Now Isaiah is NBC's problem

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Some forms of bigotry are more acceptable than others in Hollywood. Well, at least at NBC.

It's not so much that the network has hired Isaiah Washington for its "Bionic Woman" remake after he was jettisoned from "Grey's Anatomy" in the wake of his tossing gay slurs around. It's that NBC is just so darn excited about hiring Washington, and is treating this as a big "get."

"He's a wonderful actor and a great performer," gushed NBC Entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman, who brushed aside any suggestion that Washington brings any baggage with him.

Asked if he was worried that Washington's presence would alienate some viewers, Silverman answered without answering at all.

"You know what? I think people are tuning in to the 'Bionic Woman,' and whatever support we can give to the 'Bionic Woman' as possible, we will give," Silverman said. "And I think that he is a wonderful actor. I think he is really talented."

Read that again and decide for yourself if Silverman answered the question.

"Bionic Woman" executive producer Jason Smilovic almost broke his arm patting himself on the back for hiring Washington (at Silverman's behest, it must be added).

"We believe in second chances. We are not here to make judgments," he said.

Excuse me, but by hiring Washington, you are making a judgment.

"When somebody does something wrong and you have a systemic problem, the best way to change that problem is not by casting them outside of the system. It's by allowing them to make amends, allowing them to make reparations and to do the right thing," Smilovic said. "So rather than excommunicate someone, we felt that it was better to give him a second chance."

Those are lovely sentiments. They'd be more believable if, after "Grey's Anatomy" dropped him, Washington hadn't given interviews in which he was completely unrepentant. Indeed, he went out of his way to blame others and claim there were conspiracies against him.

And Smilovic was also incapable of answering the questions about the baggage Washington brings with him. One critic made the same point many others (including yours truly) have made before.

"I completely understand what you are saying about forgiveness, and obviously, one actor's mistake can't necessarily cost an entire career," the writer said. "I just wanted to ask what you think — if it had been a white actor repeatedly and unapologetically using the 'n' word, would you be so forgiving? And do you think NBC would be so boasting and actually issuing press releases (about) how they were able to grab an actor whom they rather blindly view as such a 'get' at the moment?"

The answer that's obvious to every single one of us is — of course not. Not that Smilovic could bring himself to say that. Or answer at all.

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