Why a standing ovation for Isaiah?

I admit, I was surprised and dismayed to watch Isaiah Washington receive a standing ovation at the NAACP Awards Friday night after he won the prize for best actor in a drama for "Grey's Anatomy" which won foiur awards overall. What was lingering in my mind was WHY? Why give him a standing O? For graduating from gayhab? For almost losing his job for spouting a gay slur at hs co-star?
Anyway, Michael Jensen of AfterElton.com also was troubled by this and writes in part:
"I think it’s justifiable to separate out the man’s behavior from his acting skills and to acknowledge those, but what troubles me is that much of the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he accepted the award. Um, what for exactly? Is his Grey’s Anatomy role particularly ground-breaking? Did he have a storyline that was especially significant to African-Americans? If so, I sure haven’t heard that. Or was the crowd responding to something else perhaps?
Like maybe they think Isaiah got treated unfairly for use of the “F” word perhaps? That gay people who felt he got off to easy for tossing about the slur needed to be sent a message to just shut up and get over it? Nice message to send. But, hey, it’s not like homophobia is anymore prevalent in the African-American community or anything.
Imagine the reaction if Michael Richards won a comedy award and received a standing ovation or Mel Gibson won an award from a Catholic group and received the same. How would that not be saying something very ugly to African-Americans or the Jewish community?"