PAGING DR. BURKE: YOU WERE FIRED LAST YEAR, SHUT UP "Former Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington — who was axed from the show in 2007 after spewing a homophobic slur at T.R. Knight — is slamming the show for firing Brooke Smith. 'I looked at a brilliant actress, whom I have adored since I first saw her in Silence of the Lambs,' he says in the Nov. 17 issue of TV Guide. 'For her to be treated this way, I find very interesting. … Now that I see what they're doing to a show that I love and I care about, I think it's disgusting.'"
ALL IN THE NAME OF PUBLICITY "A year ago, he was throwing down gay-hate; now Isaiah Washington is ponying up for them? So it appears, according to Outsports, which says that the gay f-bomb-dropper has given some serious cash to a fund that's working to stop the anti-gay-marriage amendment in California."
• HA! Why are losers who take their jewelry seriously always the ones who want the most respect? [SH]
• Best rumor of the day. [DListed]
• Remember when the black guy called the gay guy the f-word and everyone was all, "Fire him!"? Barely, right? Well, that was this year. [PS]
• This moron! [HT]
• Not fat, pregnant. [ICYDK]
• Another purse that looks like many purses before it. Wow! [INO]
• Madonna raises her children to be healthy and not materialistic. Let her have it with your contempt! [Yeeeah]
• Santa is scary. [CityRag]
With Isaiah Washington and his insistence that rainbows make him gag out of the picture, the medical drama community is free to parade about as they please.
As pride parades nationwide ready themselves to march, another voice has cut the brief—and welcome—silence surrounding "faggotgate," reminding us that the festivities have some ugly origins. This time, however, the cacophony comes not from a Grey's Anatomy cast member, but an angry lesbian; and she's not calling for Isaiah Washington's head, but instead for him to be forgiven and reinstated to the medical drama. Page Six reports:
Jasmyne Cannick, who worked with Washington on the Pan African Arts Festival, said she's infuriated ABC booted Washington from the show's upcoming fourth season for calling Knight a "faggot" during a scuffle on the set and believes it smacks of racism. So she's launched a petition - which had 1,233 signatures as of last night - to get the actor his job back.
The petition says Washington's firing "further adds to a disturbing new trend at ABC wherein minority actors have been dismissed at an alarming rate over the past two years. Blacks, including . . . Star Jones ('The View'), Harold Perrineau ('Lost'), Alfre Woodard, Mehcad Brooks and Page Kennedy ('Desperate Housewives') have been let go . . . One must ask themselves, what is going on? . . . While we don't approve of [Washington's] use of the F-word at the Golden Globes, Washington has since apologized and gone on to perform community service by way of a public service announcement for the very organizations that have been orchestrating his dismissal. But it seems it wasn't enough."
CONTINUED »
It looks like the disgraced and dismissed Isaiah Washington made short work of finding work. He's currently starring in a project called The Least of These, in which he portrays a priest who returns to his Catholic high school to replace a teacher accused of molestation. What news, huh? The role of a Catholic clergyman seems like a perfect fit for Isaiah.
CONTINUED »
Katherine Heigl, of My Father the Hero fame, tells Entertainment Weekly that Isaiah Washington thanked her for helping him see the error of his ways following an incident in which Washington called Grey's Anatomy costar, TR Knight, a "faggot" (that's even getting boring to type).
Isaiah thanked me, which I didn’t understand. He was almost grateful. I don’t know Isaiah well, but he takes his work seriously and he loves his character.
He made a big mistake, and it was thoughtless and boneheaded, and I think he’s very sorry and embarrassed. This is something that will have changed the scope of his life.
Not "will have," Katherine, has. There are plenty of reports that Washington's already been fired, which Heigl ostensibly supported. Where was she with all this information of penitence when it could have helped salvage a man's career? She said he approached her on set. That must have been weeks ago—possibly months. She waits until now? Wonderful. And just in time to get her name in the papers and the blogs on the opening weekend of her new film.
[Source]
• This guy was my pretty much my idol after Rumble Fish. What happened, Mick? [DListed]
• Roddick got Photoshop 'roids. At least they're safe. [BWE]
• Big boobs is your evidence? She's had big boobs for like seven years now. How long is that baby taking, guys? [HT]
• Lohan meltdown clock set two minutes closer to midnight. [ICYDK]
• Some prince is paying ten mill to hang with Michael Jackson. Dude, I would have done it for half that, and I wouldn't even molest you. [Yeeeah]
• Since boobs are no longer shocking on his show, Howard Stern has taken the next logical step to suicide. [CityRag]
• Knowing that this was forced makes it even more hollow than most other public service announcements. [SH]
Heard the awfully depressing news? Ex-AA meeting attendee Lindsay Lohan has joined forces with Svedka vodka who have agreed to sponsor her upcoming 21st birthday bash in Las Vegas and pay her hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It's part of a deal that could net the star up to seven figures for the July 2-3 celebration.
Other partners include Pure nightclub, Caesars Palace (which is providing a "specially designed" suite) and the Social House restaurant at Treasure Island.
In the pay-to-play world of celebrity events, Vegas nightclubs alone have been known to offer up to $400,000 to land a top name.
It's always nice to see alcohol brands and the drinkers they've left in shambles sitting down and planning ways to make money together. Call it a booze-booze situation!
In related news, Isaiah Washington's birthday is being sponsored by www.godhatesfags.com, and the Marlboro Man's funeral is being sponsored by lung cancer.
[Source]
• Billy Joel's daughter alleging Perez Hilton of being exploitative. [Radar]
• Beyonce alleging the media plays up cat fights between black women. [PopSugar]
• Robert Downey Jr alleging some cops are power hungry dicks. [Glitterati]
• More people alleging Britney Spears is having a comeback. [HT]
• Jennifer Esposito alleging irreconcilable differences. [ICYDK]
• Katie Holmes alleging she can't be completely controlled by her husband. [Yeeeah]
• Isaiah Washington still alleging he's not a homophobe. [SH]
• Tommy Lee alleging he knows how to do "research." [HR]
Months after calling Grey's Anatomy costar TR Knight a "faggot" and subsequently attending therapy to work on his anger management skills, Isaiah Washington is not submitting himself for consideration in this year's Emmys.
It wasn't the best TV season for Washington, who allegedly slurred castmate T.R. Knight on the set last October and got into a fight with Patrick Dempsey over the incident. In January, Washington exacerbated the situation, which had largely blown over, when he told the worldwide media attending the Golden Globes that the slur never occurred but used offensive language to make his point.
Washington probably figured he wouldn't receive much love from Emmy voters anyway, and it's smart to stay away from high-profile events where the media might be looking for additional, and controversial, soundbites.
It is also being said that Washington will not be asked back to the hit show next season.
In light of these developments, as well as the Imus scandal, we must ask ourselves if what we now expect out of our celebrities is not only good work, but also beliefs that jibe with our own.
Consider this: Marlon Brando, without a doubt one of the greatest actors in the history of film, said this, "You've seen every single race besmirched, but you never saw an unfavorable image of the Kike because the Jews were ever so watchful for that. They never allowed it to be shown on screen." Absolutely abhorrent and misguided words, but should we have crucified him? Should we have booted him from Hollywood? Keep in mind that if we did, we wouldn't have had Vito Corleone, Stanley Kowalski or Colonel Walter E Kurtz.
If what we expect out of those that we celebrate is kindness and tolerance, how many great pieces of art would we miss out on?
[Source]
• What about narcoleptic gays, though, Isaiah? [TMZ]
• "That man, is a brownie hound." [DListed]
• Rosie doing her inversion therapy to cure her depression. Little known fact: this is why bats are never sad. [IDLYITW]
• They're both "sporty." They can bond over free weights. [INO]
• Idol roundup. Barba's off, but she'll certainly linger on in the hearts of 16-year-old boys for years to come. [Jossip]
• Courtney Love does rehab stints like mischievous teens eat. [ASL]
• Everyone wants another one right after they've had the first one. Babies are like egg rolls that way. [PopSugar]
• Finally, someone willing to speak out against the relentless bitching of people who don't like DUIs. [IDLYITW]
• I'm thinking about suing Michael Jackson for my coffee being too cold at Starbucks right now. I'm sure he has something to do with it. [Queerty]
• Nick Cannon still playing way out of his league. [Star]
• I doubt the No Doubt reunion will be spectacular. [ICYDK]
• The boobs should never be bigger than the pregnant belly. [HT]
• Think this means they'll have to do the bunny hop? [ASL]
• Grey's Anatomy spin-off to have 100 percent less Isaiah Washington. [JJ]
• I'm from Rolling Stone and I need two double espressos. [Jossip]
See this picture? It's a photo of Paris Hilton giggling and chilling with Antonio Villaraigosa, the Mayor of Los Angeles. It was taken at a post-Grammy party this past weekend. That's right, it was taken after the revelation that Paris casually uses the words "nigger" and "faggot."
Great, Antonio. Did you forget that you preside over a city that claims a 10 percent black population and one of the largest gay enclaves in the world?
Isaiah Washington says faggot and he's forced into rehab and almost loses his job. Michael Richards says nigger and he's crucified by the press. Paris Hilton says both and she's taking photos at fun parties with one of the most powerful men in America. Doy! Cue this.
[Source]
After we showed you this video, another video surfaced in which Paris Hilton is again seen using the words "nigger" and "faggot," and GLAAD's all over the case:
The video, which appears to have been taken by an amateur videographer at a private party, shows Hilton referring to someone using the "F-word" and referring to herself and her sister, Nicky (who also calls a man the "F-word" in the video), by saying, "We're like two [N-word]s." In one stream of insults, Paris Hilton says,"[Expletive deleted] hoodlum, broke poor bitch from, like, Compton."
The date of the video is unknown. "Access Hollywood" reports that it "appears to be several years old," while ITV reports that the "video was filmed at a recent party."
"When Paris Hilton utters these words into a camera, it creates a permanent record that — regardless of when it occurred and because it has been made public — she must bear responsibility for," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "These are not frivolous words, and to use them as if they are gives tacit sanction to the racism and homophobia they engender. Hilton has an obligation to go on the record, explain herself, and publicly apologize to the LGBT and African American communities and all those offended by these slurs."
Considering the recent outrage at Isaiah Washington and Michael Richards' use of these slurs, it's fairly surprising that this hasn't been a bigger story. I think it's because people don't expect much out of her, which is actually tremendously sad.
Someone here compiled a list of places Paris represents in case you want to boycott them. They're actually pretty easy to avoid. I've been boycotting Pars Hilton for about six years and I didn't even know it.
Isaiah Washington is slated to return to Grey's Anatomy Thursday, after completing his stint in a counseling program following his use of the word "faggot" in the presence of his gay colleague, TR Knight.
Washington, who plays Dr. Preston Burke, has not been on the set since Jan. 23, the day before he issued a statement saying he would seek counseling "as a necessary step toward understanding why I did what I did and making sure it never happens again."
Washington, 43, has been at the center of controversy since using a homophobic slur to refer to costar T.R. Knight, who is gay. After a firestorm of criticism, Washington apologized, then on Jan. 23 announced: "I have begun counseling."
"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," he said.
While the type of counseling used for cases such as his can vary, sources say Washington's therapists used the controversial "8th Grade Jerk" technique, in which Washington was noogied and harassed with "More like GAY'S Anatomy!"
PS See this: "Washington, 43, has been at the center of controversy since using a homophobic slur…?" The new rule is no more being scared of words and the whole truth. Instead of writing "a homophobic slur," write "faggot." Also, no more "the n-word." Come on. We're adults, People.
Isaiah Washington is going to check into some sort of odd rehab designed to cleanse him of his homophobia. This following his use of the word "faggot" on the set of Grey's Anatomy and last week's subsequent apology. Here's more of the story from Life & Style:
Grey’s Anatomy star Isaiah Washington has entered a residential treatment facility in an effort to quell the controversy surrounding his anti-gay remarks — and save his job, Life & Style has learned exclusively.
According to an insider, Isaiah, who issued an apology for his statements on Jan. 18, agreed to undergo a psychological assessment after talks with ABC executives.
The married 43-year-old father of three was spotted entering the facility at 9 a.m. today (Jan. 24).
…
"ABC has told him he must enter a program to examine why he would say such hateful words,” the insider says.
Since he's being persecuted by the public and hated by people who don't even know him, I think Washington has already taken the first step to relating to gay men in America. That said, I think he should just go all the way and have sex with a man. Having sex with another man would be one of the quickest ways to get this bigot monkey off his back and, as studies have shown, he'll probably like it.
[Source]
• Jared Leto halfheartedly attacked Elijah Wood. Don't worry, he didn't get the ring. [CityRag, BV]
• Isaiah Washington meets with GLAAD. Let the awkward silence commence! [DListed]
• Coachella is going to be great this year. [ABCNews]
• Keira Knightley is suing over being called too skinny. Kirstie Alley calls her a "stupid ingrate." [PopSugar]
• Urban's outta rehab but, as I've said before, sober country songs are an oxymoron. [Us]
• Mayer and Simpson defy the odds in Miami. [People]
• Roker's gastric bypass wasn't even four hours long. [Slate]
Editor
