Isaiah Washington says racism was a factor in firing from “Grey’s Anatomy”

Isaiah Washington says racism was on of the reasons why he was fired from the medical drama "Grey's Anatomy." Washington was fired after he used and anti-gay slur twice against co-star T.R. Knight.

Washington used the slur during an on-set argument with co-star Patrick Dempsey. He told Newsweek magazine "someone heard the booming voice of a black man and got really scared and that was the beginning of the end for me."

After the incident Washington apologized and volunteered to go to counseling. He also did a public service announcement against hate speech.

"My mistake was believing that I would get the support from my network and all of my cast mates across the board. My mistake was believing I could correct a wrong with honesty and sincerity. My mistake was thinking black people get second chances. I was wrong on all fronts," Washington said.

"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 said. "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?

"It's nuts when your presence alone can just scare people, and that made me a prime candidate to take the heat in a dysfunctional family," said Washington.

ABC refused to comment on Washington’s accusations. The network only made on comment in January saying his actions were “unacceptable.”

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