Get the latest gossip

'Grey’s Anatomy' Creator Thought 2007 Slur Scandal Would 'Kill the Show'

Shonda Rhimes initially thought the scandal surrounding Isaiah Washington’s 2007 firing would get ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ canceled

“I think the thorn was having the bubble of joy burst so early on Grey’s and not having anybody interested in helping us deal with it because that really shaped a lot of how we looked at the world going forward and a lot of how Betsy [Beers, my fellow show producer] and I processed working with other people going forward,” Rhimes, 55, told The Hollywood Reporter in a profile published on Wednesday, March 19. Washington, now 61, starred as Dr. Preston Burke in the early seasons of Grey’s, whose character was best known for his one-time engagement to Cristina Yang ( Sandra Oh). He was ultimately written off the show in 2007 after allegedly using a homophobic slur during an argument with costar Patrick Dempsey.

Get the Android app