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Updated:2007-01-29 15:07:54
Actor T.R. Knight to Leave 'Grey's Anatomy'?
CBSNews.com
NEW YORK (Jan. 29) - According to reports surfacing on the Internet, T.R. Knight is planning to leave "Grey's Anatomy" over the scandal that has erupted around the homosexual slur directed at him by fellow cast member Isaiah Washington.


Knight and 'Grey'
T.R. Knight responds to the Golden Globes outburst on 'Ellen.'


MSNBC.com's The Scoop reported that Knight, who plays Dr. George O'Malley on the show, is upset over the way the incident was handled after Washington used the slur in October.

According to The Scoop, Knight was told to keep quiet about the incident. Washington, who plays Dr. Preston Burke, denied using the word about the openly-gay Knight at the Golden Globe awards, prompting outrage from the cast. Knight later appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and said that Washington absolutely used the word.

"He (Knight) kept his word, but then the whole thing blew up again at the Golden Globes, and when he was asked about it, he basically called Isaiah a liar," a source told The Scoop. "He feels that the atmosphere there is so toxic and unhealthy. I suppose things could change and we would stay, but for now, he's planning to leave the show."

After much backlash, including an online petition for ABC to fire Washington, he entered counseling to deal with his behavior. At the Screen Actors' Guild awards last night, co-star Chandra Wilson thanked all "10 cast members" when she gave her acceptance speech for female actor in a drama series. She also added "and the other one in rehab."



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The cast of "Grey's Anatomy" won for best ensemble in a drama series, and they all appeared to enjoy Wilson's joke.

Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reported that former coworkers have said that Washington isn't a homophobe, but merely a hot-head.

While staring with Washington in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences," actress Madeline McCray witnessed him punch a fellow actor who was straight and African-American, a source told the paper.

"It's that his anger leads him to say and do things he wishes he hadn't — to everybody. He's always had a lack of control over his temper," the source said. "I worked with Isaiah, and there were some difficulties. He lost his temper and had a physical altercation with one of the other male actors backstage. The actor missed his cue a couple of times, and Isaiah couldn't control himself.

"Isaiah wants it to be perfect. He is a professional, and he expects everybody else to be on their mark, too. But when we're adults, we can't just allow our anger to get the best of us. He's got to get a handle on it. He's jeopardizing the incredible opportunity he's been given — a distinguished role in a hit show created by an African-American woman."

The Daily News also reported that Washington had a meltdown in 2000 against his "Soul Food" co-star, director and producer Tracey Edmonds. He also lost a job on "High Incident" in 1997 after a fight with crew member, which was severe enough to prompt someone to call the police.

McCray told the Daily News that she is "just really happy that he's going to stand up and take responsibility and fix this."

That would be horrible, I love George.
If it comes down to T.R. quitting or Washington being fired, I say fire Washington.
T.R. did nothing wrong, Washington made the remark in the first place.
If T.R. had called Washington a "nigger" he would have been fired faster than a press release could have been typed out.
I don't see why this would be different.
Seems like the cast support T.R., they can all threat to quit, and thus force the producers to fire Washington.
I hope they do, I don't see why a "victim" should be quitting over a toxic situation he didn't create.

EDIT: He's not leaving!

good...then maybe he will be on something I would actually like to watch. (though, I don't think he should be the one to leave if someone must)