Defamer
Realizing that explaining the reason that Isaiah Washington has unexpectedly joined the cast of their new series was, "Because Ben Silverman knew everyone would go apeshit if we put the angry Grey's Anatomy doctor onto our show. And, by golly, Ben was right! People hate that guy!" might get them off on the wrong foot with their new boss, the executive producer of Bionic Woman was more politic in discussing why he was willing to take on the actor's prohibitively heavy baggage. Reports TVWeek.com's TCA blog:
"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]
Comments
Thank you, Jason Smilovic, thank you (BTW - love your name. It makes me want to grin!)!
Not that I needed one, but you have just provided me with the absolute, most incredibly perfect reason why I need not lose even a few seconds of what time I have left on this planet by watching your sad seventies retread show.
Fifth wall?
I generally consider most TV execs to be copies of one another, and all fairly vile (we miss you, Brandon Tartikoff!), but Silverman has already somehow managed to sink to the bottom of this quagmire. I shudder to think what he might do to "Heroes" (Joey Tribbiani grows wings!) or FNL (probably just axed).
Smilovic rejected the idea as "breaking down the third, fourth and fifth wall of television."
He's absolutely right. They should make Isaiah kiss a guy in his trailer and then put it on YouTube.
Silverman "invites" Rosie to be on the next season of The Apprentice, most likely in response to a reporter's question and the midseason replacement becomes international news. And, he "signs" Isaiah Washington to guest on the Bionic Woman and another of his network programs gets into the headlines.
I don't know his programming ability and it's a little too early to tell, but he does obviously understand publicity and how to pull it from thin air.
...not that there's anything wrong with it. No. No. Not at all.
So much for all that "classy" shit.
Judging from the pilot of Bionic Woman, I don't think the show will last many episodes and Washington's "victory" will be short lived.
And if Ben cancels FNL I will CUT A BITCH! Yeah, I hid my love for the show but I can't hold back anymore!
They can do as they like as long as Michelle Ryan and Katie Sackoff alone. ;)
Yeah, yeah. Second chances are all swell and good until no one watches the show because of Isaiah. The big bottom line beats the big homophob's second chance come back anyday. That does imply that he had a first chance...but let's not ruin a good story with the facts.
Stunt casting before even ONE episode has aired? This show is gonna blow.
Telling that the producer uses the exact same "I don't engage in hypotheticals" dodge that Bush's press secretaries use. Guys - Scott Ritter lost his job while earning the hatred of 75% of the nation. Isn't that enough of a hint?
I was around when the original Bionic Woman was on in the 70's. It was an awful show, bad acting, bad stories and that comes from watching maybe 4-5 eps in total. I heard about a new one coming up, saw the clips on the interwebs and long before Washington got cast, decided I wasn't wasting my time again on the same stupid premise.
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