If you are a good little entertainment junkie like I am, then you will have no doubt heard about the so-called Isaiah Washington sexual slur scandal. Seeing that I obsessive-compulsively check media news Web sites every few hours, I have been subsequently bombarded with updates on this fiasco since October 2006, when it was reported that Washington and "Grey's Anatomy" co-star Patrick Dempsey had been involved in an altercation prompted by Washington's use of the word "faggot" in relation to his other "Grey's" co-star T. R. Knight, an admitted homosexual. Soon after, Washington publicly apologized for his "unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on-set," and all was forgotten.
That is, until Washington re-shot himself in the foot, sparking more controversy backstage at the Golden Globe Awards when he claimed he had never referred to Knight as a "faggot." This time, the network wasn't just going to let him go on his merry way; not if LGBT leaders had anything to say about it. Washington once again publicly repented for his words and even met with gay leaders to "determine ways in which he might be able to educate others about the dangers of name-calling," according to E!Online's Sarah Hall. More like in order to save his job. His outburst was in direct violation of Disney's corporate discrimination policy, a policy that is currently causing ABC executives to deliberate his dismissal from the show.
ABC and Washington seem to be working overtime on trying to save the image of the show, network and actor. God forbid anyone (gasp!) gets offended, not only over Washington's use of the slur against his co-star, but for again using the word to deny the fact that he'd even used the word in the first place. It's not surprising how overblown this incident has become, considering the fact that it's a requirement to walk on eggshells these days if you don't want to be blacklisted, Hollywood or elsewhere in America. I just can't help rolling my eyes every time I see another article on the Washington case, even to the point when I've screeched, "Who cares?!" to my computer screen when I was alone in my dorm room. Yes, it was wrong to call someone "faggot," but should he be crucified for it? Furthermore, are all of his and ABC's efforts to amend the situation being done for the right reasons?
The final straw came on Jan. 24 when Washington revealed he would be seeking treatment for his actions. At the "suggestion" (enforcement) of ABC execs, he entered rehabilitation to, essentially, politically correct himself. In a public statement, he explained his "decision": "I regard [my counseling] as a necessary step toward understanding why I did what I did and making sure it never happens again. I appreciate the fact that I have been given this opportunity, and I remain committed to transforming my negative actions into positive results, personally and professionally." I'm sorry, Isaiah, but I think you've overloaded my BS detector.
Why should Washington have to enter rehab? It seems a little ridiculous that Washington needs to enter a therapy program for uttering an offensive word, especially considering the context of the incident: an interpersonal dispute on a studio set, not a publicly broadcasted tirade against homosexuals. His actions don't seem any worse than those of Michael Richards (who, during a comedy show, called some members of his audience "niggers") or Mel Gibson (who, over the summer, made anti-Semitic remarks to the police officer arresting him). It's not that Washington's outburst was acceptable in any way, but it's certainly not less acceptable than the actions of the other two men.
There's one reason why Richards and Gibson weren't also forced into rehabilitation: the almighty dollar. The two aren't under the industry's thumb the way Washington, a relative newbie in the fame game, currently is. His career heavily depends on "Grey's," whereas business veterans Richards and Gibson sustain their livelihoods and statuses through stand-up and directing, respectively. Both could, hypothetically, never even have to work again as Richards' "Seinfeld" royalties and Gibson's movie-star millions could last them the rest of their lives. Washington doesn't have that option. By succumbing to the pressures of LGBT groups and the like, ABC and Washington are securing their financial futures, seeing as "Grey's" is one of the most popular shows in the nation. I doubt either really cares about the disturbing remark. Instead, they seem more concerned about their pocketbooks.
The slur was made, and no number of apologies, counseling sessions, or rehab visits will make up for that. There is no point in getting your panties in a bunch if you're really not going to change someone, except have him use the word at home in private rather than out in public, and that's still not any better than personally using it against someone. Try to convince me that Washington's brainwashing-I mean therapy-is a personal decision that will solve his prejudices, but I won't buy it. As my father always told me, follow the money trail. All the way to GLAAD.