Four actors from
Grey's Anatomy, the ABC hit from
which Isaiah Washington was fired for making antigay
slurs, are featured in a new ad campaign preaching
tolerance for gays and lesbians.
The Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation on Tuesday released 25
new public service announcements that it will encourage TV
networks to air. The ads feature celebrities talking
about either the power of antigay words or the
importance of accepting a gay or lesbian family
member.
T.R. Knight, Sara
Ramirez, and Kate Walsh of Grey's Anatomy all made
ads. Alexandra Billings, a transgender actress who
appeared in one episode of the medical drama, also
participated.
Washington wasn't
included, although he filmed a separate public service
announcement for GLAAD that aired on ABC earlier this year.
His contract was not renewed for the series, most
likely because he used an antigay slur backstage
at the Golden Globe Awards in January while denying he
had used the word earlier against Knight.
GLAAD didn't
specifically seek out Grey's Anatomy stars,
said Damon Romine, the organization's entertainment
media director. It produced the spots at its media awards
event in April and approached celebrities who appeared
there to participate, he said.
''Be an ally. Be
a friend,'' tennis star Martina Navratilova says in one
of the spots, echoing the campaign's theme.
A handful of
cable networks, including the Sundance Channel and Lifetime,
have agreed to run the ads, and GLAAD will be approaching
more to participate, Romine said.
Actors Rachel
Griffiths, Marlee Matlin, Rebecca Romijn, and Lance Bass
are among the 21 other celebrities featured in the ads.
''It is
incredibly important to reach out to a wide spectrum of
people, to encourage the support and understanding
from those who might become our straight allies and
also to dispel the damaging, false myths and unfounded
fears propagated by bigots and zealots,'' said former NBA
player John Amaechi, another participant. (David Bauder, AP)