Extra: Did you ever worry about any negative feeling that might affect the ratings of this show? [...]

Washington: I was just recently at the Congressional Black Caucus, this past weekend. And there was a gentleman there who was a member of those 43 members by the name of Sen. Barack Obama. And there was also two young women there—or, women there—one named Nancy Pelosi, and another named Hillary Rodham Clinton.

And when the lights dimmed, I had a line [outstretches his arms] from left to right of people coming to congratulate me for being on Bionic Woman, and supporting me, and wanting, like, to have an autograph signed for almost the entire—I could not eat my dinner. So if that is any indication—sitting in a room with those three political elites, and people are trying to get to my table more than they are trying to get to their table, then that says a lot about two things: one, where our political system is today, and the confidence people have in our political system, and two, the power of television, and what people feel is genuine and what people feel is right and what people feel about a particular individual. So no, to answer your question, I couldn't have any time of day to worry about what people are thinking, because I'm too busy trying to learn this dialogue on this show.

Washington's riveting anecdote about the night his own popularity eclipsed not one, but two presidential frontrunners and the first female Speaker of the House is indeed a powerful statement about Americans' confidence in government, and their inspiring ability to look past a few misplaced slurs to see the faggot-tolerating man within. Whoever winds up the next Democratic nominee would do well to take a page from Washington's unceasingly modest and politically astute playbook.

• Isaiah Washington: 'I Thought My Career Was Over' [extratv.warnerbros.com]

There had been word around town that "Bionic" was also shutting down production, but an NBC rep said that isn't the case. However, industry insiders believe it's possible the show—which is now in production on its fifth episode — still might take a break for a while in order to give the writers a chance to focus on refining the show's directions.

Shutting down production doesn't always have a negative impact on a new show's future. ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and "Brothers & Sisters" both took brief hiatuses early in their run — and went on to become hits.

If the show is indeed headed for a shutdown, Grey's Anatomy hiatus survivor and controversial late Bionic cast addition Isaiah Washington could prove an invaluable asset during the downtime. While the writers and producers tend to the business of solidifying the show's creative direction, the veteran Washington can teach his co-stars how to develop the kind of volatile off-screen chemistry that produced multiple Emmy-nominated performances in the Grey's ensemble once the cameras finally rolled.

• Glen Morgan exits 'Bionic Woman' [Variety]
• Previously: 'Bionic' Producers Believe In Second Chances, Whatever Ben Silverman Tells Them To Say About Hiring Isaiah Washington [Defamer]

Over the last 11 months, especially since Washington's gabfest began, Heigl said, she has often wished her friend would speak up about so much more. But Knight is adamant that he has said all he will ever need to say, even as Washington was appearing on Court TV's "Star Jones" show as Knight finished his ravioli at the C&O Trattoria.

"I have nothing, absolutely nothing to say about it," Knight said, his leg tapping underneath the table, his speech slowing considerably. "With all due respect, I haven't said much at all, but I have said some, and I don't need to say more. That's all I need to. That's all I will talk about. That's all. 'Cause it's, 'cause it's August of '07. I'm just saying the day, it's August of '07. And it's a beautiful sunny day. In. August. Of 2007."

Knight's "no comment during beautiful, sunny days in August of 2007" policy on the Washington situation is a savvy one, but with the Emmys looming—for which he's nominated in the best supporting actor category, let's not forget—he won't be able to avoid discussing the lingering ugliness forever. Should he walk away with the coveted statuette on September 26th, there will be a bloodthirsty mob of controversy-mongering media members waiting to assail him backstage who are unlikely to accept his polite deflections—that is, unless co-star/enforcer Katherine Heigl is again at his side, threatening to disembowel any reporter harassing her sensitive best friend with the razor-sharp wings of his gilded Emmy angel.

[Photo: LAT]

• T.R. Knight: said and done [LAT]

Washington: There's a technique called the crack back designed to cut you off at the knees before you can respond to it. Jones: What happens when you do not evade the "crack back?"

Washington: You get hurt. And you're taken out the game—completely. Jones: Did you ever feel in this last year of your life that the "crack back" technique was being used? Washington: Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Fellow ABC shitcannee Jones can certainly identify with falling victim to the deadly and efficient crack back, having herself experienced the equivalent of a five-linebacker full-body tackle with one, withering stare from a betrayed Barbara Walters. If the first show is any indication of the less-than-thrilling things to come, the generically titled Star Jones might want to consider retooling itself into a talk-variety format—Star Jones' Pity Party, where a live studio audience could really liven up the proceedings by injecting sympathetic "awwwww"s to her guests' sulky testimonials.

• Star Jones [CourtTV.com]

''Look, I have a friend of mine here, we're finishing our meeting, and I think he's someone you want to meet.'' And Ben says, ''Who?'' And he says, ''Isaiah Washington.'' And he says, ''My God! Yes, I definitely want to meet him.'' So we get to Mr. Chow's, where Ben was having a celebratory get-together about his new position as cochairman of NBC. I was brought to his table immediately, and he didn't know yet — I don't think he'd received it on his BlackBerry yet — but I think word got around the room that night and he finally figured out that I had been let go five hours earlier

And he brought out this cake, with a picture of himself as the peacock, and behind his head were the feathers of NBC. And below the cake were some talons, and under the talons was the symbol of ABC and the other networks. And he looks at me and says, ''You're those talons. Blow out the cake.'' And I looked at him and I said, ''You've gotta be kidding me. I just got here, I just met you, you're being very kind, but this is your party.'' And he says, ''No. No. You're coming to NBC. Blow out the cake.'' And of course, all the executives, the people from [Silverman's production company] Reveille, are all standing there looking at me, like, Hey, cochairman just said blow out the cake. You need to blow out the cake. So I go, ''Okay, I'll blow out the candles on your cake.'' And again, I just said, you know, This is a good night, Ozawald Boateng is taking care of me, being a great friend right now. It all feels great. But still, tomorrow, the sun has to come up, and I don't know what to expect. When the sun came up, there was a call from Ben Silverman to my agent, saying, ''We're very interested in talking to Isaiah about whatever it is he wants to do here at NBC. And we're very interested in having him meet with the creative team to be a part of Bionic Woman.''

Right now, we desperately want to conjure up a surreal scenario in which Silverman summoned with a clap of his hands a beautifully plumed exotic bird that then eviscerated a bound and gagged T.R. Knight with its razor-sharp claws as a display of loyalty to the newest member of the NBC family, but you know what? The cake and the talons and the sycophantic court of the Peacock King hardly need any help. We're so overcome by how much we love this town that we'll probably just wander over to Hollywood Blvd. and dry-hump the first Walk of Fame star we see just to break the tension.

• Isaiah Washington: Inside His 'Bionic Woman' Deal [EW.com]
• Previously: Steve McPherson Vs. Ben Silverman: "Be A Man" [Defamer]

How difficult was it for you to let Isaiah go, on a personal level? Shonda Rhimes: It wasn't. It was a decision that was a long time coming, and it felt like it was the right decision for all of us. [...]

So you agreed with the decision? Rhimes: Of course I did. When was the moment when you realized, 'You know, we're going to have to make a change here?' Rhimes: Again, I feel like this is stuff that happened in our family, and I don't want to give specifics on sort of how and what happened. But there was a moment when I was sure and felt good and comfortable about the decision and that it was the right decision to be made for everybody.

Rhimes's own version of events make her seem far less conflicted about the firing than initial reports—which had described her as having "wept" while delivering the news—had suggested. Call us eternal optimists, but we can't help but feel that when a showrunner manages to find deep, inner peace in her shitcanning decisions, order has once again begun to be restored to an unruly TV universe.

• Shonda Rhimes Breaks Her Silence About Isaiah! [TVGuide]

Silverman told reporters at his July 16 session with the Television Critics Association that he had begun talking with Washington "before he became available" and said he was shocked when ABC decided to let him go. "When he told me he was available I was like, 'You are? Wait, I don't understand. What do you mean? You're a huge star on a star television show.'" he said. "I don't quite understand what had gone on there."

McPherson told reporters Thursday after his TCA session that "if (Silverman) was in fact talking to him before he was available, that's inducement to breach. So I don't know, he's either clueless or stupid."

As to Silverman saying he didn't understand the circumstances surrounding the firing of Washington, McPherson said: "Was he living in a cave?"

While we'd normally take that cue to segue into a discussion of today's Cavemen panel (more on that later), we still have the matter of McPherson's questioning of Silverman's manhood over his handling of Kevin Reilly's firing, as reported by THR:

Talking with reporters after ABC's opening session during the Television Critics Assn.'s summer press tour, McPherson accused Silverman of being evasive at an NBC press conference last week relating to the dismissal of Reilly on the heels of Silverman joining NBC Universal. Known to be a close friend of Reilly's, McPherson quoted Silverman's comment "I just got here" and challenged him to address the issue. "Be a man," McPherson said of Silverman.

McPherson suggested Silverman owed the success of his former production company, Reveille, to Reilly, who pushed for the Silverman-produced series "The Office" to remain on the air despite initial weak ratings. "He in essence made Reveille," McPherson said of Reilly.

McPherson made it known he thought NBC Uni treated Reilly poorly in terms of his dismissal. "When you see a friend treated the way he was treated, you're going to stand up for him," he said.

Reached on his European vacation via his ubiquitous Blackberry to respond to McPherson's potentially feud-igniting remarks, Silverman was somewhat nonplussed, but typically optimistic that the hubbub would blow over quickly, writing: "Steve? Mad? At me? Over I-Wash and the K-Man? For real? Steve's my dog! We have Ugly Betty together! When I get back to L.A., me and Stevester are gonna sit down at the Chateau and throw back some shots, and by the end of the night, we'll have a groundbreaking three-season deal to cross-promote the shit out of Heroes and Lost. Oh, and Seacrest says hi! LOL! See you back in La-la land, lovers! xoxox Ben."

• ABC Exec Calls NBC "Clueless or Stupid" About Isaiah [TVGuide.com]
• TCA: ABC's McPherson defends Reilly [THR]

"Patrick is... Patrick is Patrick Dempsey. And he protects himself well," Isaiah said. "He did what he felt he needed to do and remained silent." [...]

"And maybe that's the kind of good ol' boy mentality. Maybe it's like 'Well, he'll be alright.' I don't know. I can't speak for Patrick," Isaiah said. "Good luck on getting anything out of Patrick or anyone in terms of how he feels about it. He chose to make the decision he's made, but as it seems, it worked out in my favor at the end of the day."

Beyond the distinct sounds of popped champagne corks and muted cheers that first greeted the news, we doubt we'll be hearing much more on l'affair d'Isaiah from the Grey's Anatomy set, from Dempsey, Knight, or any of the other cast members who the actor maintains worked in concert to oust him from the series. Still, as he smugly reminded longtime ally Billy Bush, nowhere does Karma mete out its irony-tinged justice more than in Hollywood, where the wrongly persecuted ultimately triumph with publicity-generating, five-episode guest star stints on unproven new shows, while their tormentors are left to pick up the shattered pieces, sifted from the wreckage of multiple Emmy nominations and hefty salary increases.

• Isaiah Washington On Patrick Demspey's 'Grey's' Silence [accesshollywood.com]

"We believe in second chances," said executive producer Jason Smilovic. "The way to change a problem ... rather than excommunicate somebody, is to allow them to make amends."

When asked if Washington would have been hired if he was a white actor who used the n-word, Smilovic didn't take the bait. "That's a theoretical question that I really can't answer," he said.

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."

Even with the kiss scenario momentarily tabled, the producer did allow for the possibility of introducing a more organic redemptive plotline if it didn't rip a hole in the TV-storytelling continuum; in fact, they're already trying to figure out how to integrate a story thread in which Washington's character comes to believe that a cadre of gay hackers has somehow seized control of Jamie Summer's bionic appendages and plans to use their cybernetic slave to destroy his career, a paranoid delusion that, once dispelled, just brings the team closer together.

• No Gay Kiss For 'Bionic' Isaiah [TV Week]
• Previously: A Forgiving NBC Takes Isaiah Washington Into Its Rainbow-Feathered Embrace [Defamer]

Washington will guest-star on the network's high-profile remake of 1970s drama Bionic Woman this fall, and has signed a development deal to star in a potential action drama he pitched to the network for the 2008-09 TV season. [...]

Katherine Pope, president of NBC's Universal Media Studios, says that despite the public baggage, Washington is "a brilliant actor," and she believes viewers will re-embrace him. "I think people watch characters on TV, not personalities" in the news, she says. [...]

The Washington deal marks the first stamp of new NBC co-chairman Ben Silverman, who also is an executive producer of The Office and Ugly Betty.

"He's a totally awesome actor," Silverman says. "He did a great job for Grey's and he's got a fan base." As for Washington's offscreen drama, "He's put that behind him. Let's give him a chance to do what he does."

While we have no doubt Silverman's decision comes from a true place—the party executive probably reasoned there's no workplace hostility that can't be smoothed over by a couple of rounds of Tequila Slammers at the Burbank Chevy's—we're still unconvinced that Washington is completely over his legendary rage issues after one brief stint in fake gayhab. The last thing Bionic Woman needs as it finds its early footing is for Washington to loudly confront Oscar Goldman for showing up to set 15 minutes late, to say nothing of having failed to equip the new Jaime Sommers with the latest in BlueTooth technology.

• Washington to return to network TV [USAToday.com]

• Isaiah Washington: Gay's Anatomy [iklipz.com]

Above, Washington explains the intended meaning of the various epithets he hurled during his non-T.R.-Knight-related clash with Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey, such as the B-word ("indicative of maybe a four-legged dog"), the P-word ("would be more like punk"—weird, we thought it might be genitalia-related), and the F-Bomb Heard Round the World ("it meant, to me, someone who is being weak — " "— a person who is not being treated — is not deserving of respect."), a round of helpful clarifications that should finally end the tabloids' regrettable fascination with an inconsequential, on-set spat.

• Transcript: Interview With Isaiah Washington [Larry King Live]
• Previously: Isaiah Washington Really Committed To This Whole Career Annihilation Thing [Defamer]

Washington now says that his "homophobia reprogramming" wasn't exactly what it seemed. "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. [...]

"Well, it didn't help me on the set that I was a black man who wasn't a mush-mouth Negro walking around with his head in his hands all the time. I didn't speak like I'd just left the plantation and that can be a problem for people sometime," he says.

"I had a person in human resources tell me after this thing played out that 'some people' were afraid of me around the studio. I asked her why, because I'm a 6-foot-1, black man with dark skin and who doesn't go around saying 'Yessah, massa sir' and 'No sir, massa' to everyone?"

Washington's latest revelation is indeed a stunner—that gayhab was just a hoax all along, perpetrated by the network on an unsuspecting public fooled into thinking active steps were being taken towards rehabilitation through a rigorous program of forced Teletubbies viewing marathons and showtune sing-alongs. In the end, however, it would seem no amount of P.R. hoop-jumping would have been enough for the beleaguered actor to save his job, as his stubborn refusal to address his co-workers in a slave-era dialect would forever prevent him from fully being assimilated into the Grey's family.

• Diary of an Angry Black Man [Newsweek]

Recently dismissed "Grey's Anatomy" co-star Isaiah Washington is in discussions with NBC about a deal, sources said. It was not clear whether NBC is interested in bringing Washington onto an existing series or casting him in a new project.

The actor told Entertainment Weekly he and his agent "are sorting through a ton of offers in both film and TV." "There is one network in particular that's very interested, but I don't want to say anything specific until it's a done deal," he said.

Washington indeed had preliminary conversations with the network, though the talks have stalled, according to people familiar with the situation.

It would truly be a shame if Washington's recent improprieties might have sabotaged yet another network opportunity for the actor, for we can think of nothing that could have enhanced Heroes more than the introduction of a brand new character, stunned to discover he was born with the special ability to refrain from saying hurtful words despite being constantly goaded into it by an equally gifted race of wily and ambitious Gays looking for hefty second season salary bumps and stronger overall story arcs.

• Washington, NBC may be a match [THR]

According to Washington, "He had led me to believe that Patrick Dempsey was so abusive and so horrible to people in a two and half hour conversation on the plane. For two and a half hours, this boy talked me ear off, Keith, about how horrible Patrick Dempsey is and how he needs to be removed from the show. And in my argument, the irony of it is that Patrick happened to show some behavior that was very in line with what T.R. was telling me on the plane and I challenged T.R. to deny it or say this isn't true."

He went on: "All the dirty macking he gave me about Patrick Dempsey led me to believe that Patrick was trying to treat me in a disrepectful manner in the same kind of manner apparently accorded to T.R. that Patrick had treated him. And even to this day, Patrick Dempsey and T.R. still have a rift and are still not on speaking terms. They do not talk to each other...I know Patrick Dempsey has supported me by stating that if there is anyone that needs to be fired it is T.R. Knight because he has created such a negative environment on that set because he felt like he has not been treated and giving the same kind of leading man type of story lines that have been given to Patrick and Isaiah. He felt like his character has been treated very caricatureish and dopey. That's why you see his character changing so signifcantly...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 think something has gone awry with T.R. Knight... But all of them, including the producers all the way up to Touchstone, are not happy.

"And let me be clear Keith. All of this I'm saying to you has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he's gay. He came out October 19 as purely a tactical move to do exactly what he did, get public opinion in an outrage to lead him to believe that he is being picked on because he is gay. He could care less about the gay community."

If true, Knight is truly some kind of genius-level manipulator, capable not only of maneuvering McDreamy pawns around the chessboard of the Grey's Anatomy set at will, but of coopting the media for his nefarious ends, tricking People into throwing him a coming-out party and The Advocate into establishing him as the gentle, crippled-Labrador-nuzzling icon of a new generation of openly gay actors. If this is indeed the case, it could be good news for Washington, as Velvet Mafia don David Geffen will probably have the too-ambitious Knight disappeared to a community theater in rural Nebraska before he's able to bring any more of Hollywood under his sway.

• EXCLUSIVE: Isaiah Washington Breaks His Silence In Interview [KeithBoykin.com]
• Previously: Isaiah Washington Mad As Hell Again, Mulling Over Not Taking It Anymore [Defamer]

"I have to clear my name," a determined Washington told the Houston Chronicle in a telephone interview from the set of his new movie, The Least of These. "I'll start from the beginning. I'm telling everything. So here's the truth."

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."

He said he is considering a lawsuit. "My livelihood, my honor and dignity and my name have been so challenged." [...]

"I was not fired for making homophobic slurs," he said. "I did everything I said I would do. I offered to go to counseling, to do a public service announcement. I wanted everyone to know I was remorseful."

If the assertions are true, it paints the affable Dr. George O'Malley—and the pudgy-cheeked, Labrador-toting actor who portrays him—in a sinister new light. A vengeful Washington, meanwhile, will surely only continue to ramp up his countermeasures, and we imagine it won't be long before he unveils a crucial piece of evidence on an upcoming, equal-time Ellen appearance: blurry cell phone video of the actual McChokedown taken by an opportunistic P.A, and showing Knight's eyeballs turning into actual dollar signs just moments after the pink F-bomb was dropped.

• Grey's star says they fired the wrong guy [Chron.com]

Cannick, who worked with Washington on the Pan African Arts Festival, said she's infuriated ABC booted Washington from the show's upcoming fourth season for calling Knight a "faggot" during a scuffle on the set and believes it smacks of racism. So she's launched a petition - which had 1,233 signatures as of last night - to get the actor his job back.

The petition says Washington's firing "further adds to a disturbing new trend at ABC wherein minority actors have been dismissed at an alarming rate over the past two years. Blacks, including . . . Star Jones ('The View'), Harold Perrineau ('Lost'), Alfre Woodard, Mehcad Brooks and Page Kennedy ('Desperate Housewives') have been let go . . . One must ask themselves, what is going on? . . .

The network could of course argue that failure to renew a contract is common TV practice among actors of every race, and that the few times disciplinary action was required—in response to, say, Washington's on-camera epithets or Page "The Guy Under The Mysterious Black Neighbors Stairs" Kennedy allegedly exposing himself to a Desperate Housewives crew member—the network was prudently exercising their protective legal rights. Still, they might have a harder time justifying their messy, public dismissal of perennial audience favorite Star Jones, heartlessly tossed to the streets to make way for the ratings-friendly lily-white lesbianism of her replacement, Rosie O'Donnell.

• GAYS WANT AXED ISAIAH BACK [NY Post]

· In other of Father's Day, we present our candidate for Dad of the Year. That kid is going to grow up strong.
· Even after a second opportunity to design the bat suit, The Dark Knight's Christopher Nolan still refuses to succumb to the rubber nipple temptation that destroyed a lesser director.
· Is The Thing about to give Invisible Girl a brick-headed Bronsky? We think he is.
· Archaeologists uncover oldest petrified Mickey Mouse popsicle on record.
· Isaiah Washington-related silences are now being broken at an incredible pace.