Prop 8 bans Grey's Anatomy same-sex relationships
Dateline Hollywood has uncovered the true culprit behind Brooke Smith's surprise firing from "Grey's Anatomy": Proposition 8.
For days, "Grey's" fans have been debating why Smith, whose character Erica Hahn declared her homosexuality in a recent episode and then left Seattle Grace hospital one week later, was let go from the popular show. Some claimed that it was another bad twist by series creator Shonda Rhimes; others blamed squeamishness at ABC.
Turns out that it's the law. Prop 8, to be exact.
While public debate about the ballot measure focused exclusively on its implications for same-sex marriage, there's an equally important parenthical section. This is the text of the proposition in its entirety:
"The meaning of Proposition 8 is clear and since California is the single biggest market for the show, it simply wasn't feasible to further develop Brooke Smith's character," said ABC general Counsel Lance Mitchell.
A coalition of groups including the ACLU, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and TelevisionWithoutPity.com have filed a suit seeking to invalidate the parenthetical clause in Prop 8. "It's unfair and wrong that Californians won't get to see Erica and Callie getting hot and steamy in a closet again," the coalition said in a statement.
