Drama on the Grey's Anatomy set

I'm too shocked to even comment, but here's the report from the New York Daily News Rush & Malloy gossip column. Shonda, please, say it ain't so...

They almost needed some real doctors on the set of Grey's Anatomy this week, according to sources who say stars Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey got into a violent brawl. Our spy at the production corroborated a National Enquirer report that a long-simmering feud boiled over on Monday when Washington (Dr. Preston) attacked Dempsey (Dr. Shepherd). The donnybrook is said to have erupted at L.A.'s Prospect Studios when Washington, 43, and Dempsey, 40, started arguing over cast members being late for a scene.

According to The Enquirer's source, the unscripted drama played out like this: "What are we waiting on?" said Isaiah. "Not me," said Patrick. "I'm always ready." "At that point," said the source, "Isaiah said something mean to T.R. Knight (who plays mild-mannered Dr. George O'Malley). "That's when Patrick told Isaiah, 'Pick on somebody your own size.' "Well, that did it. Isaiah became enraged and grabbed Patrick by the throat and shoved him back a few feet. "Dr. McDreamy [Dempsey's nickname] almost landed in McDreamland."

When Knight demanded that the pair break it up, the source says, "Isaiah called him a bitch. Isaiah stormed off to his trailer to cool off, while Patrick and T.R. stood there in disbelief. "The director and producers got involved, and a meeting was organized with the network execs." Washington came back to the set, and the actors finished their scene, but feelings are still said to be raw, with neither actor offering an apology. "Isaiah is a theater-trained actor who can't stand the whole McDreamy magazine-cover-boy furor over Patrick," says the source.

Our source denied Washington choked Dempsey, but confirmed, "Isaiah said some disgusting things. He was in Patrick's face. I think Isaiah has issues. There's an underlying jealousy. But it's not Patrick's fault. They've put a lot of pressure on him by making him the face of the show. Patrick never asked for it, but he promotes the show whole-heartedly."

Enquirer editor David Perel told us "the sourcing on this story is rock-solid." Dempsey's spokeswoman said, "There was an argument on set. In any close-knit family, sometimes people argue. But everybody made up and went back to work." Our calls to an ABC spokesman and publicist for Washington weren't returned.

Let's be glad there weren't any scalpels lying around.