T.R. Knight confirms slur led him to “come out”

“He referred to me as a faggot…Everyone heard it.”

Don’t be so quick to dismiss the “tabloids“! We told you back in October that Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight “came out” and declared himself a homosexual after his co-star Isaiah Washington called him a “faggot” in a much-publicized (and spin-doctored) fracas on the set. Of course, there were denials and claims that we and others were jumping to conclusions. And on Monday night, Washington himself made a big show of his compassion and denied using the “f-word.”

But guess what? Today, T.R. appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and confirms it all. He says his co-star did indeed direct the slur at him–and that because of the ugly attack and ensuing publicity, T.R. felt it was important to make a statement– and come out.He’s quoted in a show transcript:

“I was under no delusion. My friends on the set knew. We talked about it. They knew. I was not under any delusion that they didn’t know but I think publicly it’s not my thing to like call up People magazine and be like, hey you want to know something about me? You know, I think when it happened, I’ve never been called it, and you know you go through things in life and you lose friends when you go through the process– whatever your journey is– but I’ve never been called that to my face. So, I think when that happened something shifted and it became bigger, you know what I mean, than myself. I look to people like you (Ellen)… to your bravery, and other people’s bravery, and you’re just really grateful for that because I could’ve just let it slide and not said anything but it became important.”

Ellen asked about Washington’s denial that he called Knight a “faggot.” T.R. said: “Yeah, he denied that he said it. I don’t know what to say… really, about that.”

(Watch for changes in the Grey’s cast. After Washington’s display at the Golden Globes, and his co-stars’ public adminishments, he’s not long for the show. Eriq LaSalle might be putting on the scrubs again, after all.)

–Tabloid Baby