Network TV Shows: October 2006 Archives

Well, it's about time.

Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington has finally issued an apologyf or his behavior during an on-set argument with costar Patrick Dempsey. After Washington and Dempsey, 40, clashed on Oct. 9, reports surfaced that Washington had used a homophobic slur during the fracas. Then on Oct. 19, their costar T.R. Knight disclosed to PEOPLE that he is gay.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, the same venue Knight used to make his announcement, Washington said:
"I sincerely regret my actions and the unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on-set. Both are beneath my own personal standards. … I have nothing but respect for my coworkers … and have apologized personally to everyone involved."

There had been reports that Washington's job was in jeopardy and that be might be replaced by former ER star Eriq La Salle. Show creator Shonda Rhimes, who has put together one of the most racially diverse casts of any show ever on television, told PEOPLE that Washington was not being fired or replaced.

"I found (those rumors) not only ridiculous but offensive that we would consider replacing a member of our family," Rhimes says. "And also the (idea) that one black man was interchangeable with another seemed disturbing to me...We have a group of people who are more of a family than anything else. We have our fun days, and we have our days when people are tired and the work is hard."

On Tuesday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Grey's costar Katherine Heigl played down the incident, calling it "some scuffle … There was a little burst of testosterone in the room, and then within five minutes ... they were totally fine." So what actually happened between Washington and Dempsey? A set source says that when Knight, 33, was late to film a scene, a debate ensued between Dempsey and Washington, with Dempsey insisting on waiting for Knight before starting the scene. The argument quickly intensified, and the source says that yes, the alleged slur was used, but Knight was not present at the time.

"Isaiah was running his mouth off," says the source. "Isaiah verbally attacked Patrick – he tore into him. Patrick's voice escalated and he did tell Isaiah to 'f– off, (but) that was as heated as Patrick got."

Rhimes tells PEOPLE that Dempsey and Washington "are fine" – as are Washington and Knight. "They've had conversations," she says. "They did a really great scene together the other day." The whole affair, she says, "was four and a half seconds of one day in three years. I feel like we've already moved on."

Officially, I have some issues about making comedy out of a situation that involves a clearly closeted gay man married to a seemingly clueless woman - especially when that couple has a young daughter. No, I'm not talking about a sitcom based on Jim McGreevey's life! I'm talking about Sam Harris' hilariously flamboyant character, Perry Pearl, on the CBS Monday night comedy "The Class." So, while I officially have concerns about the storyline, I forgot about them tonight because I was too busy laughing my ass off.
In this Halloween-themed episode (A yummy Jason Ritter in a Superman costume is reason enough to tune in!), Perry dresses his daughter up as Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly (with sunglasses and little black dress) in "Breakfast at Tiffanys." His wife, Holly, thinks she's dressed up as a blind girl and the daughter confesses: "I don't get it." Daddy Perry replies: "You don't have to get it, you just have to SELL it!"

Later in the same scene, the TV reporter wife finds out she is in contention for a weekend anchor slot against a rival who Perry describes as "the one with the big boobs." His wife asks: "You noticed?" Perry reassures her: "Oh honey relax, you know I'm an ass man!"

Disaster strikes when Holly, while on the air doing a piece about a petting zoo, impales a fluffy little white rabbit named Q-tip with her high heel spike on live television. It's on the Internet worldwide within minutes under the title: "Can I see this bunny in a size 8?"

Later, their firends, gay couple Kyle and Aaron rush over to comfort Holly while still in their costumes: a cowboy and a pirate, respectively. Perry gives the sexy Aaron's Johnny Depp-like pirate costume a flirty once over, smiles, and says, "Ahoy!"

After just checking Google News and seeing that there are well over 400 different news stories out there about "Grey's Anatomy" co-star T.J. Knight releasing a brief statement that he is a gay man, I realized that this story is becoming more compelling than an episode of the show itself!

First of all, without viewers knowing it, Knight has been proving for more than two seasons now that a gay actor can convincingly play a straight man. In addition to his unrequited love for Meredith Grey on the show, Knight's George O'Malley character has been involved in a relationship with the character played by the sensational Sara Ramirez, a Tony winner last year for "Spamalot." She and Knight even appeared together on this year's Tony telecast as presenters and were funny and adorable together.

Secondly, I wonder what the ramifications will be for Isaiah Washington who allegedly made an anti-gay slur against Knight during an argument on the set with co-star Patrick Dempsey. So far, we only have the National Enquirer reporting the slur (not exactly a reliable source) with the show's producers only confirming there was a disagreement and that everyone had moved on. But how? There are those, myself included, who believe that if indeed Washington refered to Knight as a "faggot" in the workplace, as was reported, then he should be disciplined. This should not be tolerated in any workplace. And because the resulting brouhaha led Knight to feel that he had to come out publicly, I believe Washington should make a major public apology. There's no excuse for that kind of stuff - ever.

Remember the days when two men in bed on "thirtysomething" had advertisers fleeing the late-80s, early-90s touchy-feely drama? Times have changed, thankfully, and hopefully will continue to do so. This was proven on Monday night when CBS aired its new sitcom "The Class" and it contained a same-gender kiss between Kyle (Sean Maguire) and his gorgeous boyfriend, Aaron (Cristián de la Fuente). No one pulled ads.

CBS describes the show as "a comedy about a group of 20-somethings inextricably bound together by having been in the same third grade class. Two decades later, their lives intersect once again, giving them the uncommon opportunity to learn how everyone turned out and to rebuild old friendships."

The show has plenty of talented and attractive actors including the adorable Jason Ritter and openly gay performer Sam Harris who is best known for his fantastic singing on Broadway and in concerts. In "Class," the very handsome Sam plays Perry Pearl, a very gay-seeming "straight" guy married to one of the classmates. Whenever he is in a scene, be prepared to laugh. He even named his daughter Oprah because, he explains, "I'm a fan." Word has it that Perry may be coming out later in the season! His poor wife! She had her heart broken in high school by Kyle when he turned out gay and now Perry.

The show airs Monday nights on CBS at 8:30.

Welcome out of the professional closet T.R. Knight, one of the stars of "Grey's Anatomy."

What a classy guy. There has been all kinds of speculation in recent weeks about his sexuality so instead of making a big deal out of it, he released the following statement to PEOPLE today: "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. 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."

Knight, 33, plays the unassuming Dr. George O'Malley on the hit ABC drama who has had unrequited love for Meredith Grey on the show which is a ratings blockbuster on Thursday nights. But it has been in the headlines in recent days because of a brawl that erupted last week between Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey on the set. Washington allegedly referred to T.R. Knight with several derogatory slurs.

Knight is a Minneapolis native, he began his career in that city's famed Guthrie Theater. I think he is going to find that he is coming out to a big warm hug. My hunch is that Grey's Anatomy is going to have record ratings tonight.

In honor of T.J.'s very welcome disclosure, he has been added to the Out in Hollywood Photo Gallery of Out Heroes.

Last summer's surprise hit "The Devil Wears Prada" is being developed into a weekly TV show! I'm curious to see if this small-screen adpatation of a hit feature film will soar in the way that "MASH" did or tank like "Baby Boom" did, despite the presence of Kate Jackson.

It will ALL depend on who dares to take on Meryl Streep's role as the perfectly icy and demanding fashion magazine editor. With plum parts in "Prada," "Adaptation," "Angels in America," "Prairie Home Companion," and "The Hours," Meryl in recent years has added more gloriously rich performances to her unprecedented resume which includes a record 13 Academy Award nominations (two wins) as well as two Emmy Awards. It will take an actress with the right chops and aura to take over her part in "Prada."

Here are a few of my suggestions and just imagine them saying things like a curt "That's all" and an annoyed, "DO move at a glacial pace, you know how I LOVE that."

Glenn Close: She did her first series ("The Shield") not long ago and got nominated for an Emmy. But she's doubtful since she left after just one season to go back to Broadway (she's won three Tonys) and still has plenty of choice roles to choose from.

Helen Mirren: She'd never do it but can't you just see it? She would bring so much with a part like that. At any rate, she will be too busy collecting awards, including the Oscar, for her performance in "The Queen."

Patti Lupone: My favorite Broadway diva also developed a television following during her four seasons on ABC's "Life Goes On." This would be a role she could really go to town with. After all, she's played Evita Peron, Norma Desmond AND Maria Callas on stage. She can do anything.

Since it's a fantasy that Glenn, Helen or Patti would bite, two more realistic choices:

Sela Ward: The two-time Emmy winner ('Sisters" "Once and Again") is a wonderful actress who deserves a meatier part than the one she played on "House" last season.

Morgan Fairchild: She's kinda perfect! Old Navy commercials aside, she's been playing variations of this part for 30 years! And she does wear clothes awfully well.

Anyone have any other suggestions???

He's baaack. Gay teen Andrew Van De Kamp returned to Wisteria Lane at the end of Sunday night's episode. Good thing, the show needs him. His return was handled a little clumsily though. Bree, who seems to not have given him a thought for more than half a year as she marries a man who may or may not be a wife-killer, sees a homeless Andrew on television being interviewed for a story on homeless people. Wham! She gets hit with a case of guilt for dumping him on the side of the road all those months ago. Where did she think he was? Club Med? I'm losing my patience with Bree.
And we better find out if hubby offed his first wife or not soon or i might start some kind of letter writing campaign. On the plus side, Mike the plumber finally wakes up from his coma. But when will we find out why Bree's new husband ran him over with such a vengeance?

Caught the "ER" episode Thursday night with John Mahoney as a drag queen fighting the family of his lover who is hovering near death. Mahoney, best known for his role as the conservative ex-cop dad of Niles and "Frasier" Crane on the long-running NBC series, was just terrific. He tries to stay in the background as his partner's estranged family, which hasn't seen the ill man in many years, are trying to decide his fate. What a nightmare. This episode alone should have same-gender couples everywhere getting their paperwork in order if they haven't already. Anyway, after they keep trying to shove him aside, Mahoney's character finally screams to his partner's homophobic family: "I love him! I love him!" The episode didn't have a happy ending but Mahoney's does go on stage that night, in drag, in honor of his comatose lover. And here's the shock: he wasn't such a bad looking older woman. He looked a bit like Tallula Bankhead in her later years!

But, I'll tell you what was really touching: the scene between Mahoney and new "ER" leading man John Stamos (a very, very welcome addition to this still vital show) at the end of the episode. Mahoney is telling Stamos about how happy he is when he is up on stage, selling a song in drag. Stamos then says to him: 'You make me want to be a drag queen."
I don't think even Geroge Clooney could have played that scene better.

John Mahoney has a role on tonight's "ER" that is a dramatic deparfure from his best-known part as Marftin Crane, the father of the fussy Niles and "Frazier" Crane. He plays an aging drag queen on the medical drama whose partner is still in the closet. The partner is brought to the hospital with congestive heart failure. He's not only coping with the partner's health crisis, but he is forced to fight his family to keep him alive. The episode illustrates how vulnerable gay couples are legally since they cannot be legally married in almost all U.S. states. It's a reminder of how important it is to legalize a committed relationship as much as possible with such things as domestic partnerships and power of attorney etc.

As for Mahoney, he has played gay before, most notabely on the memorable indie "The Broken Hearts Club" where he was a restaurant owner and coach of a gay softball team that included characters played by Zach Braff, Timothy Olyphant and Dean Cain.