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silversolitaireJust rounding up the news bits for posterity... Last week's news items on the "F-Bomb" incident in chronological order.
January 19th 2007
January 22nd 2007
January 23rd 2007
January 24th 2007
January 25th 2007
I've already said this to others I've talked with about this deplorable incident. I really think Network executives are doing the gay community a disservice with this. By pushing this incident like that and blowing it out of proportion they've managed to alienate basically everyone, including people who feel strongly about gay rights. I know I do, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal to talk about firing an important character without making it plauible plotwise, basically harming the show that way. It doesn't matter what I personally think about the character or the actor, but you just don't do that for a few simple reasons.
The only people who are really concerned with this (or should be) are fans of the show. People who don't watch it don't really give a shit either way which means they're not the Network's customers so they shouldn't really worry about those. I sincerely doubt that anyone is going to start watching Grey's Anatomy now because they're so impressed with the swift and unforgiving way they've dealt with this. So, seriously, it's only the fans.
Those fans I'm going to haphazardly divide into two groups (even though I'm sure there's more). Those who care about gay rights and those who don't. Those who do care are understandably upset at this whole thing and are now pleased to see that such anti-gay sentiments are not sanctioned by the cast and crew and everyone's happy. Obviously, until timemachines are invented and we can jump back in time and undo that incident where Washington forgot to switch his brain on briefly before talking, we just have to get over this. Really. So, fans are okay now and they really don't want to see their show get harmed like that because of some ill-perceived sense of rightness. Better live with the memory of one "faggot-uttering" than permanently put up with a show that no longer makes sense continuity-wise. Plus, there may be people out there who genuinely like the character of Burke.
Now, those fans who don't care about gay rights are going to be put off very much by now. Either, they don't really care enough at all to see why this is that big of a deal that we need to drag the show through the mud continuously for weeks, or they actually kinda agree and don't like gays and then they find it offensive even. I'm not saying that we should protect the sentiment of people who think that way, but what I'm saying is this. For these people, the fact that all this is happing over "protecting a faggot" is all the more reason to hate gays. They'll just get more reason to bash gays, say mean things about them and just feel generally supported in their opinion that this society already is way too gay friendly as is.
I'm not saying that dealing with anti-gay sentiments (I really hate the word "homophobe" because I really don't think there's any phobia involved in what we're talking about here) automatically does the gay community a disservice and thus should be let slip by without notice. Of course not, but I think there is an end to this. We have established that what Washington did was bad. We have established the executive producers do not approve. We have established the cast does not share these sentiments either and support the gay member of their cast wholeheartedly and condemn what Washington said. What more do we need? Do we really need to grind a TV show into the dust to heal the pain? I really don't think so.
This is why I say everyone just needs to STFU about this. Not just Washington. So maybe Washington is a huge asshole privately (I have no idea really) and nobody gets along with him and just jump at the opportunity to get rid of him. Who knows. But they really should consider what else they're sinking when they continue drilling hole into their own rescue boat. Not to mention the ridicule the show and gay rights advocates in general have been subjected to over this. Not even the GLAAD thinks it's that big of a deal. Maybe Knight should just call Washington a nigger and we can move on. Just kidding.
January 19th 2007
TV Network Executives Blast Washington "F" Bomb
Executives at TV network ABC are have slammed Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington's use of a gay slur at the Golden Globe Awards as "unacceptable." Washington stunned cast mates in the press room at the awards show on Monday, when he insisted he never used the word "f****t" to describe gay co-star TR Knight during an on-set spat last year. ABC issued a statement Thursday saying, "We have a long-standing policy to create and maintain respectful workplaces for all our employees. We dealt with the original situation in October, and thought the issue resolved. Therefore, we are greatly dismayed that Mr. Washington chose to use such inappropriate language at the Golden Globes, that he himself deemed 'unfortunate' in his previous public apology. We take this situation very seriously, and his actions are unacceptable and are being addressed." Knight told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres Tuesday that he had, in fact, referred to him as a "f****t" during a scuffle with co-star Patrick Dempsey on the set last year. Fans of the medical drama are also on the attack - in an internet petition, which was sent to ABC bosses Wednesday - over 8,000 viewers asked TV executives to fire Washington.[source]
January 22nd 2007
Washington Fires Publicist
Troubled Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington has fired his longtime publicist in the midst of his public relations crisis. Washington is facing a public backlash after making comments in the Golden Globes press room last week, denying he made derogatory comments towards co-star TR Knight. According to Tvguide.com, the actor has hired publicists Allen Mayer and Kelly Mullens, who are crisis management experts. Mayer has done damage control for clients including R Kelly, Tommy Lee and comedian Paula Poundstone. Washington has issued a public apology and agreed to meet with members of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).[source]
January 23rd 2007
Washington Meets with Gay Leaders
Disgraced Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington met with leaders of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) yesterday to address his recent homophobic remarks. In a statement last week, Washington declared he needed help after lying about using the word "f****t" to describe gay cast mate TR Knight. He also agreed to meet with GLAAD leaders, who had requested the chance to sit and talk with the actor in a statement they released last week. That meeting took place yesterday, shortly after Washington fired his longtime publicist. GLAAD officials were upset when the actor insisted he "did not call TR a f****t" during a Grey's Anatomy press conference backstage at the Golden Globe Awards last week. Knight went public two days later, revealing his co-star had called him a "f****t" during a heated row with cast mate Patrick Dempsey last October.[source]
January 24th 2007
Washington Set To Be Fired?
Isaiah Washington is on the verge of being fired from hit TV show Grey's Anatomy, according to media reports in the US. Washington sparked a public backlash last week when he denied calling co-star TR Knight "a f****t" during a press conference at the Golden Globe Awards. And now, according to E! Online reporter Kristin Veitch, executives at ABC are looking for ways to sack the troubled star, who plays Dr. Preston Burke on the show. She writes on her blog, "(I) just received word from a highly placed source within the Touchstone/ABC family that ABC and Disney executives are currently considering the option of firing Isaiah Washington from Grey's Anatomy, effective immediately, without having him appear in any kind of farewell episode. According to this reliable source, if the network does follow through with this option, the producers are likely to run a full-screen announcement at the beginning of the first Burke-less episode that announces Isaiah Washington is no longer part of the show. I'm also told by various sources that the loss of Preston Burke is not an easy task for Grey's writing staff to deal with, given that he has a major storyline (including a life-changing event) coming in the next few episodes that air during February sweeps. Those episodes have already been shot." ABC issued a statement last week calling Washington's behavior "unacceptable" and he has since issued an apology and met with gay leaders.[source]
January 25th 2007
Washington Seeks Counseling at Treatment Center
Disgraced Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington was checked into a residential treatment facility in a bid to keep his job on the medical drama, according to news reports in America. The actor hit the headlines last year with anti-gay remarks he made towards cast mate TR Knight on the set of the show. He repeated the remarks in a bid to clear his name at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this month. After publicly apologizing for using the derogatory word "f****t" in public last week, Washington met with enraged gay community leaders on Monday. Accepting he needs help, Washington checked into the unnamed facility for a "psychological assessment" this morning, according to a report in American publication Life & Style. His decision to seek help for his comments came after Washington met with TV bosses at ABC, the network that airs Grey's Anatomy in the US. A source tells the publication, "ABC has told him he must enter a program to examine why he would say such hateful words."[source]
I've already said this to others I've talked with about this deplorable incident. I really think Network executives are doing the gay community a disservice with this. By pushing this incident like that and blowing it out of proportion they've managed to alienate basically everyone, including people who feel strongly about gay rights. I know I do, but I really don't think it's that big of a deal to talk about firing an important character without making it plauible plotwise, basically harming the show that way. It doesn't matter what I personally think about the character or the actor, but you just don't do that for a few simple reasons.
The only people who are really concerned with this (or should be) are fans of the show. People who don't watch it don't really give a shit either way which means they're not the Network's customers so they shouldn't really worry about those. I sincerely doubt that anyone is going to start watching Grey's Anatomy now because they're so impressed with the swift and unforgiving way they've dealt with this. So, seriously, it's only the fans.
Those fans I'm going to haphazardly divide into two groups (even though I'm sure there's more). Those who care about gay rights and those who don't. Those who do care are understandably upset at this whole thing and are now pleased to see that such anti-gay sentiments are not sanctioned by the cast and crew and everyone's happy. Obviously, until timemachines are invented and we can jump back in time and undo that incident where Washington forgot to switch his brain on briefly before talking, we just have to get over this. Really. So, fans are okay now and they really don't want to see their show get harmed like that because of some ill-perceived sense of rightness. Better live with the memory of one "faggot-uttering" than permanently put up with a show that no longer makes sense continuity-wise. Plus, there may be people out there who genuinely like the character of Burke.
Now, those fans who don't care about gay rights are going to be put off very much by now. Either, they don't really care enough at all to see why this is that big of a deal that we need to drag the show through the mud continuously for weeks, or they actually kinda agree and don't like gays and then they find it offensive even. I'm not saying that we should protect the sentiment of people who think that way, but what I'm saying is this. For these people, the fact that all this is happing over "protecting a faggot" is all the more reason to hate gays. They'll just get more reason to bash gays, say mean things about them and just feel generally supported in their opinion that this society already is way too gay friendly as is.
I'm not saying that dealing with anti-gay sentiments (I really hate the word "homophobe" because I really don't think there's any phobia involved in what we're talking about here) automatically does the gay community a disservice and thus should be let slip by without notice. Of course not, but I think there is an end to this. We have established that what Washington did was bad. We have established the executive producers do not approve. We have established the cast does not share these sentiments either and support the gay member of their cast wholeheartedly and condemn what Washington said. What more do we need? Do we really need to grind a TV show into the dust to heal the pain? I really don't think so.
This is why I say everyone just needs to STFU about this. Not just Washington. So maybe Washington is a huge asshole privately (I have no idea really) and nobody gets along with him and just jump at the opportunity to get rid of him. Who knows. But they really should consider what else they're sinking when they continue drilling hole into their own rescue boat. Not to mention the ridicule the show and gay rights advocates in general have been subjected to over this. Not even the GLAAD thinks it's that big of a deal. Maybe Knight should just call Washington a nigger and we can move on. Just kidding.
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Date: 2007-01-30 09:12 pm (UTC)ehm.. ok.
but this is a wonderful example of how things get blown out of proportions.. moreso when the media is involved, but in the day-to-day "small" life as well.
we'll probably never know his actual attitude towards gays.. or rather what it had been and what it is becoming after this - to use a quote from the texts above - "life-changing event".. >_> so the whole barking that's been going on around this is quite pointless..
i never quite understood the word xenophobia. i mean, sometimes there might be some elements of fear or anxiety involved.. but all-in-all, it doesn't compute. ???