Isaiah Washington's PSA debuts tonight...but does he still have a job?
Isaiah "I did not call T.R. a f****t" Washington will be saying some far more soothing words tonight during REPEAT episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" in a public service announcement intended to combat intolerance based on sexual orientation, race and gender.
Here is what his script says:
“Words have power. The power to express love, happiness and joy. They also have the power to heal. When you use words that demean a person because of their sexual orientation, race or gender, you send a message of hate. A very powerful message. But we all have the power to demand better from one another and from ourselves. We have the power to heal and change the world by the words we use.”
OK, I feel bitter...I mean better.
Anyway, it is still not known whether this psa or anything else is enough to save Washington's job. It is being widely reported, but not confirmed, that he wll return to the show next season only as a guest star. Andy Towle of Towleroad.com checked in again with Washington's publicist Howard Bragman this morning who reiterated that they have received no indication that he won't be back on the show. Of course, there's been no indication that he WILL. All this as T.R. Knight, the target of Washington's anti-gay slurs, publicly wonders aloud if HE is coming back next season.
Gee, what a happy place to work...
Here is the rest of a press release from GLAAD:
The PSA is the result of a January meeting with Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Kevin Jennings, founder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), during which the actor apologized for his use of an anti-gay slur.
At the January meeting, Washington acknowledged the harm he had caused by his use of the epithet and expressed an interest in taking steps, such as appearing in this PSA, to combat prejudice and intolerance faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The PSA was produced by ABC.
“Words have power, and far too often we see them used to dehumanize people because of our differences,” Giuliano said. “When Isaiah Washington lends his voice to that message — when he acknowledges the personal responsibility that he and each of us have to create a culture that rejects prejudice — it advances the kind of dialogue that’s absolutely essential to changing hearts and minds. We are gratified that with this PSA, ABC will be sharing this vital message with millions of viewers in the days and weeks to come.”
“As an education organization, GLSEN believes in the power of the teachable moment,” Jennings added. “While there is no excuse for the use of this kind of language, we welcome the opportunity to use this incident to educate millions about the impact of name-calling on young people. We are grateful to ABC for bringing GLSEN’s message of respect to millions of households.”
Greg Hernandez has covered the entertainment industry for the Daily
News since 2001. He's considered a bit odd by some for his obsession
with box office numbers, has been known to camp out near the kitchen
at premieres for first crack at the hors d'oeurves, and Greg's never
seen a red carpet he didn't want to stroll down.