I Am A TV Junkie

Grey's Heigl, Don't Let the Door Hit Your Ass On the Way Out

Share She's Gone by Hall & Oates

Somewhere the woman pictured below is reading this and shaking her head.

Good luck, Katie. See you on the Lifetime Movie Network.

Entertainment Weekly on Shows With Which You're Breaking Up

Michael Slezak at EW.com (is he Erika Slezak's son?) is asking what shows have you broken up with this year? The two shows he broke up with recently? Grey's Anatomy and Masterpiece Mystery.

The former I understand completely. But the latter? I loved ITV's Inspector Lewis (I watch it occasionally with mom) though always running in the back of my mind as I watch is the fact that Billie Piper could have found a much more attractive husband than Laurence Fox, dontcha think? He must be a helluva guy.

For me, I've broken up with The Office. Honestly, it was a tenuous relationship from the start. I don't particularly like the comedy of cringe. In fact, I almost broke up with Parks & Recreation for the same reason but Leslie's visit to a gay bar in the season premiere brought me back (also tenuously) and then I noted that the tone changed for the better. This week's episode was also quite funny and not so cringe-worthy.

How about you? Breaking up is hard to do, I know, but is there a show that you're about to have the "it's not you it's me" convo with?

Leave a comment or two (or a hundred) below.

Grey's Creator Rhimes is a Doctor Who & Torchwood Fan, discusses Pete v. Sheldon on Private Practice

Bill Keveney at USA Today:

Her loyalty to Meredith & Co. is paralleled by an allegiance to the fans, who she feels also have an ownership stake. She and Beers do podcasts, and Grey's writers interact with viewers via the blog Grey Matter (greyswriters.com).

Rhimes tries to protect the viewing experience, too. She is famed for giving away few plot details. As a TV fan herself — her likes include 30 Rock, Lost, Weeds, Project Runway, Doctor Who and Torchwood— she thinks spoilers detract from viewers' enjoyment. "It's the Pentagon, but I imagine we're nicer," says Walsh.

Rhimes won't say much regarding Practice's finale, which coincides with psychiatrist Violet's due date, except that it ends in a cliffhanger. Will viewers learn whether the father is clinic colleague Pete (Tim Daly) or fellow shrink Sheldon (Brian Benben)?

"I think what happens supersedes who the dad is," she says cryptically, adding: "But Violet definitely makes a choice about who she wants to be with."

The image above? Photoshop, baby, Photoshop.

My Best Guess Says Economy Putting Kibosh on Heigl Leaving Grey's, She Asks to Stay

I only say that because she is uncharacteristically, uh, genuflective in this AP story featured over at Yahoo! News, which says:

"I was assuming that at one point and I got a lot of shrugged shoulders and shakes of the head, so I don't know if that's a yes or a no. No one will tell me and I don't know how this is going to go," Heigl said, noting series creator Shonda Rhimes' passion for plot secrecy.

"I don't know if I live or die. I don't know how Izzie fares," said the actress, who's played the character since the show debuted in 2005.

"I'm there" if Izzie remains part of "Grey's Anatomy," Heigl said. She called the set "one of my favorite places to be" and said her colleagues are also friends.

Whaddaya think? Think she saw the writing on the wall and the hard times ahead in her crystal ball and thought she better keeps getting an ABC paycheck?

Or, are you of the mind that the whole Katie Heigl is a monster story is hooey?

2 Clips -- "McSteamy" On Disabled List With Broken Penis

I don't watch the show, I'm just posting this as a public service message.

From Telegraph.co.uk:

According to the search engine Google, two of the three most searched terms at present are "penile fracture" and "broken penis".

It follows an episode of Grey's Anatomy, Stairway to Heaven, screened in the US on Thursday, in which consultant Mark Sloan - otherwise known as McSteamy - suffered a fractured penis after indulging in sex in the on-call room with Lexie Grey.

(snip)

His injury is rare but can occur, although it mainly affects young men during sexual intercourse.

Netdoctor.co.uk reports that a fracture can occur when abnormal force is applied to the erect penis, and results in a cracking noise combined with intense pain.

It is caused by a "tear in the tunica albuginea, the thick fibrous coat surrounding the corpora cavernosum tissue that produces an erection".

More from Wikipedia at this link.

Clips from before and after the injury after the jump.

Video -- The Fray are Debuting a New Single in a Lost Promo, All Hail the Power of Lost

Billboard via MSNBC.com:

Two and a half years after its key placement on the ABC show proved that such TV partnerships can break an act on a massive scale, the Fray is hoping a groundbreaking deal with ABC will take its career to the next level.

In a commercial break from the tense elevator confrontations of the Nov. 20 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” a one-minute promo with scenes from the upcoming season of ABC’s “Lost” will premiere the Fray’s new single, “You Found Me,” as well as parts of the music video. Viewers will be directed to abc.com, where they can find a three-minute version of the clip as well as a link to iTunes; there they can buy the single, which will be released to radio the next day.

And this is how the music biz works these days. And this clip below? It may be only 17 seconds long but I've been told you need to see it.

LINK

Grey's -- Callie/Erica Relationship Ended, Brooke Smith Relieved of Duty

Anne Kingston at Macleans.ca Skirts blog:

The ABC series Grey’s Anatomy has become a flash point for Hollywood’s in-out-in ambivalence toward gay tolerance. First, T.R. Knight, who plays Dr. George O’Malley, announced he was gay after cast mate Isaiah Washington directed a now-infamous slur at him and was fired for it. Now, Brooke Smith, who played lesbian character Dr. Erica Hahn, has been booted from the show, ostensibly because her budding relationship with Dr. Callie Torres, played by Sara Ramirez, didn’t have right “magic and chemistry,” according to executive producer Shonda Rhimes. Many don’t buy it, including Smith (who’s last appearance is this Thursday’s show) in this interview with EW.com. Count on Smith’s dismissal being analyzed with more zeal than the U.S. presidential results.

My first question of course is, Was the storyline working? I don't watch the show. As far as I can tell from clicking around the web, though, it was.

You can click here or here or here or just do your own blog search on Brooke Smith's name to see what fans are saying. All these links in this graph will open in a new window for you. I'm such a mensch.

So, what's the deal, ABC? You got James Dobson or Tim Winter or maybe some I-sleep-with-male-hookers type clergy or political type breathing down your back? Someone threatening to stop going to Disneyland/Disneyworld? Or watch the Disney Channel? Or boycott Bolt?

Or maybe the board these days is stocked with scaredycats. Or worse.

'Cuz just about no one is buying the "it just didn't work out" excuse that your floating.

I'm a bit surprised at Shonda going out in front of the suits and being the brave lead soldier on this one. Very surprised.

 Not suprised that Ausiello at EW got the big get with Smith already. I include this, but click this for all of it:

Did you get the feeling that the story was making people nervous?
No. At work I had no sense of it. And more fans seemed to like it than not. I don't think I'm ever going to know [why this really happened].

When did you find out?
I found out in mid-September soon after shooting the monologue that aired last week where Erica has the revelation that she's gay. They even came down and told me it was a great scene -- one of the best they ever shot on the show. So I was really, really shocked. I was floored when they told me [I was being let go]. It was the last thing I expected. In fact, when they told me I asked, "When is this happening?" And they said, "The [next episode] is your last," which is the one that airs this Thursday. So it was very sudden.

Wait a second – your last episode is this Thursday?
Yes.

If I'm interested at all, it's because I love a little indie called Series 7: The Contenders, which stars Smith as a pregnant weapon-toting killing machine on a reality show set in the not-too-distant future (with DSM's Glenn Fitzgerald). As you see, Michael Slezak at EW agrees.

Whaddaya think about her dismissal from Grey's? Vent below.

The first 3:45 of Series 7: The Contenders in a clip after the jump.

Dirtier, Sexier And ... Well, Monier Isn't an Actual Word

Note to you, the reader of this: I know that everyone else on the web has used a version of this same headline for this show, but I didn't know about the others until I did a web search. And I'm not changing, let the others come up with something, uh ... cleverer (also not a word).

You know, I don't watch a lot of ABC shows. A lot of them are just too ... much for me. Like all those docs at Seattle Grace just shtupping their brains out until an icycle plunges into someone's midsection. I do think that Eric Dane deserves some attention, but the kind of attention I'm thinking of can be focused on him with still images.

Or those Housewives. Don't they just have a bit too much time on their hands, and I mean before the five year leap. Plus, it's a shame that Marcia Cross hasn't tried to off all of them by now, I really thought by now she would have developed her psychopathic need to kill.

(There's a chance here I can't separate the actress from her Melrose role. Okay, more than a chance. And, I have to include the clip, you know which one, and it's directly below)

LINK

I could be motivated to watch Private Practice, mostly because of my great affection for Kate Walsh, but I would just be frustrated watching her and thinking about how she isn't the lead in a great sitcom. Plus, I hear it's gonna get heavy this season. Also, I don't really know if this is the right role for Audra McDonald. I'm glad the theatre star is getting TV work, but this might not be a good fit for her.

Brothers & Sisters? I have one of each, thank you. Plus, I'm already watching [adult swim] by ten on a Sunday. And as an Italian-American, I've had enough of family drama.

That leaves Dirty Sexy Money, which I watched online last year and I can now watch in splendid 40 inches of liquid crystal display thanks to my DVR.

 While you were outside enjoying a lovely Fall weekend ABC was running the ten episodes they made before the strike last year in a marathon on their SoapNet cabler. Why didn't I tell you? Because they didn't tell me.

Well, if you have nothing to do between now at Wednesday, when the new season eps begin, you can still do some catch-up on ABC.com.

And, you can check out my posts on the show from last season at this link.

One more thing, contrary to some rumors from last season, Carmelita (above right) remains an important part of the story of the Darling family. (Darling Tower site at this link, btw.)

TV Guide:

(O)n the cusp of the series' return to ABC October 1, Matthew Gross, an executive producer on the show, gave TVGuide.com some insights into Carmelita's unique role and why she's become a fan favorite. He also assuaged our fears that she might have vanished forever — all in an L.A. absinthe den, no less, while celebrating the show's Season 1 DVD release.

"Carmelita is the most honest character on the show, and she's not afraid to defend that," Gross said. "She is who she is, and she's brave enough and bold enough and strong enough and willing to lose it all in defending that. That's what builds character in a person."

Very good news. Candis Cayne is a breakthough and frankly so is the role. Everyone should be lauded for their nerve and their verve.

After the jump, a preview of the season opener.

Heigl, Izzie and Brain Tumors -- Shonda Rhimes Talks to the Critics

I kinda feel guilty, not too guilty to go to the "Katherine Heigl has a big mouth" well for another post, but guilty because I don't even watch this show. Medical dramas where bad stuff happens to people isn't my idea of a good time, and if I was gonna watch one, it would be a well-made one like ER.

Now, I certainly hadn't heard the brain tumor for Izzie rumors before I wrote that post yesterday about Denny coming back, but now that I have heard those rumors it certainly seems like I was somewhat prescient, doesn't it?

Yesterday at the Television Critics' Association panel with ABC showrunners, Shonda said:

“I found it surprising,” Rhimes said, adding that Heigl asked her to give her character a light load in the second half of the season so that she could do a movie.

“I actually have a really wonderful working relationship with [Heigl] and Izzie is one of my favorite characters,” Rhimes added. “But [Heigl] is really outspoken.”

For me, it's not the outspokenness, it's that she thinks it's appropriate to do her business in a series of public dialogues where this stuff should be done behind closed doors. I mean, imagine if you called your local paper and told them that your company isn't treating you well.

Okay, they wouldn't care. I get that. That's why I think this actually works against Heigl with her fans. She's attempting to solve an employment issue by using the juice she has because she's employed in said position, and most of us don't have that at our disposal.

She comes off somewhat elitist because of that, and that's not good for her future in this business. People, women especially, want to identify with the women they see on screen. Heigl is making that much more difficult to do by placing herself on a higher level than her audience.

Is Denny Duquette Alive? Or Is Izzy Gonna Die (and have Denny meet her at the pearly gates)?

This is compelling info for you Grey's fans from THR.com:

Good news for "Grey's Anatomy" viewers: Fan favorite Denny Duquette, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, is returning to ABC's medical drama.

A rep for the show confirmed Morgan's guest appearance but declined to divulge further details.

So, I figure it's just like that scene at the end of Julianna Margulies' run on ER where she meets Clooney's Dr. Ross at the plane (it was a plane wasn't it?) and they embrace.

Only in heaven.

Because Izzy dies some horrible death that has to do with her opening her mouth one too many times. That would be somewhat fitting.

Grey's Source Sez: "They Want Izzie Dead!"

Tom O'Neil at his LA Times blog Gold Derby:

Uh-oh! Could we have blood on our cyber-hands soon, Derbyites? Marc Malkin of E! Online reports: "Latest buzz hissing from the set of the ABC hit is that creator Shonda Rhimes may be entertaining the idea of killing off Katherine Heigl's Dr. Isobel 'Izzie' Stevens because of the now infamous remarks Heigl made about the upcoming Emmys.

That's why you don't air your dirty laundry in public. Something this young woman hasn't learned in her many years in show biz (from the time she was a teen).

You know, she did the same thing a few years ago on another show. She was on Roswell and pulled the same crap. The denotes a pattern, and not a good one.

More from Tom's post:

Furious, "a key show insider" told EW.com: "The show bent over backwards to accommodate her film schedule, and then she criticizes the show for lack of material? It's an ungrateful slap in the face to the very writers responsible for her Emmy win in the first place."

Can't really blame that key show insider.

She needs to check herself before she wrecks herself. Isn't her mom still her manager? Can't she muzzle her? Or is this their plan for her to win friends and influence people?

Dale Carnegie wouldn't be impressed.

Maybe They'll Just Call Him "McKidd?" Journeyman Star Commutes to Seattle Grace

Well, he stays in the same general part of the fictitious country that is the United States of Television.

Entertainment Weekly (and my sister's former work buddy Lynette Rice):

Kevin McKidd, the Scottish actor who headlined last season's time-traveling drama Journeyman, is in serious talks to join the cast. He'd play an M.D. who comes to the hospital after a stint in Iraq. It's expected to be a long story arc for McKidd, who also played the soldier Lucius Vorenus in HBO's regrettably short-lived Rome.

Hey, at least it's not Mario Lopez wearing child sized scrubs so that you can see his definition. I mean, I'm all for man candy, but Lopez is getting ridonkulous. If there were cameras and a red carpet there, he'd probably go shirtless to church.

I liked McKidd in Journeyman, I just didn't think the show made much sense.

The Heigl Sitch, What the F**k Is Going On In Her Head?

Remember I wrote this on June 11? It said:

Piss off your show creator, flip off the network, just make sure that your next movie is more in the Knocked Up boxoffice range and not so much the 27 Dresses range.

And remember, the vast majority of America probably still can't pick you out from a lineup of five attractive blondes.

Well, three days later, Ed Wyatt in the NY Times said:

Writers and producers for the ABC hit “Grey’s Anatomy” are fuming after one of the show’s stars, Katherine Heigl, said this week that she had opted out of the Emmy race this year because she was not given good enough material to work with last season.

The remark has fueled speculation in Hollywood that Ms. Heigl, 29, wants out of her contract on the series. This is the second time in little over a year that a dispute between Ms. Heigl and the show’s producers has spread beyond the studio soundstage.

The dispute has broader implications than just another celebrity tiff. “Grey’s Anatomy” commands the highest rate for commercials of any series on television after “American Idol,” making it one of ABC’s most profitable programs.

Following her high-profile roles in two feature films in the last year, “Knocked Up” and “27 Dresses,” Ms. Heigl may well be the show’s most visible star, although she is only one of several supporting members of an ensemble cast.

And just about anyone else who cares has weighed in as well. Just do a search on her name and the web hits keep coming. So, what's behind it? I really do think that she wants off the show. And it would more than likely be a somewhat positive thing for her career, except for the way she's trying to do it is just the biggest mistake an actor can make in Hollywood.

You signed a contract. Actors sign contracts. And then when things go well they try to renegotiate those deals. Can you imagine that happening in any other business in the world? It's tantamount to blackmail sometimes.

And can you imagine if the network said that she was a drag on ratings and tried to cut her pay? She'd be calling her lawyers faster than you can say "Katherine Heigl hospital scrubs collection licensing deal."

Neither of those movies she did would have happened without the TV show. Period. She signed a contract. She needs to straighten up and fulfill her obligation.

And one more thing, I get that she doesn't wanna be typecast as an "Izzie-type." I have previously discussed the issue and how it pertains to her, I've even applauded her on getting out there and doing other stuff, but this isn't the way to get out of your TV show. And let's face it, is the work for a late 20-something blonde actress so compelling that you just have to break free of one of the top rated scripted shows on the air?

Heigl Turns Down Emmy Consideration, Makes No Friends For It I'm Sure

You know, you just don't do this kind of thing, and you don't give this reason, which she gave Tom O'Neil at the LA Times' Gold Derby blog:

"I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention," she tells Gold Derby. "In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials."

Meanwhile, Emmy wins, even Emmy nominations, turn into audience for the show which turns into ratings which in turn turns into money that ABC pays her to do her job.

Can you see now that this was not a good thing to do? Also, Shonda Rhimes and the folks in the Grey's writers' room must have loved the comment, which was really obviously a calculated coordinated statement by her press people.

Piss off your show creator, flip off the network, just make sure that your next movie is more in the Knocked Up boxoffice range and not so much the 27 Dresses range.

And remember, the vast majority of America probably still can't pick you out from a lineup of five attractive blondes.

And you know, I finally watched Knocked Up the other day. Fun movie, but honestly it was mostly Seth and Paul Rudd's movie, despite her being the one who was with child.

Then again, every Paul Rudd movie is Paul Rudd's movie.

Ms. Heigl, Shelley Long on Line One With A Message For You

And that message would probably be, "Don't be an ass, stay on your mega-rated primetime show."

The National Enquirer, of all sources, is reporting that big blondie (my dad calls her that) is lookin' to get outta that Grey's Anatomy contract that she just renegotiated so that she can do more movies like 27 Dresses Knocked Up (let's face it, the former didn't hit anywhere near the way her Apatow comedy did).

From Monsters & Critics:

“Katherine has even suggested to ‘Grey’s’ producers that they kill her character Dr. Izzie Stevens in dramatic fashion so her exit could bring in huge ratings,” a pal of the 29-year-old Emmy winner told The Enquirer. Newly married to rocker Josh Kelley and riding high on her box-office appeal, Katherine has formed a production company with her mother Nancy, whos her manager, and she’s being swamped with movie offers, said the pal.

ABC Announces Pickups From 2007-8 Schedule

And this is very good news for some of us. Some more than others, right Bob?

And can we please give Samantha Who? a suitable lead-in that will have compatible viewers and not depend on the Dancing ... geriatric audience to fall asleep in front of the set? Please? Because otherwise this very good show will go the route of Ted Danson's Help Me Help You last season.

And let's just stipulate here that Dancing With the Stars is never gonna make a sitcom lead-out a hit. No compelling comedy is going to be helped by that audience. It's like the two concept exists within a generational shift that makes neither compatible to the other.

MediaPost:

ABC has picked up nine series for next season, including four shows that debut this year: "Dirty Sexy Money," "Private Practice," "Pushing Daisies," and "Samantha Who?" Those shows will join five mainstay and veteran ABC shows: "Brothers & Sisters," "Desperate Housewives," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," and "Ugly Betty."

"The strength of our schedule this fall was unprecedented and speaks for itself," said Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment, in a release. "We're looking forward to building on that success."

ABC touts its strong fall performance--10 weeks of the season, Sept. 24 to Dec. 2, 2007--when the network was No. 1 among 18-49 viewers, with an average 3.9/10 rating. ABC also says it was atop all networks during the November sweeps period, for its third consecutive November sweeps win.

Tales of Stupid Rich White Guys Who Run TV Networks

Those two men are Ben Silverman and Stephen McPherson. McPherson runs ABC and Silverman runs NBC.

Hollywood Reporter:

The Thursday night scheduling tango between NBC and ABC continued Thursday morning when ABC officially announced that it will move the last original episode of "Grey's Anatomy" from Jan. 3 to Jan. 10.

That led to a reversal in NBC's Wednesday decision to push the premiere of "Celebrity Apprentice" from Jan. 3 to Jan. 10 to avoid the first-run "Grey's."

NBC said Thursday afternoon that "Apprentice," hosted by Donald Trump, will now launch Jan. 3 as originally planned.

(snip)

While scheduling tweaks in response to a rival network's scheduling changes are normal, multiple back-and-forths like those with "Grey's" and "Apprentice" are rare.

They underscore the heated rivalry between ABC and NBC, whose top programming executives, Stephen McPherson and Ben Silverman, are engaged in a public feud.

I would suggest you two get in the ring, but I would bet that neither of you had ever thrown a legit punch at someone since you were 12. Maybe you could see who can piss the furthest. Unless you now have people to do that for you, that is.

My Now Once-Daily Strike Update, with Video

We need rules, so it's gonna be once a day unless something big happens during the day that needs to be addressed or acted upon by you and me.

This today from Jack Myers at MediaPost's TV Board:

Fifty three percent of 300 media, advertising and entertainment executives believe writers should continue to "hold out for everything they want," with 47% voting for them to "pick up their pencils and get back to work." According to the poll conducted by www.jackmyers.com, a slight majority of a group that should be expected to be more sympathetic to the networks and studios express support for the Writers Guild of America.

This surprising result suggests underlying acknowledgement that digital assets represent an important and growing revenue stream for the industry and, although it is impossible to assess the long-term incremental value represented by digital, writers indeed deserve a slice of the pie.

Furthermore, from Marisa Guthrie at Broadcasting & Cable:

Heads of the top talent agencies in Hollywood and heads of the various network conglomerates -- CBS’ Leslie Moonves, Warner Bros.’ Barry Meyer, News Corp.’s Peter Chernin and Disney’s Robert Iger -- joined forces to nudge the leadership of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers back to the negotiating table. Meanwhile, CAA partner Bryan Lourd reached out to David Young, executive director of the Writers Guild of America.

During three weeks of picketing by the WGA and ally unions including the Screen Actors Guild, network heads attempted to put the best face on the work stoppage, claiming that they had ample new content to take them into the new year and beyond. But privately (emphasis mine -- JB), they have become increasingly concerned about the potential damage of a long-term strike.

And then there's Variety's strike blog, which is the only location where I have seen mention of the crawl that ran under Edie Falco's character's news interview package on MSNBC that ran during the last new 30 Rock episode we might see:

(C)heck out the newscrawl at the bottom of the fake MSNBC newscast: In a "TiVo-it-or-you'll-miss-it" moment, it reads, "NEWS CRAWL AFFECTED BY WRITERS STRIKE -- USING REPEAT TEXT FROM PREVIOUS SEASON."

Anyhow, both sides head back to the table this Monday. You know I support the writers. Nothing happens without the script. If you doubt that, I challenge you to just sit and stare at a silent Charlie Sheen for a half hour and tell me that does not freak you out.

Finally, here's a message from Grey's Anatomy star Sandra Oh.

LINK

Photo at top courtesy NY Times.

Patrick Dempsey Supports the Cause

LINK

Brooke Smith Goes to the Wrong Show as Regular! Aaaaargh!

Oh casting people at Grey's Anatomy, if you were in front of me right now I would let you have it seven ways to Sunday, which is today, so that's appropriate.

You know what's not appropriate? Your upping of Brooke Smith to regular character status on Grey's. You can't do that, she's Andrea on Dirty Sexy Money.

I know we haven't seen a lot of her, but that's because Andrea ran off to Brazil, leaving little Brian Jr. with his dad, the Reverend Brian Darling.

I was soooo expecting you, Brooke, to come back during February weeks and cause a whole lot of trouble for our very wealthy man of God. I figured he's have some trouble with his wife Mei Ling through December but hey'd finally reconcile in January and then you could come in and shake things up, have scenes with Glenn Fitzgerald, reminding me of your work with him in Series 7: The Contenders (best fake reality show ever made as a movie, and adding yet another layer to the very deftly constructed show.

But I don't watch Grey's. So, I won't be seeing you.

Still, it is one of the top dramas on TV, so I guess it's good news for you.

I just have two words to say to you -- Heather Locklear. TJ Hooker and Dynasty at the same time.

You can do it, Brooke.

Preview Video -- Grey's Returns Sept. 27

I'm not going to even pretend that I know what's going on here. I'm watching The Office when this airs.

This is just for you people.

LINK

Is Big Shots the Worst New Show of the Fall? Mo Ryan Sez Yes

Maureen writes The Watcher, the TV blog from the Chicago Tribune:

... the biggest headscratcher involves where “Big Shots” landed on ABC’s schedule. “Grey’s Anatomy” has a number of male viewers, but the fact is, the show skews heavily female. Why on Earth do ABC executives think “Grey’s” viewers would do anything but run screaming from “Big Shots”?

These are the kind of ego-driven men, after all, that most rational women (and men) spend their lives trying to avoid.

It really makes you wonder what ABC’s entertainment president, Stephen McPherson, saw in “Big Shots.” Then again, McPherson is engaged in a war of words with NBC co-chair Ben Silverman over NBC’s treatment of Silverman’s predecessor – and McPherson’s friend – Kevin Reilly. McPherson recently said that Silverman should “be a man” and own up to NBC’s shoddy treatment of Reilly.

In fact, that was a move on McPherson's part that warranted a post by me, calling him that day's Stupidest Person in Television.

Gotta admit that I don't watch a whole lot of ABC, so I haven't seen much in the way of this show, but I do know that the original working title on it was Big Dicks, and apparently that was a pretty accurate assessment.

Here's a question, does this show get picked up at a network where more women make the decisions? And are the men in the room responsible for its placement behind television's highest rated drama (that skews female, highly female) big dicks as well?

Watch!!! -- Emmy Nominees and Plants from Access Hollywood

Well, I guess they figure it's not nice to show up without a hostess gift.

Check out this YouTube clip from AccessHollywood.com with stars of Heroes, Grey's, Betty and Two and a Half Men awkwardly accepting plants from reporters.

LINK

Re: Isaiah, Minds of All Kinds Think Alike Today

So I'm driving home from the barber and I'm thinking about Isaiah Washington (as he was also being talked about on the radio) and I thought how it would be very interesting if after this run he does on Bionic Woman, the show NBC developed for him in cast him as a gay, black action hero.

Talk about creating a show that has no chance, huh?

Then I got home and read this on James Hibberd's TV Week TCA blog:

Asked if hiring Washington could be perceived as an affront to the gay community, Smilovic said, “Absolutely not. … We embrace the gay community. … We hope they will embrace the show. … We are in no way making any judgments about what was said. … This is about making great entertainment.”

One critic suggested, since producers are interested in allowing Washington to “make amends,” scripting a gay kiss for his character. Smilovic rejected the idea as “breaking down the third, fourth and fifth wall of television.”

Certainly neither of these circumstances will come to fruition, but casting Washington as a gay action hero would certainly go a long way toward teaching the guy that gay does not mean weak, as he told Larry King his words that day to his Grey's costar Patrick Dempsey meant.

Top Ten Broadcast Network TV Show Websites

According to the folks at Broadcasting & Cable:

According to online research company Hitwise--which claims it monitors the surfing habits of a sample of 10 million Internet users-- American Idol, which ended its spring run weeks ago, is the top-visited site. It pulled 9.02% of the traffic.

(snip)

Reality TV dominates the list, with seven of the top 10 shows. After Idol, the top sites were Deal or No Deal (6.18%), America's Most Wanted (6.13%), The Simpsons (5.26%), So You Think You Can Dance? (4.66%), Bingo, Jericho (2.72%), Hell's Kitchen (2.55%), Grey's Anatomy (2.41%), On the Lot (@.15%).

If you think about the fact that a lot of the Simpsons web traffic at TheSimpsons.com is coming from the excitement surrounding the movie, that makes Jericho more than likely the most active fictional show TV-only site.

Variety's Brian Lowry on Larry King's Talk with Isaiah Washington

Brian says:

The question now, invariably, is "So what?" Washington maintains the offensive stems from his publicist being "tipped off" regarding leaks intimating that Washington misbehaved on the set and a desire to "clear my name" by setting the record straight.

Yet this story's peculiar arc -- the initial denial, grudging admission and recent suggestion that race played a part in his fate (a question he conspicuously ducked with King) -- have made Washington a poor spokesman for his own cause. At times Monday, he rambled -- a reference to Disney Media Networks co-chair Anne Sweeney was apparently edited -- and became misty-eyed mentioning a supportive note from co-star Sandra Oh.

Although everyone involved declined comment for King's show, Washington's accusations will surely trigger another cycle of responses -- a pattern that could easily sustain itself until the show's interns are eligible for Medicaid.

So, the first thing I would like to know is what did he say about Anne Sweeney? Of course, with Larry King, you never get a decent follow-up question and, from time to time, you get some editing of his interviews, which is just so effing bogus for a news channel to do that I wanna hurl.

Edit an interview because the subject said something not nice about the head of competing media company? When does that happen? Oh, that's right, on Larry King Live.

I certainly wasn't gonna watch this hour of TV, so I'm glad Brian did, but I still feel dirty for some reason.

If I could say something directly to Isaiah's mom or manager or mentor or someone he respects, I would say, "Please tell your guy he should consider taking a vacation and then doing something great at the Public Theatre in NYC or maybe Othello in the West End, get some great reviews and then start auditioning for TV and film in Hollywood again."

Yes, that's my crisis intervention suggestion.

Newsweek Web Exclusive on Isaiah v. Grey's -- He says, "There Is No Rehab For Homophobia"

Well, I said as much in this post in January, didn't I?

For those of you interested in where Washington actually went ...

"There is no rehab for homophobia—that was just some crap being put out by the network," he says. " I went into an executive counseling program which many people in this industry know about and go to. They knew what the program was but chose to call it what they wanted to fit their agenda. And more importantly, I volunteered for it because I wanted to understand my fight with Patrick and how it got out of hand like that. I wanted to know what I could do to avoid it happening again." ABC declined to comment.

What Washington didn't learn in that counseling program, evidently, was when to shut up and take the NBC deal. Not his fault, though, as this is a guy who probably had to hear the exact words said to him over and over again until they sunk in, because it's apparent that he doesn't listen to advice. I'm sure his current publicist, Howard Bragman, is totally frustrated.

He has choices here. He can go on and on about how he's being singled out for whatever reason (I don't buy the race card here, it was played too late in the game) or he can make lemonade by having his agents negotiate a deal for him at the other very interested network and shut up, not because no one wants to hear it (although I suspect some don't) but because it's the best thing for his own career.

Or, you can continue to grant interviews with the press and dig the hole deeper and deeper until he's hosting some sort of game show on a third-tier cable network.

Choice is his.

More on Isaiah From the Man Himself, Talks to African-American Gay Activist Keith Boykin

And you can click over there to Keith's blog for all the details, (and here's some on Boykin himself) but I do want to pick out this little gem from his ouevre:

"I'm not firing back at anybody else in the cast but T.R. Knight and Katie Heigl because they both know as well as Chandra Wilson knows that T.R. Knight was very tactical in trying to remove me from the show because he knows that I know, and I was gagged, that he has been working on a conspiracy to get Patrick Dempsey and myself off the show for the last year and a half."

(snip)

"This is something that T.R. Knight has been trying to do and using the incident of the so-called F-word that was targeted at him, which is a flat out lie, to blackmail the writers into doing his bidding, and it's not working. The producers are not happy about it, and quite frankly, they all think that something has gone awfully awry with the stability of T.R. Knight. And I can freely say this now because I am no longer a Disney employee and I am no longer gagged. But everyone there, including the producers, all the way up to Touchstone, are very disappointed in the behavior of T.R. Knight."

Oh man, he's really starting to sound like he's coming unglued. That doesn't sound like something that a guy who is negotiating for a talent deal with a network should be saying in the midst of said negotiations. I just don't understand why this guy can't let it go and work on getting a deal with NBC. I said a few days back when he was fired that I felt that he was somewhat justified in being upset with ABC because he had done everything asked of him, but now he seems to be lashing out and just at the wrong time.

A conspiracy to rid the show of Dempsey and Washington? Really? I'm pretty sure that T.R. Knight is smart enough to know that Dempsey IS the show and not going anywhere. This statement makes absolutely no sense to me.

If I'm Ben Silverman at NBC, I gotta be wondering if Washington is worth the trouble, I don't care how much free publicity he comes with.  Networks don't want to take on trouble like this. What are his handlers doing? Handle him before he destroys his entire career!

And on the off chance that the man himself is reading this -- Isaiah, close your mouth, go on vacation, let you agents and managers work a deal and lay low. Don't you wanna work again?

All of my Isaiah Washington posts at this link.

Isaiah Washington to Houston Chronicle: "They Fired the Wrong Guy"

Which apparently means that Washington thinks they should fire, uh, who, exactly?

Houston Chronicle:

The former Dr. Preston Burke on ABC's hit series Grey's Anatomy told the Houston Chronicle that T.R. Knight should have been fired from the show.

(snip)

Washington said Knight, who plays Dr. George O'Malley, stirred up the notion that the slur was targeted at him and created a negative work environment. Washington also alleged that Knight likely wanted a salary increase and a more substantive role for his character.

Knight, who acknowledged that he was gay after the incident, told Ellen DeGeneres in January that Washington used the slur against him and that "everyone (on the set) heard it."

"That's a lie," Washington said. "I used the word during a disagreement with Patrick. I apologized for that. We shook hands and went back to work."

And, he's considering legal action, is disappointed with what he thought was his work family at Grey's and finally, get this, he says that when he said faggot again during the press after the Emmys it shouldn't count because he was just recapping what happened previously.

Note to Washington: Saying faggot is always not a good idea, as saying the N word is always not a good idea, whether you're recapping or not.

Washington is a Houston native.

Kate Walsh of Grey's Live in Los Angeles, Tonight!

Okay, folks in Southern California, run like the wind to your favorite communications device and try to get a $5 (that's right, just five bucks!) ticket to this:

Ronna and Beverly's All Jew Revue -- Hosted by Ronna Glickman & Beverly Kahn (Jessica Chaffin & Jamie Denbo), best-selling co-authors of You'll Do a Little Better Next Time: A Guide to Marriage and Re-marriage for Jewish Singles.

Who knows, they might even have someone nice for you.

No pressure.

With special guest Kate Walsh ("Dr. Addison" on Grey's Anatomy)

"Weekend Pick"
-LA.com

If it were more convenient, I would run over to the UCB Theatre every chance I could get. Tix are cheap and the funniest people on TV show up there right in front of you. In fact, you should click over there and bookmark the page and sign up for newsletters so you don't miss anything.

UPDATE: Welcome Kate Walsh fans from TWoP and other places on the web. If you wanna see how funny Kate can be, click here for video of her interview with David Spade on The Showbiz Show.

Grey's Isaiah: Mad as Hell

What did I tell you?

LINK

Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke on the show, was released on Thursday by "Grey's" producers at ABC Television Studios, part of the network that airs the program.

"I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore," Washington said in a statement, borrowing a line from the 1976 movie "Network," which takes a harsh look at television.

Howard Bragman, the actor's Los Angeles-based spokesman, declined comment.

I had a feeling that this guy would be pissed. And, to some extent, I have to strangely sympathize, but only a little. After all, he seemed to do everything that was asked of him by the people in positions of authority surrounding this issue, and he still lost his job.

Also, I can't imagine all this will be improving his opinion of gay people.

I have to believe that ABC wanted to put this behind them, and the best way to do that is to dismiss Washington from their top rated drama. Still, I bet the guy feels like he did what was asked of him and it was all for naught, which you can imagine is pissing him off.

UPDATE: Welcome to those clicking over from ABC.com. This is what I wrote last night on the topic, and just in case you can't find the homepage link and you wanna see what goes on here, click this.

Oh, and you Kate Walsh fans should definitely click on this clip-loaded post from her appearance with David Spade on The Showbiz Show. It's a riot.

Isaiah Washington Leaving Grey's Anatomy

Entertainment Weekly is reporting it. After four years, ABC has opted not to renew Washington's option:

A spokesperson for ABC Studios confirms that it has not picked up Washington's option for fall. An EW reporter caught up with Washington late Thursday (June 7) at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Hollywood, but the actor declined repeated requests to comment about the studio's decision to drop him other than to refer calls to his publicist. Washington's publicist confirms that the actor received a call on Thursday telling him he was not invited back to the show next season.

Just yesterday, it was reported that T.R. Knight's contract was renewed.

Is it just me, or do I think we haven't heard the end of this? I just have a sense that there is more left in these sails.

For those of you who didn't see the PSA that Washington did after his stint in rehab (rehab?) here it is:

A Great EW Cover Story on Katherine Heigl

Here's the link.

With just enough Grey's Anatomy stuff to keep you people happy and lotsa stuff about Knocked Up, which opens today.

I particularly liked this little passage with the quote of hers:

Team Heigl's focus right now is making that often fraught transition from TV to the big screen. ''We're all familiar with how Jennifer Aniston moves, how Courteney Cox speaks, because of 10 years on Friends,'' the actress says. ''But I think if I can find roles that are different enough from Izzie, I can find a way to shake her.''

Hit the nail on the head, she did. I honestly don't know if Jennifer Aniston will grow away from Rachel Green until she looks different than Rachel, and I don't really know if Aniston wants that to happen all that fast.

(Yeah, yeah, I know this is a Katherine Heigl post, but stay with me.)

If she does start to look different than Rachel it would more than likely be because she got older, and then Hollywood deems her unhireable. So what's an actress to do?

Well, for one, like Heigl says, keep doing other stuff. Honestly, though, I don't think that would have helped Jen or Courteney, the show was so damn popular and they were everywhere for a while.

This whole dynamic is why I didn't want to see Jennifer Aniston get raped in Derailed. I didn't want to watch Rachel get raped. I turned it off, and I returned it to the video store, never to watch it again, although I did manage to get through Rumor Has It as the character was more of what I have been lead to expect from countless viewings of episodes of Friends.

But, back to Katherine Heigl, she says this about Isaiah Washington:

Heigl told a TV reporter after the ceremony, ''He needs to just not speak in public.'' ''I didn't have a courageous moment,'' she says. ''I had a couple glasses of champagne, and I was furious and frustrated for my friend and sick of the whole mess of it.'' ''I was floored,'' says Knight, who heard the next day about Heigl coming to his defense. ''How often is someone going to stick their neck out publicly for someone, at the risk of getting slapped in some way, shape, or form? That doesn't happen! But she's fierce and honest and a great friend.''

Most of all, the article's about this movie, which will be the comedy of the Summer (no, I don't get paid to say that, it's just true).

One last snip, about her manager/mom (don't think Dina Lohan, it's not like that):

She attributes much of her success to her mother's good sense and shrewd business savvy. ''Nobody can watch her back better than I can,'' says Nancy, before reminding her daughter again to eat, eat. The actress nods admiringly. ''She really lures them in with the needlepointing and the Ann Taylor Loft clothes,'' she says. ''Nobody would suspect that she's a pit bull.''

Instead of partying with her and IMing her friends, this woman actually watches out for her.

Amazing!

Ellen Degeneres Gets ABC to Say Yes to Kate Walsh Grey's Spinoff? -- Video

Ellen calls ABC honcho Stephen McPherson live on the air and asks, straight out, will her show get picked up. He says, "I think she's in pretty good shape."

Watch:

This episode of Ellen airs tomorrow, check your local listings. I can hear millions of people cheering already. Me? Well, maybe this is my back door into becoming a viewer of both shows, but we will see.

I'm not really the target demographic.

Hat tip to Gary Green.

Stephen Colbert, Grey's Anatomy Fanatic ...

... and buyer of feminine hygiene products:

Watch Stephen proclaim, "Oh my God, Burke and Cristina's wedding is when?"

More Friends of This Blog on Your Teevee, TV Guide Channel's Square Off -- Video

I don't know about you, but I have no idea what plays on the TV Guide Channel, and of course, it's a channel owned by my pal Rupert Murdoch, so I'm not so interested. Also, I have digital cable, so the TV Guide Channel program listings are an exercise in stupidity (I can just click my "guide" button on the remote and get listings, also from TV Guide, alas).

But, I noticed this today as I was trolling through the AOL video pages. Variety's Brian Lowry, who is a friend of this blog because he returns my email and I post his stuff, does this show with Andrew Wallenstein of the Reporter (this link to an opinion piece on Rosie leaving The View that I just thought didn't fly) called Square Off.

This isn't the most recent episode, but it's an ep that discussed Grey's and Idol and Bindi Irwin, and what could be better for a Saturday afternoon than sitting at your desk watching people talk about TV? Okay, maybe you bookmark this page and come back to it later after some outdoor activities.

LINK

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The Office at 9? The Battles Continue

Rick Kissel at Variety thinks that a more competitive NBC Thursday night means putting The Office up againsts ratings juggernauts Grey's Anatomy and CSI:

Both tonight and next Thursday, "The Office" will extend well into the 9 o'clock half-hour with "super-sized" episodes, giving Peacock programmers a chance to see how the single-camera workplace comedy fares in tougher waters prior to announcing the net's fall sked May 14.

As it is right now, NBC is competitive in the opening hour of Thursday with "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" but then drops off sharply at 9 with "30 Rock" and "Scrubs."

One schedule scenario that would strengthen the comedy block as a whole would be for the net to place its best new comedy prospect in the 8:30 slot behind "Earl," and then shift "The Office" to 9. "30 Rock" or a new show could go at 9:30.

It's a roll of the dice, but the timing is right.

As you guys know, I am the only enlightened being on the planet that doesn't obsess over The Office. Okay, more than that, I actively avoid the show, because Michael Scott is the antithesis of the kind of comedy character I enjoy.

I'm that guy who can be so embarrassed and appalled by someone's public behavior that I'll just sneak out of someplace and go home if something weird happens. Imagine if I worked at Dunder-Mifflin, I'd have no vacation days left. By now I'd have no job.

And please spare me more plaintive "How can you say that?" emails because they are not working.

I do have a plan, though. I'm going to lock myself in a room after starting a season one Office DVD marathon and throw the remote out the window (yeah yeah, I know there are controls on the machine, I'm trying to be dramatic here).

I'm tired of being left out of this. All my sitcom loving pals like the show, I wanna play, too.

Anyhow, I know that there are readers of this blog with multiple DVRs and this isn't going to touch them at all.

"Grey's Anatomy" Expert Freaks Out -- Video

Face it, Colleen Smith is you, and you know it! The only thing separating her and you are charts, graphs, and maybe a few too many cups of coffee:

Bill Clinton Professes Love for "Grey's" at TV Land Upfronts

From the Reporter:

Clinton said Friday that he enjoys "All in the Family," "I Love Lucy" and "The Andy Griffith Show" and is catching up on "Bonanza" at night while trying to write a book on citizen activism.

"As you know, my wife is away, so I'm home alone a lot," Clinton said of Sen. Hillary Clinton, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. "I'm particularly grateful to TV Land for giving me something to do at night."

Aren't you glad he's thanking TV Land and not Scores?

Anyhow, back to our former president's TV watching habits:

Fielding written queries from ad buyers, Clinton played TV critic, saying he loves watching baseball and football on television and picked ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" as his favorite show.

"And even though an uber right-wing guy writes it, '24,' " said Clinton, who added that he enjoys the fact that conservatives and liberals alike can be the bad guys in the show.

"They're trying to be fair," Clinton said.

And he appreciates "Boston Legal" for the dynamic between William Shatner and James Spader. "It's something to behold," he said.

Clinton was hired by TV Land to speak that their upfront presentation this time out.

Source: "ABC is Using Isaiah's Recent Troubles to Keep From Paying Him More"

Of course, you don't get to find out who the source was, and I'm not going to link to it, because if I link to the NY Post I'm a hypocrite (c'mon, it's not news, it's Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.).

So here's something from TV Guide that references the NY Post story.

I love how this was said, and wonder whether it was worded this way by the Post or whoever among Washington's people leaked it to them.

Look at the sentence: ABC is Using Isaiah's Recent Troubles to Keep From Paying Him More.

Now, who caused Isaiah's recent troubles? Isaiah.

Who made himself less desirable as a performer to the network because of what he said? Isaiah.

Statistically, what part of the available audience was put off by his remarks? Well, at least ten percent, and possibly as much as thirty to sixty percent, considering all those supportive of the rights of gay people who would take exception to what he said. Even a larger percent when you consider the Grey's audience is already a bit more progressive than the country as a whole.

So, I think ABC's just recognizing that Washington has lowered his attractiveness to viewers of the show and paying him accordingly.

It any other job in California, he would have already been suspended or fired outright. I would have been okay with that.

So, You Know How I Don't Watch "Grey's" ...

Well, even I was aware that last night Meredith Grey was going to have a near-death experience. Certainly is a great way to bring back dead cast members -- just have them stand in the tunnel with the white light in the distance.

But answer me this, Grey's Anatomy fans, do you really believe that a surgeon would be allowed to work on a doctor that he has a history with, and a sexual history at that?

That's just a bit of a stretch for me.

Here's a link to the AMA's medical ethics page.

Taye Diggs, Talented Guy And "Lotto Winner" Co-Stars on "Grey's" Spinoff

Nellie Andreeva at the Hollywood Reporter:

The potential spinoff will test the waters as a back-door pilot, an expanded two-hour episode of "Grey" slated to air in May. It will center on neonatal surgeon Addison Shepherd (Walsh), a character that has enjoyed a strong following from fans since she was introduced at the end of the hot surgical drama's first season.

It is understood that the back-door pilot episode will feature Shepherd on the verge of leaving Seattle Grace, a scenario that will be triggered if ABC goes with the spinoff for next season. There were no details on the character Diggs will play.

"Grey" creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes is writing the episode and is expected to shepherd the potential series. Meanwhile, Rhimes' other pilot for ABC and ABC TV Studio, about female journalists, has been pushed to a summer production start.

Well, Taye is certainly a "dreamy/steamy" presence for the new show. And, this gives the network some return on the production deal his company has with ABC.

Now, does Taye's casting mean that this show would not be a place Isaiah Washington could move to and start anew? I dunno. The networks don't seem to think they need two handsome African-Americans on any one show (unless they are of opposite genders and dating). Would T.R. Knight go to this new show? Should we just stop discussing it? Okay, let's go with that.

And hey, could we see a guest appearance from one of my favorites, Idina Menzel? Please?

The Hollywood Reporter's Ray Richmond on Isaiah and "Grey's"

Okay, until it's over, this is the last of my posts on this subject, because ultimately nothing anyone says about this will matter if Disney believes that taking Washington off the show will result in lower ratings. And I certainly haven't seen ratings drop during the whole kerfuffle, so I don't think there will be any changes to the cast.

Having said that, at least when my friend Ray Richmond writes in his column in the Hollywood Reporter, people in the industry are reading and thinking. Here's a taste:

Can a man have the homophobe portion of his brain cleansed by going through a rehabilitation process? And what might that look like? Does he sit in a room while speakers pump in: "Gay people are really cool. ... Gay people are really cool. ... Gay men are just like you and me. ... Gay men are just like you and me. ... All men are created equal, even men who like other men ..."?

I'm just trying to figure out exactly what "rehab" means for a guy like Isaiah Washington, whose latest variation on the "f-word" targeting "Grey's Anatomy" co-star T.R. Knight on Golden Globe Awards night quickly devolved into the Slur Heard 'Round the World.

There's more. Remember to click back after you read Ray.

More on "Grey's" Washington Problem

Here's more on the Grey's Anatomy Isaiah Washington problem from a post at DavidMixner.com from Neil Giuliano, President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

David, political consultant and FOB (Clinton, that is) gave a post over to Giuliano so that the GLAAD president could discuss the issue.

DavidMixner.com is somewhat weightier than my fluffy corner of the web, but he's a smart guy and you will learn something. He is also a very nice man and a remember a lovely afternoon conversation with him a few years back when we were both living in the same neighborhood.

Is There Rehab For Homophobia?

ABC News.com:

"Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington has announced that he will check into a treatment center for psychological evaluation, following the controversy over his anti-gay slur against co-star T.R. Knight.

"I have begun counseling," Washington said. "I regard this as a necessary step toward understanding why I did what I did and making sure it never happens again."

A rehab center? Certainly not the same one that Mark Foley went to, huh? And who else is in this rehab -- Lindsay? No, she's already out. Nicole? Well, we wouldn't know, what with her walking around with blankets over her head (she still doing that? Way to be inconspicuous, Nicole!). If anything, it would be the Mel Gibson Center for Extraction of Hate Speech, but I don't particularly know if they'd let an African-American walk through their front doors.

This is my favorite quote from the piece:

"Going to treatment is a good option for people who need help, but going to treatment for people who are looking just to shift the blame and otherwise avoid the consequences is not a good thing," said William Moyers, an addiction treatment expert.

Some say more celebrities and public figures seem to be using rehab to clean up their image instead of vanquish their demons.

Just one more thing ... if Shonda Rhimes, the creator of the show, wasn't an African-American, would Washington still be on the show? I really don't know the answer to that. I'm just wondering what you think. And yes, I do try to be provocative sometimes to get the comments flowing from you guys.

The comments link is below.

Now, About This "Grey's Anatomy" Thing ...

Well, I don't watch the show, but this isn't particularly about the show, it's about a guy who has probably heard some inappropriate language tossed his way in his lifetime (Isaiah Washington) used a derogatory term for one of his castmates (T. R. Knight --and twice, apparently Washington finds the word as tempting as potato chips -- "Can't have just one ...").

You will not see either word at this weblog ever.

The second time he did it, it was on national TV (okay, it was just E!, but the video lives on here at the website for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation website.)

I happen to think that it's time that the powers that be at ABC and Touchstone TV say goodbye to their bigot, but I don't make those decisions.

I did find one interesting thing at Washington's imdb.com page, however. He played a cop in the movie "Stonewall," an indie from 1995 about the Stonewall riots in New York that is generally considered to be the beginning of the gay liberation movement.

You would think that after being involved in a project like that he would be better evolved. Maybe he just read his own lines and ignored what was going on around him.

That tends to be the reason for many people's prejudices.