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Name: zimrod
Comment: I agree with Mo. I think Isaiah was great on Grey's (and I'll miss him), but he used poor judgment with this incident. He can talk all he wants, but it won't get his job back...it's definitely time to move on (and learn to keep his mouth shut).
Name: mayday
Comment: I was such a big fan of Isiah Washington but this whole situation has been very disappointing and I agree that he has really brought this on himself. I wish that his wife would tell him to "please be quiet".
Name: aubreyl
Comment: Great article. *Responsibility and accountability*! These are the maxims that all people should heed.We cannot go on blaming all our misfortune on race.,religion, gender.,We have to take responsibilty for all our actions.
Name: jasonsam
Comment: I think that some of Isiah's anger stems from TR Knight receiving such a hefty pay raise. Judging from his statements, he probably feels as if Shanda should have stood up for him as well. I do not believe firing him was the right decision, but it is time for Isiah to move on. -JH
Name: ATLGirl
Comment: His publicist is an idiot or scarred of IW. Has this person told IW to disappear from the public eye for awhile? Why is he still here? I am stunned that IW is tone-deaf to circumstantially appropriate behavior. He is supposed to be aware of how to conduct himself in a particular set of circumstances. As an actor, that ability is part of the job.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Accountability and responsibiity are definitely noble characteristics, however, who will hold the Grey's Anatomy staff, the network, or Hollywood in general accountable and responsible for the blatant racism and disparity that continues exists or or ever better, how do we get "better". In an analogy to the plantation, MO Kelly's arguments continue to be remniscient, in my humble opinion, of those held by many house negros in the slave system. "Hush yo mouth, Isiah, wit all that talk bout freedom and equal treatment....fool...you know we's slaves......you gon mess up my situation and you gon have to pick yo cotton in the middle of the field where ders no trees if you don't just grin and bear it....niggra....who you thank you is".(translation from mo kelly's report). "Get your azz back here and sit yo yellow behind down, Rosa, ain't nothing wrong with the back of this bus, stop trippin". If these cowardly and selfish mentalities had prevailed back then, we would still be on the back of the bus. My granddad cracked a klans man's skull with a ax about messin with his family and lively hood then packed them up from Alabama and moved to Florida and his blood still boils in me and I hate the way that some people treat me today if I'm not in a suit because me skin is dark brown and voice booming. Go ahead, Isiah, even if your efforts are self-serving, and speak for the spineless cowardly check chasing actors in hollywood so there may be better treatment under these circumstances for someone to come behind you at the small sacrifice of your career which seems to be all Mo Kelly and the likes care about....Or do they really....HMMMM.....
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Hypothetically speaking, Mokelly, let's say Eurweb was your main source of income and Lee Bailey decided that you would be fired because of the way you consistently spewed hatred and unfairness towards black celebriy men in your columns after he promised to keep you on. Your entire life and financial situation was turned upside down and Lee Bailey(being the powerful mogul that he is) blocked you from getting a respectable job in the industry and on top of that all of us readers already knew your columns showed extreme loathing and self-hate. (just a hypothetical, MO, don't get defensive)....Would you just say whoa is me and go away quietly or would you use the power of your voice to say to all that you had been hoodwinked, bamboozled, and led astray....this inquiring mind wants to know what you would do?..Should Al Sharpton just go quietly about Beyonce being called Roboho because "sticks and stones"....who's the jury on what's worth it for a man or woman to take a stand against something......?
Name: BigMamaThang
Comment: Isiah's problems have absolutely nothing to do with racism. It's his inability to keep his mouth shut. What was the point of grabbing the mic at the Golden Globes? Did racism make him do that? The media and fans had almost forgotten about his fight with Patrick Dempsey. Racism didn't stir up more controversy, Isiah did. I totally agree with with Mo'Kelly on this one. It's time for Isiah to STFU.
Name: mayday
Comment: TheBrownOne.....Isiah called his co-worker a f@ggot during a heated exchange, then he denied calling his co-worker a f@ggot to the media and then he went to the Emmy's and blurted out during the press release.....NO I DID NOT CALL "FORGOT HIS NAME" A F@GGOT". No house negro, slave mentality analogy can work in this scenario.......lets take color out of it and just say that Isiah has handled this situation.......incredibly dumb.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: Brown One...you missed the point. It's not whether IW should have anything to say at all, there's a manner in which to go about it. If you apologize...then apologize and don't use that as a reference point for your argument about being "mistreated" later. If you take anger management counseling, your FIRST statement after being fired should NOT be..."I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking it." And lastly, if you wish to get your side out, get it out in a news sense in a week and move on. It's about HOW he handled having his say, not whether he should have. Brown One, nobody intimated he should've kept his head down and shucked and jived (WHICH I CLEARLY SAID IN THE PIECE). It was about doing himself MORE damage in a career sense after the fact. Of course I would be mad too in the same instance, but I know that I can't cut off future checks or diminish my earnings potential in the process. Nothing wrong with battles, just use sharper and more effective weapons.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: BigMamaThang and Mayday, do you really think that Isiah calling this guy a f@g during an argument on set and not in public was the reason he was dismissed. Come come now, how simple is that? The point of the matter is that people are not treated equally. Rarely if ever in corporate America, congress, or hollywood are white execs fired, disciplined or demoted for public racial slurs, gender bias, calling women beaches etc. He was fired because of a perceived attitude towards the alternative lifestyle folks that run hollywood and had he been of another ethnicity without his reputation of being a big "scary black man" then things would have ended up differently. All groups, be they black, white, gay, or straight should have the right to be treated fairly. All of us have said things we didn't like out of anger and I'm not justifying his actions just the fact that he shouldn't be reprimanded for speaking out against what seemed to him an injustice. He said that he felt his outspoken nature as a black man had caused him problems before in this capacity. Trust me when I say that this man was probably consistently standing up for what was right (check his record on his pro-african stance) and played into their hands by allowing them to get him angry and snap. It's cool, though, house negros...it's us field negros out here fighting to keep the powers to be honest that allow you all to keep having better race relations and that lets you buyinto the media buzz of "Don't play the race card" cause we live in a colorless society. Until, of course, the cross is burned in your front yard. No progress without a STRUGGLE. Someone needs to get fired up about something besides pulling the other crabs back into the barrel.
Name: SweetieDarlin
Comment: The BrownOne, your points are interesting but I don't feel they apply to Isiah Washington at all, in fact Isiah seems to be betting that we will take the bait and believe this is all someone else's fault not his own. Essentially black, white, asian whatever you don't get to call people out of their name or creat a hostile work environment, that is considered harrassment is it is punishable by termination even in Hollywood. Think about the fact that the original incident occurred in October, yet months later he decided to stir the mess up again. Just speculating but more than likely he was keeping that ish going while on the set from October til his second outburst, thus creating an atmosphere of hostility. I am not going to buy the ' Too black, Too strong' arguement in this case, but if Isiah doesn't work for a very long time after this, he can always have the excuse in his mind that his revolutionary point of view is what is keeping him from working, ----perhaps he'll overcome some day....
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: As for Al Sharpton and "Roboho"...it's not Sharpton's fight...ONCE AGAIN. There are others who can handle that "battle." Don't act like we need Al to come save us every time we get upset. Jasmyne Cannick was more than able to address it. Again, it's not about WHETHER you fight battles, it's HOW you go about fighting them. Because HOW you fight them determine your strength in the next battle as well. Do you really think if IW is "mistreated" again ANYONE will really care to hear his side next time? No, because he's spent any and all goodwill collateral on BS. Lack of foresight and vision. Some battles you must fight, even if you lose and some battles aren't worth fighting...even if you win. IW would fall in the latter category, because it's not going to bring his old job back and is doing irreparable harm to his future career. You're (BROWN ONE) debating the "merits" of IW's complaints. I'm saying it's neither here nor there. I'm saying he went about it the wrong way and for far too long.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: MoKelly, just to let you know that i'm a sensible man, I must say that that was one of the more brilliant and sensible responses to a sensitive topic that i've ever heard from you......point taken.....however, just as my grandfather probably shouldn't have hit that klansman in the head with the ax, Isiah should not have said what they say that he said...but sometimes it's hard on a brother when your life has been disturbed and you're the small voice against the establishment, an unforgiving establishment labeling you the "angry black man" because you stand up for what you believe in. I just think this brother was probably principled in his disputes up until the outburst and now he bears the angry badge that cause many of us to be treated adversely because of our skin color as I am often treated and I haven't called anyone anything. I feel what he feels every day when I walk to a service counter, call a company about a bill dispute, fly an airplane, etc.....and guess what, no one really cares. If this guy has taken a stand because of the way that they have treated him beyond his outburst, then it's just business as usual in hollywood...Don't say anything anti-gay or anti-semitic, but when you say or do anything anti-black man or young black girl, then load the barrels cause know that know one really cares....not even most blacks. If he was a prick, then so be it with his demise, but if his fight is noble, then I hope it send someone a message that I am my brother's keeper and I will continue to fight the good fight against all injustice.
Name: justafu
Comment: Personally I think ABC & not the sista did do Ike wrong but it is what it is & one should always remember that gay or not you're STILL dealing with a white power structure so you got to walk it a certain way when you're a black man. Also I think he'd be better off doing some plays and/or shows on Broadway or something where the acting is more about acting & now so into "show" & ratings as much. And small independent movies would be good for him as well.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: To your last comment, not considering IW. I just ask again, when do we hold Hollywood to some accountability? And what does too long mean, if you choose to engage in a battle? Maybe this is his stand and maybe you all care more about the sacrifice of his career than he does. Just think about it. You guys are criticizing him and his publicist, but don't you think that this guy is intelligent enough to understand the repercussions of his actions and don't you realize that he knows he won't be getting his job back. This guy has chosen to channel his anger towards the network in the name of fairness. It's just unfornate that he's fighting against the backdrop of this slur. I think he know's what he's doing, man. He knows the politics of hollywood, so that's why I think there's more to it, because he knows he's injuring his marketability. So him fighting to me must mean, he's taking a stand for the way he knows that they treat blacks in entertainment. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I know it happens, so I would like to give the brother the benefit of the doubt.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: Well, Brown One...you're very perceptive. There is a reason why I didn't "clown" Isaiah in the way I might have other celebrities. I am sympathetic to his plight and I am a fan of his work and of the opinion he is exceptionally talented. But the grumblings about his temper and irrational behavior have persisted for years. The Patrick Dempsey issue is not an isolated event. I didn't want to get in the specifics of the case as I didn't want to perpetuate that particular case (beyond a simple commentary). But I did want to shed some light on the fact that he's not making as much headway as he might think when all is said and done. Hollywood isn't about "right and wrong" and he as an actor knows that it is as "unfair" as any industry, if not moreso. But if he wants to continue to work in that unfair industry, sometimes you have to play the game, if not better than the other players. If I were IW I would've only said the following: -------------- "This is a most unfortunate situation that has evolved into something bigger than anyone would have foreseen. I can only apologize for my part. Although there's been considerable misunderstanding about the events leading up to this point, it will be a learning experience and will move forward on to bigger and better opportunities. Where one door closes another will open. I'd also like to say thank you to ____________ and __________ for the opportunity to work with them. It's not the end of the world, only the beginning of the next chapter in my life and career. God bless, IW.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: To your last comment Brown. Invariably it's not a fight he can 'win' because he still "needs" something from Hollywood. Hollywood doesn't "need" IW. So looking at it from the standpoint of leverage, IW has none. Also, let's be real here. Hollywood is very tight with the gay community, as it is with the Jewish community. That's not a value judgment, just a statement of fact. It's hard to "publicly admit" making a homophobic remark and then spin it into a racial issue. For example, I doubt somebody can work at BET or TV One and make an N-Word remark and say "I wasn't talking to so n so specifically" And then after he's fired try to spin it into a homophobia firing. It's not a fight that can be won. But at least in my scenario, the person fired has alternatives in which to seek work. IW is still planning to deal with Hollywood and his subsequent complaints (IMHO) have done nothing to lessen the critique he's either homophobic or a loose cannon. Going into battle isn't inherently honorable, the battle plan has to be there too. IW didn't have one it seemed.
Name: ATLGirl
Comment: ----> don't you think that this guy is intelligent enough to understand the repercussions of his actions and don't you realize that he knows he won't be getting his job back. <--- Honestly, I don't. I think in the heat of the moment he said something inappropriate and didn't handle subsequent public outing appropriately. That's were the problem lies, the mishandling of public outings appropriately. I also think he wasn't speaking for the mistreatment of all Blacks in Hollywood. I think he was only thinking of himself.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Mo, Though I've probably only responded to a few your columns lately, it feels strange to say that I actually must agree with that last comment about what you would said and "most" of your latter points. In that context, you are right, he could have handled this a lot better and he should know better. Properly handling these situations in public does more good for the cause than the way he's handled it, however, if only every disenfranchised brother were you and I. It's disheartening at large when a brothers respect is trampled on and it leads to violence because that brother couldn't properly articulate what happened to the masses or the jury and so others jump in and attack that man, but he was really just and upright in the begginning but was provoked beyond restraint (ax reference). Imagine how dumb blacks looked in the 50's south in a southern dialect trying to explain to a lynch mob that he didn't really whistle at that white woman. I wish that articulate and understanding men could intercede for unarticulate brothers across the world for the sake of less violence from misguided accidents and confusing circumstances. I just hate that his (IW) frustration has been misappropiated (which was part of your point). Since I don't know the specific history of this case, I will just say that not considering just IW, we must understand that we've gotta keep fighting for injustice no matter how ill conceived, we must continue the struggle for "the small voices that can't be heard against the rage of the machine."
Name: mayday
Comment: TheBrownOne...your question to me....I agree with Mo K on this issue. There was no battle to be fought here by IW. IW shot himself in the foot and I sincerely hope that his career will survive his run a away mouth because he is very talented and very nice to look at on screen.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: the one above was to your previous comment, but as to your last....we know he can't because racism and class discrimination have been here since the beginning of time, but keep making your viewpoint based on his desire to work in hollywood or to act......I'm just saying that he obviously isn't too concerned.......I don't think any of us are saying anything by making the point that he's putting his career in jeopardy....i was speaking beyond that.......because he has to know that too.......and ATLgirl, I said he was wrong for using the f word...stone him....I'm just talking saying that it's good seeing somebody fighting for something if they don't have any cheeks left.....and he's not hurting anyone but himself.....
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: I fully agree with you there Brown. There was an insightul and savvy way for IW to handle this, but it "seemed" as if he uttered literally the first thing that came to mind when he was fired and it's been downhill ever since. IW has never really been conciliatory in a public sense. And when you don't have the moral high ground (which he doesn't in this instance) it's hard to argue from that standpoint after the fact. In truth, IW and I have a friend in common, and much of what I said here has already been said to him personally...so it's not like he didn't know the things I've mentioned today BEFORE he went with the Newsweek article and even the press release after he was fired. IW had expressed concern on whether he was going to be fired. He was at that point sensitive to how he was being received in a public sense. But after losing his job, he's acted as if he's got nothing to lose and thrown all caution to the wind.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: "I'm just talking saying that it's good seeing somebody fighting for something if they don't have any cheeks left.....and he's not hurting anyone but himself....." But is he really "fighting" or merely complaining. To voice your complaints yet not have a lot to back the complaints up (other than general history, not specific history to his own plight) rings hollow. It's hard for me to get on board with his outrage about how African-Americans are treated in Hollywood when the precipitating event for his "public outrage" doesn't seemingly fit the scenario. Nobody will debate the effect of racism in Hollywood. It's a historical fact. But what can be debated is whether race was the dominant variable here.
Name: Angel
Comment: TheBrownOne - I understand your point, but I just don't think IW fits that scenario. By his own words, before this incident happened, he considered himself as a leader on the set (titan was the word he used-I think). To me, that doesn't sound like he felt that there was a history of folks thinking he's the angry black man, but a well respected member of the team that folks looked to for guidance. Therefore, I'm just not buying the whole "they fired me because I wouldn't shuck and jive" accusation. So does that mean that the other AA cast members are shucking and jiving?! The way I see it (which could be totally wrong because I wasn't there), IW showed poor judgment by using the term F@ggot in a loud angry exchange with several witnesses and, initially, the whole thing died down until he jumped in front of the mic and the GG awards...again, poor judgment. As MO said, if IW would've walked away gracefully and moved on to other projects, that would've been the best move. I even think that once this thing had blown over and he had a couple successful projects under his belt, he could have done an interview to set the record straight. Right now, the wound is too fresh so most folks just see it as being bitter, so whatever point he is trying to make isn't getting conveyed. If IW's point was just to speak out regardless of the aftermath to his career for principles sake, then he can continue down this path and let the chips fall. However, if his goal was to be HEARD and try to bring about change, his strategy sucks. Not saying it's right, but just the way it is.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Agreed, he definitely doesn't have any moral high ground to fight from and we know how hollywood is....i just hate that the slur is the defining moment.....when i think it's more than that......race could still be the dominant variable, but the reality is we can't do the same things they can and get away with it, but neither can you argue when you know what you've done is wrong. So I will relent on the grounds that he probably made the slur out of anger, but man it's just funny that people use that word on set all the time with less than minimal retort.....SAD SAD....and now it's a big deal.....
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: I agree with everything you said, there are two standards of behavior and yes IW probably had less leeway in which to conduct himself. But at the same time, IW is an intelligent man, for the very same racism he alleges in his firing, he has to know going in (since he wanted to cite history) that he as a Black man just CAN'T make certain remarks and not expect retribution. Michael Richards is still probably apologizing and hasn't found a job sweeping floors on a studio lot. A lot of this is intellectual gamesmanship. IW could be and needs to be more shrewd about this. He's neither currying favor nor sympathy in his "battle." In all seriousness, his next public statement should include something to the effect of "I'm done with all of that, I've said what I have to say, I'm a better person for the situation and it's on to the next project." Demonstrate some personal closure and maybe a smile or two the next time we see him. Not a "watermelon grin" just a level of personal peace.
Name: BigG
Comment: i think that The brother was correct in Clearing his name. I don't think he was begging for his job back, i believe he just wanted the truth be told and that be it. He already mentioned that he is already working on other projects. Personally he should have told his story from day one and not leave it up for the network to take care of it, We know they are going to do whats best for them. Why would you let the industry tell your history when you have a voice to set it straight. I believe he did say that he used the word but not in the context that was told. So to be fair to IW, he was right to clear the situation up no matter what happens. Most people would have done the same if their situation was misunderstood. Why leave a lie a lie. Big G Big G
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: Again, nothing wrong with clearing your name...but he went about it all wrong. If you apologize, let the apology be...don't include that as to why you're 'mad' after the fact. And if you're going to clear your name, use common sense in the process. People here are talking about him standing up for himself, but you're not including into the equation the sensible way to do it. You can clear your name in court, but the judge doesn't smile upon you walking in, throwing chairs and cussing out the jury. There's a way to go about things and a timetable in which to do it. IW ignored both. This has gone on for months, by his own perpetuation.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: If he doesn't open up about it again at the Golden Globes, I'm willing to bet he keeps his job. He didn't need 2 press releases, a Newsweek article and Larry King to "clear his name." You're reaching.
Name: BigG
Comment: Mo, I understand your points and they are valid. From what i understand, He was under some sort of Gag order by the network not to talk about it, apologize and we will take care of it. When the Lies on how the event happened and who said what to who, then the brother was made out to look like a liar. I understand his point as well. If you tell me to shut up i will but dont let the lies continue and not let me respond
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: I agree with you (if) that's how it went down (I know there was a gag order but we can only speculate whether IW was promised his job if he apologized) he was right to speak up... BUT... We know in Hollywood that most of these things are reactionary in nature. I'm sure CBS/MSNBC didn't intend to fire Don Imus until the heat was turned up. We don't know what type of heat ABC/Disney was receiving in the weeks between his apology and the decision to fire him. But any heat Disney/ABC was receiving was a function of IW's actions. Again, if he doesn't "go there" at the Golden Globes, much of this is moot.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Good points BigG, and MO, you said he doesn't need two press releases, a newsweek article and larry king to clear his name. So if BigG's point was correct where they told him to be quiet and we will handle it and then they snaked him, which is the way it seemed to have happened, then why wouldn't clearing his name through as many mediums as he was personally affected by initially be proper vindication? I think the issue is really on whether or not we think it was worth for him to publicly set the record straight and toss caution out the window or just let the lies continue to swirl if they were lies and just keep it moving for fear of less work in hollywood....(Grin and Bear It) How do you think it's a reasonable argument to say that "IF" he chose to clear his name (one of the two options), that he should just clear it with one or two statements.....or to not use Larry King or newsweek......publicists go after many mediums to get their point to the public.....is that really your issue? Keep in mind that i said that I know i might not have a good position to fight from, that hollywood is inherently racist, and he oft times acted emotionally......I'm just commenting on the fact that if he made a decision to clear his name and that he was lied to, then chose the method and fight.......(sidebar, this sounds like Iraq, change strategies, but is the war just...lol)
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: It was an uncoordinated campaign to achieve his end. It was an inappropriate press release(s) unfocused commentary and rants in the interviews. It was ill-conceived all the way around. A publicist's job is to protect a client at all costs when it comes to appearances in media. He/she did not do that. The end did not justify the means in this instance and it was a poorly conceived strategy. Can't say it enough, nothing wrong with having your say, but it's been drawn out for far too long in a poorly conceived way. A good publicist would've kept Washington's mouth shut until the right time and not let him go off half cocked in an emotional rant. Also, the appearances in the medium would have/should have been kept to a minimum. Getting on Larry King didn't help his cause or his career. A good publicist would've known better.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: To connect to the war comparison. If Isaiah is Iraq, then no, wrong war, wrong reason. Changing strategies for an unjust war doesn't correct the problem. To go one step further, this shouldn't have ever been anything more than a "border skirmish"...IW wanted to turn it into a war, knowing good and well he had no strategy or adequate weapons in which to fight it.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Mo Kelly, to your comment," A publicist's job is to protect a client at all costs when it comes to appearances in media. He/she did not do that. The end did not justify the means in this instance...", Is it safe to assume that you are saying that you know what their desired result was. All your arguments have centered around the theme of his goal must be to get more work and maintain his status and just be quiet. That's obviously not what he decided. As far as the end justifying the means in the world of publicity, your comment isn't all true.....crisis management in PR is subjective and there are several ways to approach it and sometimes no matter what, when someone screws up real bad, it's hard to overcome. People have loss in the media for saying too much and not saying enough. My point is that unless we know what his goal was, how can we judge the outcome? It's not our career to sacrifice. I think what your trying to say is that he should have focused more on his future marketability and less on setting the record straight at all costs even though he did things wrong. To which point (he did it wrong) you have already made very convincingly (let that part go and move with me man).....lol
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: If Washington "planned" to never work in Hollywood again or was unconcerned with his image...no need to hire a publicist. So yes, to a degree IW made his "goals" known.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: And his "campaign" should have been handled long ago...he shouldn't have been talking about this more than a month after being fired. That's on the publicist too. The publicist pitched him to Larry King.
Name: BlackThought
Comment: Great article MO. Brown one, I applaud you for all of your insightful comments. After reading you and MO's comments, I see valid points in both arguements. I would just like to state, in my opinion, IW should have stood by what he said instead of allowing YT to make a mochary of him. If he allowed those words to come out of his mouth, then he has to deal with the aftermath. Now he wants to be a crusader after the firing? One thing that most of white America has is a sense of entitlement (for many reasons we already know so well). Malcolm had that same sense of entitlement that ultimately got him killed. What if all black people possessed a "sense of entitlement". Whether having entitlement means good or bad things, I don't know. But if IW could have displayed this entitlement in this case, he would've been able to pick himself up, dust off, hold his head and moved on to the next project. Above race, we are all human and we all make mistakes, but the one thing we must always do is be truthful to ourselves.
Name: Winn30344
Comment: I love your comments TheBrownOne and I totally agree about the double standards in bollywood. My whole problem with Isaiah Washington and this "apology" is they basically tried to strip this man's manhood. They made him jump thru hoops; PA announcement; 25/20 talking in the tabloids about how Isaiah came to her and apologized; all of them saying Isaiah apologized to them..all this in print and then the man is still fired!! I can only imagine the humiliation Isaiah has had to endure since he basically had to grovel at the feet of the very same people that fired him. Sometimes Mo when people do "us" like that we can't let it go because it bugs the 'ish out of us. Also, it's insult to injury that the show was created and written by a Black woman who obviously knew what was happening and allowed Isaiah to be humiliated over and over again. Shame on her and all those that took part in the dismantling of this man's livelihood!!
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: Winn... Historically, apologies haven't precluded those offenders (white or Black) from keeping their jobs. If you want to find fault with Disney/ABC it's elsewhere, but firing someone AFTER they've apologized is quite common. Jimmy the Greek Al Campanis Don Imus You'd be hard pressed to find someone who's uttered something close in offensive nature who DIDN'T get fired, white or Black. But you can't say "ABC made Isaiah jump through hoops and THEN decided to fire him." It happens all the time and is the rule, not the exception. Again, an apology shouldn't be done with employee caveats...either it's sincere or it isn't.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: Also Winn...IW (and others) have to make a decision... Just because something "bugs the sh!t out of us" doesn't mean it's worth poisoning the rest of one's career. Choices. Choices to speak to the media about it and choices as to what to say. It was his choice at the Golden Globes. Choices have repercussions.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Again Mo, you keep making the same point "worth poisoning the rest of one's career". HIS career. It obviously feels it is worth it. You have yet to acknowledge that one point. Why is everyone else more concerned about this man's career than he. He's made the decision. He's made the "choice" which you say he is entitled too. Armchair quarterbacks and outside the window CEO's always think their way is better. Unless we feel and understand why this man felt it worth it to persist on, how could any of us really know? Do you really care that much about his career or do you care more about making "good" points? Anyone in your family ever doubted why you made a decision or chose a certain path in your life that only you knew was right for you. Think about it. Maybe he doesn't have good counsel, but it is "HIS Career" and "HIs Choice".
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: Oh Brown...you can't have it both ways. I should say "IW" can't have it both ways. IW is out there grandstanding, railing against Hollywood. Who DOESN'T know that poisons the future career prospects? I never said he wasn't earnest in his complaint. I'm saying since he has a publicist, he obviously is of the opinion he's going to try to continue in Hollywood. Hollywood has blacklisted people for decades, so of course these public actions have negative repercussions. We can't debate back and forth about "method" but we can't debate whether ANY public slamming of Hollywood and its power brokers helps or hurts a career. It just does...period. This is NOT going to open doors or make him more marketable. He will do what HE thinks he must, but don't try to sell me that anybody in their right mind thinks this makes him/her a hotter commodity. It's back to choices...either he can pursue this "fight" or he can move on with his acting career...but he SURELY can't do both. They are mutually exclusive and contradictory.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: And no...I don't "care" personally about his career, he hasn't sought my advice. I have no reason to be personally invested. But historically there are all types of examples of people ruining their careers and getting themselves blacklisted. But usually, when people get themselves blacklisted, it's for better reasons than this one. But I will say this...try to find one agent who will tell you Isaiah Washington has better career prospects now as opposed to before his public statements. ONE. My commentary/points will not change that either way.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: http://www.topix.net/content/kri/2007/07/leonard-pitts -commentary-commentary-leonard-pitts-crying-wolf-too-o ften-just-trivializes-racism Leonard Pitts Commentary - Commentary: Leonard Pitts: Crying wolf too often just trivializes racism Black writer...VERY respected columnist.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: http://www.hecklerspray.com/isaiah-washington-still-un able-to-shut-up-about-getting-sacked/20079048.php You will begin to see a common theme here...his post-firing tirades are KILLING his career...having nothing to do with Mo'Kelly.
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: Newsweek http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19466829/site/newsweek/ Title "Diary of an Angry Black Man" Subtitle "Isaiah Washington can’t stop talking about being fired from 'Grey’s Anatomy.' Is that a good thing for him to do?
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: Now MO, this is where you usually lose me in your debates. YOu wouldn't make that great a lawyer because you don't always follow the logic of the responses coherently when you're on a rant. You spent more than 15 comments including these last 5 arguing a point that we all agree on. Yes, his efforts, his talking, his emotional rants, his appearing on Larry, his mentioning race are all factors that threaten his career and marketability. I've agreed with you on that point several times. I say this to you semi-jokingly, "Man, re-read what I just wrote and pay attention to the actual words this time. My point was that even he knows that he is doing harm to his career, but made a choice..Right or Wrong...In spite of.......HELLO
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: I'm saying you give him TOO much credit. I don't believe he is making a rational decision for "altruistic" and idealistic reasons. I believe he WANTS to continue in his career and ALSO makes these irrational/convoluted outburts. I used the articles to show he's failing on both accounts. He's not furthering his cause or career. If you're trying to be funny and say his behavior is consistent with him being angry and out of control...then yes, we agree. If you're saying his actions are "honorable" and noble because it flies in the face of convention and reason...you then have lost me. What did I miss?
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: I think he's doing what he always does...talks without thinking, he responds emotionally without forethought and reason. He's been consistent in that regard. He's accomplishing nothing...and isn't gaining friends or believers. And given from whence these outburts originated, it isn't noble in the least.
Name: TheBrownOne
Comment: I wasn't being funny, he is angry and he seems to feel violated and I feel ya on the last two comments. I don't know of him like that so I can't speak on his character history. However, you said yourself, he's been consistently who he is. Again, the only credit I give him is this; This man has to know he's not winning much, but him choosing to fight must mean that he's willing to put it on the line for something he believes in. I don't know what exactly, but obviously, something. Please laugh and think with me on this BrownOne quote;" Relative to the task at hand or the goal to be achieved, A Man of Courage that fails will oft times be considered foolish, but a successful Man of Courage is what we all call a Hero".....How would we perceive him if he had brought about change?....
Name: MorrisOKelly
Comment: I guess it comes down to me lacking the "vision" to see Washington's greater purpose here. Is it making it better for other actors of color? Is it to embarrass Disney/ABC, is it to get his old job back? My lack of vision fails to see what can be gained. Civil rights, the goals are clear, as were the injustices against people of color in Hollywood. This is far, far more nebulous and I'm not so sure whatever "change" to be had will be attributed to IW. True, history will decide how "smart" IW is in this instance, but odds are not looking good for him. There are some grumblings that NBC has shown some interest in him, but I'm not sure if that is merely a favor being called in or what. Not sure about IW's lasting appeal given this situation.
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