Isaiah Washington Joins "No H8"

Isaiah Washington becomes the latest celeb to participate in photographer Adam Bouska's striking "No H8" campaign. Entertainment Tonight interviewed the actor on the set.

Washington says: "I voted against Prop 8. I totally think civil liberties ... should be honored for everyone, especially if you're paying taxes in this country. I strongly and vocally believe it's the right thing to do whether you understand the lifestyle or not ... It's the right thing to do."

Despite Washington's fierce portrayal of a gay character in Spike Lee's Get on the Bus and previously speaking out against homophobia, many power gays have not forgiven Washington for the behind-the-scenes drama at Grey's Anatomy. That was two years ago.

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Comments

[King Drive]

ENOUGH WITH TED CASABLANCA AND THOSE PRIVILEGED QUEENS!!!

Isaiah Washington made the remark two friggin years ago! Out of earshot about a CLOSETED queen who the gay community made into a hero.
Cry me a mf'ing river.

MOVE ON!!!!

[ReggieH]

I think its time to let Isaiah off the hook. He's doing the right thing and seems to be trying to get past whatever homophobia he may have had. Forgiveness.....and I'm MORE than willing to welcome him with open arms:)

[TheRevKev]

I am not ashamed by one iota to say how much I love and respect this brother.

I got the opportunity to interview him during his press junket for GET ON THE BUS and it was not just a brother trying to play a well-rounded character. He and Harry Lennix, two of our most gifted actors, both made it their business to offer portrayals of this couple, these men, that were strong, forceful, brilliant and honorable.

I know that Isaiah's comments were off-the-cuff but I know the heart of this man and those comments were much more about not being disrespected as a man and not about somebody's sexuality.

This is just another form of his showing us the man he has always been.

T.R.Knight and Perez Hilton are two of the reasons that I struggle with the idea that I want to bring the return of the civil rights era's I AM A MAN sign as a tee-shirt! Stop whining and handle the conflict like men, and then get up!

Isaiah is not and should not have to spend the rest of his career apologizing for a comment that wasn't even made directly at T.R. Knight, who was so busy walking around behind Patrick Dempsey like a fan that he didn't respect him as a co-worker and fellow actor.

Anyway, thanks Isaiah for standing up for the cause. Oh, by the way, where are T.R. Knight and Catherine Heigl now? I haven't heard them speak up against Prop 8!

[Kevjack]

RevKev is right. IW has been blackballed (pun fo sho intended) by the white gay elite for many reasons. I agree that he did not handle that situation well, but if the goal is to educate, inform, and enlighten people then you have to acknowledge that they can change. Their continued villification of IW shows how hypocritical they really are. And these are the same people who are attempting to carry the torch (more honestly, yank it out of the hands and beat you with it) of Civil Rights? My eyes are tired of rolling!

[Andre H]

@ Rev Kev:
Of course some of those queens are so self righteous about Isaiah. PEREZ HILTON said the same thing! Are they blacklisting him? No I dont think they are!

Isaiah apologized and was sincere. He is trying to move on and should not have to pay his entire life for that one remark. But I admit he made it worse by saying it on Golden Globes!

[TB]

@ Rod:

Thanks for the Ted Casablanca link. This tired queen make a living with blind items about who is gay, "fruity" etc in Hollywood. She really is one to talk.

[michelbites]

@ Rod McCullom I see he is still trying to make up for that comments he made about gay people!

[Chitown Kev]

@Andre Hilton

Oh, yes, there are a number of queens that are outraged at what Perez Hilton said. Is it to the extent of blacklisting, no (though Andy Towle did remove the blog link on his site to Hilton's site).

Hilton was also denounced by GLAAD.

As far as what further action can be taken against Hilton, I don't know. Because IW is an actor, blacklisting him is easy. Hilton, not so much.

[Isis]

I NEVER once thought he was homophobic and was PISSED that he was fired from Grey's Anatomy! TR Knight and Katherine Heigl are posers and so is the self proclaimed "Queen of All Media." Perez Hilton is nothing more than a Hypocrite and he recently used the same term that he denounced IW for. Now Hilton is ALL in IW's butt trying to make amends, because he knows how stupid he now looks.

BRAVO to Mr. Washington and I hope he gets a meaningful role now, because he is a BRILLIANT actor.

[Chris]

White gays never forgive Black people for homophobia. They will welcome White folks who are homophobic with open arms but not Black folks.

Perez is a mess. He is also Latino but just like Cameron Diaz, he will not mention it a bit and does not do a damn thing for our community. Hopefully the crap he said about Michael Jackson when the news came out will show people how nasty he really is. Maybe then he will go away....

[Luther]

Rev Kev and Chris, I think the two of you summed it up quite well,and, all I have to add is that when Perez called IW the n-word over that slur, the same one he throws out, he was totally put on ignore in my book. And, sadly a great talent like IW will never get back to where he was in Hollywood since they, will never let it go and when this hits the so called main stream gay blogs it will do what it did the first time ,erupt into a race war, ugh.

[Ravenback]

Who is Perez Hilton? You may think I'm kidding, but I'm quite serious. I've heard his name before, but what is his claim to fame?

[Isis]

Ravenback, Perez is a Fat Gay Blogger who blogs about Celebrity Gossip. He is very popular and it has gone straight to his head. He is very snarky in his reporting (if you can call it that). He is always looking to out any celebrities who are suspected of being gay. He has verbally attacked celebrity children with crude insults. He draws penises and ejaculate on the faces of Celebrities (and their children). He is also FAKE and very much a Hypocrite. I use to visit his site often, but after what he said about MJ, I don't think I want to visit his site anymore.

And one more thing, he likes to call himself the "Queen of All Media"!

[Baltimore Femme]

>>>Perez is a Fat Gay Blogger who blogs about Celebrity Gossip. He is very popular and it has gone straight to his head. He is very snarky in his reporting (if you can call it that). He is always looking to out any celebrities who are suspected of being gay.<<<<

You'd better work it out Miss Isis! Drop some knowledge up in here, up in here. Misery loves company, and Perez is not very happy with himself and has created this evil gay gossip blog culture. What he said about Michael Jackson was despicable. I'm glad someone punched him out.

[DaveA]

I was willing to forgive and forget also, but after reading the comments on this site it is obvious color comes before anything else with some people. It was blown out of proportion, but that still does not excuse it!

Dave: Of the five comments you've posted at this blog, four are racial generalizations about black men or black gay men. You're no longer welcome here. Oh and tell Andrew Sullivan I said hello. -RM

[Kmark]

IW.... he just keep looking more and more pathetic. His career has been slid down a slope that hasn't came to an end. Blacklisted, most definitely. He better call Tyler Perry! Oh hold it, IW doesn't like gays. Don't tell me otherwise cause it would not have came out of his mouth. Of course after the fact(Golden Globes), he would say I didn't call anyone a f*ggot. IW has to sleep with many white gay executives to get back in good.

[Daniel]

"IW has to sleep with many white gay executives to get back in good."

It worked for Mehcad Brooks!

[Dalton]

...I was willing to forgive and forget also, but after reading the comments on this site it is obvious color comes before anything else with some people....

Oh how very white of you, Dave.
Do you aspire to Andrew Sullivan and Dan Savage's knitting circle of racist, gay white men who are obsessed with black dick? Or should I say "cock"?

[Kendrick]

@ miss dave:

once again gay white privilege rears it ugly head ...

almost everyone in this thread says it was blown out of proportion. no one "excused" it. i've read this blog for two years, and most comments condemned the word ... but disagree that IW is some deranged homophobe.

why would fellow GAY men "excuse" or defend a gay slur? we've been called many of them, from "fag" by own people to "black" or "n!gger faggot" by YOU people.

after your racist stereotype and reading rod's comments to you, it's very obvious you have "unresolved" issues with "the blacks". sad and par for the course with "you" people.

[Chaz]

Perez is disgusting trash. I, for one, have not given Isaiah a pass because he is Black. I am looking at his track record, and that is why I am able to forgive his usage and not porky pig Perez's.

[Lance]

I am so over TR Knight and Perez hilton! They are irritating celebrities and have very little talent. They make a name for themselves by being the beat up queen. Whatevah... Bravo Isaiah Washington. I hope he goes on to fry much bigger fish.

[Diva1961]

Isaiah performed wonderfully in The Colored Museum and Get On The Bus, of which he played gay characters in both. He played them with sincerity and integrity. I never felt he was homophobic. The only thing I would accuse him of is being ghetto. He forgot the cardinal rule of "time and place". In front of the foreign press (or any press), is not the time to forget you are not at home chillin. I don't like the "F" nor "N" word, yet they are constantly used in the black community. Does that make it right? No. Does that mean everyone who uses them hate gays and blacks? No. I try to look past the word and into the character of the person using it. I let it go shortly after I heard it. Isaiah has a short temper. That is what has hurt his career. It is also what people in the industry had talked about for quite a while. this is the reason he hasn't worked much. This proved it by letting his mouth go before his brain. Bad temper? Yes. Homophobic? No.

[Sean]

I think he should have been forgiven when he apologize for it shortly after it happened!! I think the grudge is being held because a black male said something about a white male. I don't think the homophobic nature has anything to do with the situation anymore.

[Randall]

What Sean said!

[nytheatreguy]

I, too, agree totally with what Sean said; a very keen observation.

As for Dave, I think you should return to your nest over at Datalounge where racist gay white queens have ruled the roost for several years now. They hate every black alive over there, not just Isaiah, so you should feel right at home.