Kevin's ex? Hmm...

When Brian got to L.A., he mistakenly sent Deep Throat another text message about the art auction's reception downtown, and said he "wanted to see how you were."

The plot thickens. Eyebrows were raised. Suspicions voiced. Not because anyone cares that he is gay, of course. Just for fun. For the reporter, it became like solving a game of Clue: T.R. Knight with Keith's ex, in the dining room with the candlestick!

In the wake of Knight going public about being gay, the source has been getting congratulatory text messages from his best friends in the world — people so tight with the actor that they don't know he changed his cell number a year ago.

"Rock on, dude. Miss your face. Paul."

It makes sense that Knight left people like this behind. No one wants to be friends with anyone who says, "Rock on, dude."

Knight, who plays Dr. George O'Malley on the ABC drama, said, "I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."

He has nothing to worry about. He's a terrific actor with a bright future on TV's top show, and probably long after that. Plus, he apparently gets some interesting text messages.

Rock on, T.R. Rock on, indeed.

Grey's Anatomy's T.R. Knight, who last week confirmed exclusively to People that he's gay, is shown here in today's online edition of the magazine.

Here Knight is seen hanging with a fellow ABC star, Brothers and Sisters actor Luke MacFarlane, in Santa Monica yesterday. That new show replaced Grey's Anatomy in its original Sunday, 10 p.m. time slot. We're pleased to see that T.R. carrying on after what must have been a hard week for him -- and that he apparently loves Boston, one of our favorite cities!

T.R. Knight, who made headlines Thursday by officially confirming he is gay, is finding that life goes on. And that above all, it's busy.

"I'm trying to fit this into a lunch break," the Grey's Anatomy star said at the beginning of a sit-down interview with Scripps Media. "So let's get going."

It sounds like the right moment to offer an apology for cutting into his eating time, but he's not having it. "No, no, no," he says. "Hit me."

The interview is conducted near the hit show's operating room doors. T.R. Knight (whose given name is Theodore Raymond) who plays the hospital's lovable loser, Dr. George O'Malley, is sitting in a waiting room chair, slightly impatient.

Dressed in his blue scrubs, he invokes the image of George, but he's more focused than the sometimes hapless intern. On that day, when dozens of critics are swarming the set, Knight was one of the in-demand actors for interviews.

The same sort of chaos that sets the tone of the show's hospital has come to life in reality. Journalists are darting from room to room. Some are part of organized tours; others are wandering in and out on their own.

It's a rare day when Grey's Anatomy, one of ABC's crown jewels, opens the door to reporters. Workdays for the cast and crew can turn into 18-hour stretches, giving the actors little time to devote to anything but their scripts. Not only that, but creator Shonda Rhimes is notoriously secretive.

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Actor T.R. Knight, the terrific Grey's Anatomy star who has become a fan favorite as everyman George O'Malley, has announced he is gay.

The 33-year-old addressed rumors of his sexuality in a statement to People magazine Thursday, and while it's part of who he is, he hopes that isn't how people view him.

"I guess there have been a few questions about my sexuality, and I'd like to quiet any unnecessary rumors that may be out there," Knight said in his statement.

"While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."

Before taking on the role of the bumbling, puppy-eyed surgical intern George on the ABC drama, T.R. (which stands for Theodore Raymond) made a name for himself as a stage actor. His TV credits include CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

We're happy for T.R. in that the decision to come out is often a difficult one, and he clearly felt it was time. If we see or hear anything more, we will have it for you as soon as possible.

Sure, Dr. Shepherd is McDreamy and Dr. Burke is McPerfect. But one of their subordinates may have bumbled his way into just as many hearts.

T.R. Knight, who plays the sweet, awkward and overlooked George O'Malley, is on the Entertainment Weekly "Must List" -- people in the entertainment world we must know more about, and keep our eyes on.

He's shy and emotional. He means well but makes bad decisions. He's excruciating to watch at times, but always lovable. Everyone can relate to him. In an interview with EW, Knight talked about his own "crush-worthy" status, himself compared to O'Malley, Meredith, Callie, and what's up next for him... if anything.

On becoming a heartthrob:
"That's not something I see. I don't foresee myself ever seeing that, unless I get some work done."

George vs. T.R.:
"We do have a lot in common. Like, when people are a$$holes, I kind of freeze up, because I don't expect that to happen."

Meredith vs. Callie:
"It's nice to know that someone is into [George] who doesn't cry during sex or give him syphilis."

On passionate Grey's Anatomy fans:
"I got a swat on the arm from a woman on the street, saying 'Shame on you for sleeping with Meredith!' But I believe it was a loving swat."

Random, George-like ramblings:
"Dissimilarities... is that even a word? Or is it like uncomfortability? I used that for a long time. Then I realized discomfort was a lot easier. The word uncomfortability is uncomfortable."

On looking for addtional work:
"I could lie and say 'You know, I just want to take some time off.' But I'm auditioning to see if they want to show me some love, and so far they're not showing me some love."

It's okay, T.R. You can rest assured that all of us at the Insider and 20 million other Grey's Anatomy fans will show you the love in season three.

With Grey's Anatomy on hiatus for the summer, its cast is taking on some interesting acting roles. Perhaps the most educational of these pursuits belongs to T.R. Knight, who will soon be appearing on an episode of the classic PBS children's series Sesame Street.

The actor who plays George O'Malley won't be playing a surgical intern on Sesame Street, however. Instead, he'll portray a private detective -- a private "I" (as in the letter "I"), to be more specific.

We haven't heard much more about his appearance, but from the looks of the pictures (which we have added to our gallery) he'll be showing off mad detective skills, and possibly being indecisive about his relationship with Callie. Just kidding.

As awkward, lovable and socially inept intern George O'Malley, T.R. Knight has emerged as a fan favorite on Grey's Anatomy. In many ways, the actor's roundabout road to success mirrors George's unlikely status as everyone's hero.

Knight's multifaceted portrayal ensures that George is never a sad sack, but far from a stereotypical leading man. We've grown to love George like a brother as he's bungled romantic encounters, struggled to fit in, and grown immensely as a surgeon. In an interview with the Arizona Republic, Knight said he was instantly drawn to George's complexity when he auditioned for the pilot.

"I liked that you saw more than just one side of [George]," Knight said of the script. "In a pilot, there's a lot of information you have to get across, and especially in this case, a lot of characters. I saw more than one side to him. He wasn't just someone who sticks his foot in his mouth... You saw him struggle, get hurt. You saw him try to do good."

Despite how badly he wanted the part, Knight, who travelled from New York to L.A. for "pilot season," tried not to get his hopes up.

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What makes Grey's Anatomy such a critically-acclaimed, viewer-obsessed sensation? There's great writing and intriguing story lines for sure - but the diverse, entertaining, talented cast is truly what stands out about our favorite program.

To see how these actors mesh away from Seattle Grace Hospital, USA Today recently ran a story on the cast's appearance at the Museum of Television & Radio's 23rd annual William S. Paley Television Festival on Tuesday.

Ten of the show's actors, plus five writers and producers, along with the creator, Shonda Rhimes, filed onstage at the Director's Guild of America to answer questions from a moderator and audience members.

"For us, not having a time slot last year, and now all of you watching ... has been great," Rhimes told the screaming audience, mostly women, at the sold-out event.

Patrick Dempsey, who plays neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd ("McDreamy," to anyone in the know) sat between his two love interests: Kate Walsh, who plays his wife, Dr. Addison Shepherd, and Ellen Pompeo, who portrays intern Meredith Grey. It turned out that Dempsey's real-life heartthrob status made an impression on Rhimes herself.

Dempsey said he had been "completely terrified" of Rhimes during his original audition because she stared at him, "no expression, no warmth," but Rhimes thought otherwise.

"The entire time he was in the room, I thought, 'He's so dreamy,'" she said.

When asked how the cast resembled its characters, Pompeo grinned and pointed at Dempsey.

"I haven't publicly said this before, but I do have a crush on him," Pompeo said.

"Well, I have a crush on you, too," Dempsey, who is married to Jillian Fink, shot back, to sighs and whoops from the audience.

"I've got a crush on both of you. Maybe we can party," Walsh said, laughing.

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T. R. Knight, who plays George O'Malley, gave an interview with the Associated Press this week, which was later picked up by CNN.com. The transcript gives fans a rare glimpse into the mind of one of the show's unsung characters.

Curious what the 32-year-old Minnesotan and veteran stage actor has to say about sheep intestines, his character's unrelenting love for Meredith, what it's like to be the lovable loser, showering with female colleagues, and how to talk convincingly like a doctor, among other things? See below.

AP: Why do you think the show is so popular?

KNIGHT: You have a really -- excluding myself -- fascinating group of actors who are all very different from each other, exceedingly different. You've got really good writing and I really like the point of view of our creator, Shonda (Rhimes). I like her politics, I like what she stands for and I like what she's trying to do with the show.

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