Farai Chideya scans the day's headlines for news affecting black life and culture. Friday's roundup Isaiah Washington's firing from ABC drama Grey's Anatomy, and Al Sharpton's response to Paris Hilton's early release from a Los Angeles jail.
FARAI CHIDEYA, host: From NPR News this is NEWS & NOTES. I'm Farai Chideya.</s>FARAI CHIDEYA, host: We've got more on the financial trouble for the NAACP, plus sampling the art of hip-hop musicology.</s>FARAI CHIDEYA, host: But first, since it's Friday, we're going to kick things off with some entertainment headlines. We start in Hollywood where news broke late yesterday that ABC's powerhouse show "Grey's Anatomy" will be loosing a limb next season. Isaiah Washington who plays African-American Doctor Preston Burke got the call from exec's that his contract would not be renewed. While Washington's ouster is no doubt a disappointment for many fans, it's not exactly a surprise. He's put his foot in his mouth several times in the last year including a very public spat with fellow cast members.</s>FARAI CHIDEYA, host: In January, he used an anti-gay slur backstage at the Golden Globes. But, Washington has since tried to make amends, sitting down with gay rights advocates and even recording a public service announcement. Clearly, that wasn't enough. After Washington heard he'd been handed his walking papers, he issued a statement using words from the movie "Network" quote, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." Clearly, ABC felt the same way.</s>FARAI CHIDEYA, host: And what does Paris Hilton have to do with racial justice? Well, the celebutante is making headlines for her early release from an L.A. jail. She'd served just three days of a 45-day sentence for driving drunk and violating her probation. Then the L.A. Sheriff's Department okayed her released because of an unspecified medical problem.</s>FARAI CHIDEYA, host: Now, the Reverend Al Sharpton has come out swinging. He's accusing the sheriff's department of a double standard. He put out a statement yesterday saying quote, "this early release gives all of the appearances of economic and racial favoritism, that is constantly cited by poor people and people of color," end quote. And Sharpton isn't the only one up in arms, L.A. City attorney Rocky Delgadillo is moving swiftly to try to reverse Hilton's release, and the judge who sentenced her has a hearing today seeking answers.