Fighting Fire with Fire
By Sarah Carlson
June 29, 2007
Actor Isaiah Washington's firing from ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" has been well documented in the press, a not-so-pretty ending to an ugly story of intolerance that was sensationalized to death. Unfortunately, Washington is the one doing the resurrecting, adding on to his story of why he was fired with an increasing flair for the melodramatic. This week, an interview with the star in Newsweek relayed his bitterness over the ordeal -- which has slices of merit to it -- as well as his belief that racism played a part in his demise.
"Well, 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 didn’t speak like I’d just left the plantation and that can be a problem for people sometime," he says. "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-foot-1, black man with dark skin and who doesn’t go around saying ‘Yessah, massa sir’ and ‘No sir, massa’ to everyone? It’s nuts when your presence alone can just scare people, and that made me a prime candidate to take the heat in a dysfunctional family.’’
Before this quote, the author writes about how Washington has spent money tracing his roots to Sierra Lione and is underwriting the building of a five-room school for village children, and it's Washington's boasts on this front that prove more telling of his character.
"People who know me know what’s really in my heart,’’ said Washington. "That’s what’s hurt me so much with all this. I was doing what I’m doing in Africa for years—before Angelina and Bono. But I’ve worked at homeless shelters for years and given money to make sure people knew they didn’t have to be hungry or the street. I have shared my blessings, but all that changed when this happened and it’s truly heartbreaking for me.’’
The manner in which Washington cites his accomplishments in Africa goes far beyond letting his left hand know what his right is doing. He wants recognition for his charitable acts and is jealous others are receiving more headlines for aid work -- a bitter line of thinking that gets to the heart of the man. It's hard to consider his allegations of racism against ABC and his castmates now that we know how he really sees himself: as a martyr.
Whether it was fair of ABC to string him along until June instead of firing him last October or January is up for debate, but Washington's insistence to try and drag everyone around him through the mud he created over the ordeal is pathetic.
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