This story just isn't going to die, is it?  Isaiah Washington, who formerly played Dr. Preston Burke on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, has sparked a war of words between the respective heads of ABC and NBC.  These are the circumstances:  Last week, new NBC president Ben Silverman discussed the hiring of Isaiah Washington for a six-episode arc on NBC's new show Bionic Woman.  Silverman was aghast that ABC had fired Washington, saying that he had even started talking with the actor “before he became available.” 

Silverman continued: "When he told me he was available I was like, 'You are? Wait, I don't understand. What do you mean? You're a huge star on a star television show.'" he said. "I don't quite understand what had gone on there."

This drew the ire of ABC president Steve McPherson, who responded that "if [Silverman] was in fact talking to him before he was available, that's inducement to breach. So I don't know, he's either clueless or stupid."  Regarding the circumstances of Washington's firing, McPherson added, “Was he living in a cave?”

Nothing like a savage verbal battle between two network heads.  They sound like scorned lovers.  Clearly, Silverman was trying to shine a bad light upon its competition and bring Washington into the NBC fold with highest amount of optimism possible.  He wanted to gain Isaiah's trust and make it clear to everyone that they were behind their new star all the way.  McPherson probably shouldn't have been goaded into even responding to such things.  The whole Isaiah Washington situation was surely a trying one for everyone at the network, and I'm sure McPherson is glad to be done with it, although it's quite clear that there remains some residual bitterness.  Isaiah Washington's stint on Bionic Woman is only contracted to be six episodes, but as is always the case, that could certainly be extended.


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: TVGuide
(Image Courtesy of ABC)