Isaiah Washington speaks out.. Looks like RACE was an issue!!

[pisces_ken02]

Quotes...

The actor also describes race as a factor in his downfall. During his fight with Dempsey, he says, "Someone heard the booming voice of a black man and got really scared and that was the beginning of the end for me."

On his subsequent firing: "I apologized and showed my remorse for what I said and for the pain I caused anyone. If a black man can't get forgiveness in this country, when so many other people like Robert Downey Jr. and the governor of California get second and third chances ... I think that says a lot about race and this country where we stand."

"It didn't help me on the set that I was a black man who wasn't a mush-mouth Negro walking around with his head in his hands all the time. … I had a person in human resources tell me after this thing played out that 'some people' were afraid of me around the studio. I asked her why, because I'm a 6'1" black man with dark skin and who doesn't go around saying 'Yessah, massa sir' and 'No sir, massa' to everyone?''

I knew I was right...which is nothing new

 

[bimmrboy]

are we back on this again

 

[G-Lexington]

Well, Mr Washington said so, so I guess that settles that one, don't it? Score another point for Gay Mafia.

Lex

 

[J-23]

My money is still on "He was fired because he physically and verbally assaulted his co-stars." Especially since the show's creator is, you know, black.

 

[G-Lexington]

He's going to find it extremely difficult to find work. You know, because he's a strong black man.

Lex

 

[Absolut]

He's such a fucking toolshed.

I hope he never works again.

 

[unclaimedblessing]

There are many appropriate occasions to play "the Black card". This is not one of them. It diminishes the role of racism in many just cases.
Washington was a fractious cast member. In any work environment harmony is usually desireable and effective, but in ensemble productions it is just about essential.
You don't verbally or physically assault co-workers. If you do so, you're usually out on your ass, and justifiably so.

 

[glo-unit]

Forgive me if I don't take the pissed off words of an angry asshole for getting fired. I mean it's not like he'd lie to make himself look better would he?

 

[Castilian]

What does him being Black have to do with creating a hostile working environment? However, I will agree with Isaiah on making him go through all those ridiculous hoops to secure his job and then being fired anyway. That was just foul.

 

[falconfan]

All this proves is that he's just making excuses for his behavior instead of accepting responsibility. He didn't say anything in that ENTIRE quote that's an example of any cast or crew member discriminating because of his race. It was just him speculating and rambling about Robert Downey Jr and Arnold and the situations surrounding those people don't remotely resemble his own nor does it prove anything about the production crew of Grey's. He's just coming off as a spoiled child who thinks he's better than everyone else because of his Shakespearen background.

 

[falconfan]

What does him being Black have to do with creating a hostile working environment? However, I will agree with Isaiah on making him go through all those ridiculous hoops to secure his job and then being fired anyway. That was just foul.

I think they were considering keeping him but his attitude didn't change. If anything I'd bet he got more bitchy for having to do it. Just because he took care of PR didn't mean he made the work environment any less hostile.

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

At this point, I really don't think he's got much of a career left. Not only does he have a work issue, but he complains when he gets called on it. It doesn't help that he's taken a great series and tainted it in the eyes of some.

I just hope no one takes him seriously...

RG

 

[StlKj]

Let's recap:

He used an offensive word to describe a gay cast mate. (admitted to, but now is back-tracking)

He physically assaulted another cast mate. (admitted to, but now is down-playing)

Lied on a world-wide broadcast about calling his colleague a "faggot," thereby offending a whole slew of people other than just the ones he worked with.

He created tremendously bad publicity for a show that prides itself on having diversity as a strong-point.

He also allegedly became aggressive and inappropriate with a female cast member on the series Soul Food.

And he allegedly physically assaulted a costumer on another past show, and then harassed him to the point that the alleged victim filed a restraining order against him.

This is a man who has a reported/alleged history of physical aggression and has been shown to be a liar in front of millions of people.

He diminishes other members of his ethnicity by insinuating that his personal failings are not to blame, but his race is.

And you diminish any relevant points you try to make on this board when you uphold a poor example of a role model whose actions were to blame for his undoing.

 

[dr_beat]

My money is still on "He was fired because he physically and verbally assaulted his co-stars." Especially since the show's creator is, you know, black.

oh, and, let's not forget two of the major characters, both of whom are in supervisory positions on the show.

 

[luminum]

Washington can speculate all he wants, but that doesn't make it true. You're where you started.

What exactly is Washington saying about all the other minorities who still work on that show--that all of them are still on the show because they're "mush-mouth Negro walking around with [their] head in [their] hands all the time. …"? Is he saying that they're all walking around saying "yessah, massa sir"?

He's bitter, and his statements here only make him seem petty and irresponsible. He assaulted his fellow co-workers, used derogatory language, and as a result, he got fired. People have been fired on shows for a lot less, white, black, or any other ethnicity.

Both Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros were fired from Lost for DUI, and they both went to rehab programs. If they didn't get second chances for something like driving under the influence even after doing rehab programs, then how on earth would someone who physically assaulted his co-workers get a second chance?

 

[theFallenGod]

Of course Pisces_Ken is always going to see the world in an Us vs Them light no matter what...

This had nothing to do with his race He knows and everyone else knows it...

I swear You need to wake up and see that the world isn't as racist as you seem to think...

His quote is belittling to black people on so many levels and once again you jump to his side...

Why is it belittling?? because its just another case of someone fucking up royally and trying to play the race card because we know that other people like yourself will jump right in step and not see the thing for what it really is... and that was homophobic hate and onset violence...

The colour of his skin had nothing to do with his firing ...get your head outta the clouds and look at the real world...

 

[sunoftheskye]

So confused as to what any of this has to do with race?

Why are some people so hellbent on making ANYTHING about race? No matter what

 

[theFallenGod]

It's just the original poster...

He seems to think everything has to be about race... when he himself is the biggest racist on these threads..... not only that but he stands behind hateful homophobic bullshitters just so he can be justified in his belief that everything is about race...

making him ... a hypocritical self loathing gay man....

 

[doctorsun]

Mr. Washington is a prime example of an "it's everyone's fault but mine" kind of person. He got fired and immediately went on the attack finding ANYONE to blame instead of thinking, "gee, maybe it's just that I'm a big asshole..."

It reminds me of the Golden Globes when Beyonce's father called the academy racist because she didn't win best actress, despite the fact that Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whittaker, Eddie Murphy, Prince, and America Ferrera - all non-white - all won awards.

Some people just have no sense of self-responsibility.

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

"I have a mind of my own and I do speak it when I feel it's right," he says. "In this business that's considered being difficult and hard to deal with."

That's probably the line from the interview that scares me the most, as it's the one that shows that he thinks that he is correct. He's just a sad, sad man...

RG