Grey's Star's PSA Promotes "The Power to Heal"

Isaiah Washington's mea-culpa public-service announcement is finally seeing the light of day - on prime-time TV. In the works since the actor's late-January meeting with gay activists, the PSA could run as early as Thursday, possibly around a Grey's Anatomy rerun. Washington, whose return to Grey's next season was kept tantalizingly open in last week's finale (though we hear he'll be back for a while, at least), got in trouble for twice using a homophobic slur, once directed squarely at costar T.R. Knight. He subsequently underwent anger counseling. The PSA, shot in 20- and 30-second versions, was developed by ABC, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), with input from the actor. In it, TV Guide has learned, Washington says, "When you use words that demean a person because of their sexual orientation, race or gender, you send a message of hate," and then goes on to talk about "the power to heal and change the world by the words we use." GLAAD president Neil G. Guiliano is pleased by Washington's action. "The issue for us is that he is willing to speak out, acknowledge that he did something harmful and be part of the solution. We hope he'll get further engaged." - Reporting by Ileane Rudolph