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The situation Rhimes refers to dates back to 2006, when actor Isaiah Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke, was involved in a physical altercation with fellow cast member Patrick Dempsey. The incident escalated when Washington used a homophobic slur against co-star T.R. Knight, leading to significant backlash and controversy.
Rhimes describes her immediate fears surrounding the fallout from the incident. She expressed concern that the scandal could "kill the show," which had just begun to gain traction and a dedicated audience. She stated, "I think the thorn was having the bubble of joy burst so early on [Grey's] and not having anybody interested in helping us deal with it because that really shaped a lot of how we looked at the world going forward."