Don't mess with Shonda Rhimes! The Grey's Anatomy and Scandal creator, who premiered her latest ABC series How to Get Away With Murder on Thursday, fired back at a New York Times critic who called her an "angry black woman" via Twitter on Friday, Sept. 19.
While reviewing Rhimes' new series — which stars Oscar nominee Viola Davis as a law professor who gets entwined in a murder plot — critic Alessandra Stanley wrote "when Shonda Rhimes writes her autobiography, it should be called How to Get Away With Being an Angry Black Woman." Stanley then argued that Grey's Anatomy character Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) and Scandal character Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) "get angry," stating that the producer "has embraced the trite but persistent caricature of the Angry Black Woman."
Stanley continues that producer Rhimes "almost single-handedly trampled a taboo even Michelle Obama couldn't break," and that "six years into the Obama presidency, race remains a sensitive, incendiary issue…just about everywhere except ShondaLand, as [Rhimes'] production company is called."
Critiquing the new drama, Stanley called Rhimes a "romance writer," whose "heroines are … extravagantly flawed…they struggle with everything except their own identities, so unconcerned about race that it is barely ever mentioned."
Snapping back at the piece, Rhimes shouted out Pete Nowalk, who is the actual creator of How to Get Away With Murder, and just so happens to be an openly gay white man.
"Confused why @nytimes critic doesn't know identity of CREATOR of show she's reviewing. @petenowa did u know u were 'an angry black woman?'" the showrunner tweeted at Nowalk. "Apparently we can be 'angry black women' together, because I didn't know I was one either! @petenowa #LearnSomethingNewEveryday" she added, before going on to write, "Final thing: (then I am gonna do some yoga): how come I am not 'an angry black woman' the many times Meredith (or Addison!) rants? @nytimes."
Rhimes apparently hadn't finished reading Stanley's article, as she then tweeted: "Wait. I'm 'angry' AND a ROMANCE WRITER?!! I'm going to need to put down the internet and go dance this one out. Because ish is getting real."
Coming to Rhimes' aid was Kerry Washington herself, who amazingly tweeted:
Dear @nytimes http://t.co/20dzCSLKsx AND http://t.co/VJQ7n0Ujdn You're welcome. Love, K-Dub
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) September 19, 2014
