Celebrity Feuds
Knight: Isaiah Forced Me Out with "Faggot" Slur

T.R. Knight says that Isaiah Washington forced him out of the closet when he called him a "faggot" on the set of "Grey's Anatomy."

What's more, Knight tells Ellen DeGeneres that he's dumbfounded by Washington's denial of having called Knight a "faggot" in a scuffle with "Grey's" co-star Patrick Dempsey. Washington offered the denial in an interview at Monday's Golden Globes. Knight, in turn, told Ellen, "I don't know what to say, really, about that."

Knight also says that he'd never been called by the slur "to his face," and when he heard Washington refer to him in that way, "something shifted, and it became bigger than myself." Shortly thereafter, Knight revealed to People magazine that he is, in fact, gay, but says he never intended to before the incident. "It became important to make the statement," he says.

Knight appears on today's episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Check your local listings.



Tags: Grey's Anatomy, Grey'sAnatomy, Isaiah Washington, IsaiahWashington, TR Knight, TrKnight

Reader Comments

(Page 2 of 8) Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

16. The insult of names forced him out of the closet?? What happened to sticks and stones??

Posted at 11:42AM on Jan 17th 2007 by amy

17. # 12

IT IS TOO OBVIOUS THAT THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN HAS NO CLASS OR MORALS

OR VALLUES. BE REALISTIC!

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS,

YOU CANT WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO OR SAY.

ITS WRONG TO CALL PEOPLE NAMES SURE

BUT THIS IS THE WORLD WE LIVE IN

Posted at 11:46AM on Jan 17th 2007 by What Ever!

18. #7 has a very valid point. They probably could've worded their comment a little better, but if TR had called Isiah the N word, the world would've gone insane, like they did when Michael Richards made an ass of himself on stage. But they didn't. They shrugged it off and said "well he should get over it". Now I personally think that he should get over it, not because I think that the comment wasn't that bad, because it was. He should get over it because life is too short to play childish grade school games like that. "He called me a name", "I never called him that", "leave my friend alone or I'll beat you up". It's all immature nonsense. I expect better of these highly paid individuals.

Posted at 11:58AM on Jan 17th 2007 by acg

19. aliasgirl33

You can't avoid ignorance. Its apparent everywhere, especially on this board.

Posted at 11:47AM on Jan 17th 2007 by IC

20. I don't watch the show, so I'm speaking solely about the human beings involved. I thought it was crappy that Isaiah Washington called TR Knight the name when it's a perjorative word, and that he outed someone, taking away that person's right to choose whom he wanted his homosexuality known to. But to have the People magazine article, comments about it settling down on the set after the comment was made, etc....and THEN Washington backpedals and denies he said it? The man may or may not be a good actor. But he's a lousy human being. Doesn't matter whether he's black or white...he's a coward.

Posted at 11:59AM on Jan 17th 2007 by Michele

21. Washington comes across as an arrogant ass, but Knight needs to grow a spine regardless of sexual orientation. I try to teach my kindergartener that someone saying something nasty to you is just a reflection on them, but Knight's a grown man and if being called an ugly name by a jerk is something that "shifts his world" or whatever, then he is pretty pathetic.

Blacks have to face racial slurs daily. That doesn't make it right for Washington to do what he did, but whining about it on Ellen makes you look childish. Taking the high road and just refusing to address such trash would have shown more character.

Posted at 11:51AM on Jan 17th 2007 by Kia

22. KIA

EXACTLY!

VERY WELL PUT.

Posted at 11:59AM on Jan 17th 2007 by What Ever!

23. what a baby like for real there are thousands and thousands of people who go through sh*t like this daily and they dont have ellen to hold their hand so i say grow some nuts beat the crap out of whoever disses you shake it off and move on God we dont need to know about every feud you have on set

Posted at 12:01PM on Jan 17th 2007 by kayla

24. This happened ages ago... is it really necessary to bring this up again? No matter what someone says to you, they can't make you do something unless you want to. So Isaiah is an ass for what he said, that much is true, but he in no way "forced" T.R. out of the closet.... now he's just milking the media attention for as long as he can. It would have been better if he'd chosen to be the bigger person and limit his comments on the topic, admit that it was an unfortunate incident but it's in the past/ has been worked out between the two of them, or make no comment at all.
I wish fewer celebrities would go the Donald Trump route, and battle things out in private.

Posted at 12:07PM on Jan 17th 2007 by 79aebf99

25. Kia - Sorry honey but you are WRONG! If T.R. Knight had called Isaiah Washington the N word you all would lose your friggin' minds! So T.R. Knight should just "get over it?" So the next time someone calls you the N word you are just going to "get over it?" I DOUBT IT beeotch. Stop making every single thing about race. Maybe if you didn't ASSUME so much people wouldn't treat you so bad. I have black friends that never getted treated any differently than anyone else because they don't assume every single white person is out to get them. Just a thought.

Posted at 12:08PM on Jan 17th 2007 by Heaven Casteel

26. People, people it is ok for a black man to hate on gay white dudes because after all GOD HATES FAGGOTS!!!!

Posted at 12:06PM on Jan 17th 2007 by greenlakes

27. KiKi, it's comments like yours that fuel the hatred that permiates in this country.

Isaiah was so wrong attacking TR's sexuality. But, I don't feel that he was soley responsible for TR coming out. I believe TR is using this situation to his advantage and gaining a great deal of sympathy because of it.

As actors, I like both of them. Isaiah needs to apologize publicly for the drama he's caused and make amends with all of his co-workers. It's not called "Isaiah's Anatomy". I'm pretty sure (as much as I like him) he could be replaced.

Paging: Blair Underwood.

Posted at 12:09PM on Jan 17th 2007 by Dottie

28. Kia - Sorry honey but you are WRONG! If T.R. Knight had called Isaiah Washington the N word you all would lose your friggin' minds! So T.R. Knight should just "get over it?" So the next time someone calls you the N word you are just going to "get over it?" I DOUBT IT beeotch. Stop making every single thing about race. Maybe if you didn't ASSUME so much people wouldn't treat you so bad. I have black friends that never getted treated any differently than anyone else because they don't assume every single white person is out to get them. Just a thought honey!

Posted at 12:08PM on Jan 17th 2007 by Heaven Casteel

29. what a baby there are thousands of people who go through sh*t like this on a daily basis and dont have ellen to hold their hand i say get over it grow up we absolutely do not need to know what happens at your work i say T.R you are making yourself a victim boo hooo grow up and be a man if another man disrespects me i will make sure i throw down for myself not whine like a little bitch

Posted at 12:18PM on Jan 17th 2007 by kayla

30. I thought this whole drama-fest ended ages ago, then I.W. goes and shoots off at the mouth again for no reason. I saw it on Access Hollywood last night, the cast was standing all together, and Isaiah, out of nowhere, grabs the microphone and gives his line. WHAT THE HELL WAS THE POINT??

Posted at 12:21PM on Jan 17th 2007 by goodgriefcharliebrown

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