By Jeannette Walls
MSNBC

The actor was the subject of a widely-publicized homophobic slur by a cast mate and he “is so upset about the situation and so disgusted by how it was all handled,” that he’s planning to leave the show, says a source.

“He was told not to say anything about the whole incident,” says the insider, referring to an on-set dust up in October when fellow cast member Isaiah Washington referred to Knight, who plays Dr. George O’Malley, with a derogatory word used to describe gay men.


“He kept his word, but then the whole thing blew up again at the Golden Globes, and when he was asked about it, he basically called Isaiah a liar,” says the source. “He feels that the atmosphere there is so toxic and unhealthy. I suppose things could change and we would stay, but for now, he’s planning to leave the show.”

When asked if Knight planned to leave the show, his spokeswoman told The Scoop: “We’re not commenting on that.” She later called back and said that the story was “Completely, one thousand percent false.” A rep for the network also called to add that “rumors of T. R. Knight’s departure from the show are irrefutably untrue.”

Here is a blurb from today's NY Daily News Gossip pages - apparently Isaiah isn't homophibic, he's just a jerk.

Pals say Washington has equal-opportunity anger

Friends of Isaiah Washington are saying he's not anti-gay because for years, he got angry at everybody.

The "Grey's Anatomy" star entered a 30-day anger management program after ABC execs met with him for calling fellow cast member T.R. Knight a "******."

Veteran stage actress Madeline McCray was there when, a source says, Washington punched out a fellow actor who was - like Washington - straight and African-American. At the time, McCray and Washington were starring in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences."

"Isaiah's not anti-gay; he's a hothead," McCray told us. "It's that his anger leads him to say and do things he wishes he hadn't - to everybody. He's always had a lack of control over his temper.

"I worked with Isaiah, and there were some difficulties. He lost his temper and had a physical altercation with one of the other male actors backstage. The actor missed his cue a couple of times, and Isaiah couldn't control himself.

"Isaiah wants it to be perfect. He is a professional, and he expects everybody else to be on their mark, too. But when we're adults, we can't just allow our anger to get the best of us. He's got to get a handle on it. He's jeopardizing the incredible opportunity he's been given - a distinguished role in a hit show created by an African-American woman."

Washington also pitched a hissy in 2000 against his co-star, director and producer Tracey Edmonds on the set of "Soul Food." In addition, he lost a job on "High Incident" in 1997 after a dustup with a crew member that resulted in the police being called, according to TMZ.com.

McCray, who stars next month in Ntozake Shange's "Riding the Moon in Texas" at the Abrons Art Center, thinks entering anger management is the best thing that ever happened to Washington.

Said McCray: "I'm just really happy that he's going to stand up and take responsibility and fix this."

HOLLYWOOD - Isaiah Washington's Grey's Anatomy castmates are keeping their distance as the disgraced actor battles his demons in rehab.

The star was a no-show at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards, where his castmates claimed Best TV Ensemble, after checking into a treatment center to address issues that reared up after he twice referred to gay costar T.R. Knight as an anti-gay slur.

And while costar Chandra Wilson offered her support to him during her Best Actress acceptance speech, other castmates weren't quite so warm towards Washington.

Katherine Heigl, who suggested the actor shouldn't be allowed to speak publicly after mentioning the 'f' word at a Golden Globe Awards backstage press conference earlier this month, was still chilly towards him.

Of his SAG Awards absence, she said, "As far as we know, he's seeking treatment right now to help with some of his issues.

"We don't know when he'll be back, or for how long."

After publicly apologizing for his remarks, Washington checked into a residential treatment facility last week in a bid to keep his job on the medical drama, according to news reports.

Out of anyone that should leave the show after all this mess, it is definitely NOT T.R.. I hope this really is not true and really is just a rumor.

I really hope they can move past this and no one will have to leave the show, especially T.R. Knight.