I never expected Jodie Foster would be among Mel Gibson’s loudest defenders. “Faggot”-spewing actor Isaiah Washington? Yeah, that makes sense.
The ousted Grey’s Anatomy actor who helped pushed TR Knight out of the closet during his on-set F-word tirade (the ensuing controversy he now describes as a “much larger political agenda”) says that although he thinks he received a much harsher punishment than Gibson, he still thinks highly of the mouthy actor. “I wasn’t given the same benefit of the doubt,” he tells the Chicago Tribune. “But you know what’s strange, though? I would still work with Mel Gibson!” Oh? Well, he’s “a talented, man! Come on, he came up with Apocalypto, man! I want to work with this guy. I’ve worked with Steven Seagal. He’s out of his mind. I mean, I’ve worked with Spike Lee for four films. I’ve worked with some people that you can say are right there teetering between genius and madness. So I don’t look at their personal stuff.”
Except for other alleged lady abusers. Like Charlie Sheen: “I will say this on record: I’m not a fan of that behavior.”
Mike
Get over it. Get off Mel’s Dick. He’s talented and I forgive him.
Linden
Hasn’t Isaiah Washington done every kind of mea culpa possible? He’s begged for forgiveness.
A really despicable person like Charlie Sheen or Mel Gibson, people who’ve done real damage to others, are always given another shot by Hollywood. Why? Because they’re white! Charlie Sheen’s long history of violence against women has not hurt his career. Hell, he got a huge raise this year from CBS. Mel Gibson goes on to make films.
BTW, where’s you condemnation of Jodie Foster for making a movie with Mel and defending him??
the crustybastard
I’d love it if the two would work together too.
It would make ignoring them doubly convenient.
AJ
@Linden: I have to agree with Linden here. Isaiah Washington did something wrong and apologized for it, profusely, even coming out in support of gay marriage (which very few black actors have done).
What the incident missed was that Washington is not your typical homophobe. Nobody mentioned that Washington was one of few black actors in Hollywood willing to play gay in Spike Lee’s ‘Get on the Bus’, which, if you recall, was not a studio picture but a cheaply-made film for the community to commemorate the Million Man March. My point? For very little money, Washington acted out this scene:
From a 2004 Advocate article: “Spike Lee did start earning our respect with Get On the Bus, his terrific 1996 road picture about a group of African-American men traveling to the Million Man March. Here, when somebody calls him “faggot,” hunky ex-marine Isaiah Washington (“Brother, I’m as gay as the Nile is long”) gives the homophobe a thorough ass-whupping.”
Playing gay isn’t the same as accepting gays, obviously. But Washington is not your run-of-the-mill homophobe. He’s an asshole with a bad attitude and perhaps some homophobic tendencies. Charlie Sheen and Mel Gibson are clearly rotten inside, but I don’t see Washington the same way.
Heigl and Knight painted Washington as a homophobe to get him off the show, but it was because he was an asshole, not because he hated gays: nobody liked working with him.
Just because you’re a dick doesn’t mean you hate everyone who likes it.
ewe
A white racist employing a black bigot. What else is new?
Patrick
Like he has a chance in hell, he’d work for Hitler if he offered him a job.
Hilarious
@AJ: Heigl has been said to be an asshole herself, and Knight is just as bad as she is after what he pulled.
The biggest irony being gay people showing racist colors while whining about being victims of homophobia.
Seriously still bringing up Washington when so many white people have spewed the slur “FAG” since then? Really?
Be more obvious, just merge Queerty with Stormfront. Oh yeah, that’s right, they won’t have you. Sorry, Queerts. Guess you’ll have to settle for hiding silently under your hood at meetings.