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During the last season, Scrubs received some criticism from the gay community because of the character of “the Todd,” a sexually ambiguous horn-dog who pretended to be homosexual in order to seduce some of the female staff. The reaction was a complete turnaround from Spin City, which was one of the first shows to have a gay character of color, Carter Heywood, portrayed in a positive light.

During the sixth season of Scrubs, which is currently in production, Turk's uncomfortable attitude around gay people may finally be explained. The possible episode would show Turk's parents in a loving relationship, while his father has affairs with men on the side —
a concept within the African-American community known as being on the down low.

When asked if he is worried about portraying the black gay community in such a stereotypical way, Winston says: “No; I think it is something that obviously has to be recognized. E. Lynn Harris has written some wonderful books about [the subject].”

He offers: “I think that the worst thing to happen to any show or writer is to be everything to everybody. This show has a responsibility to be a funny show. Any color that … it includes as a part of the gay image — I think it's good and healthy. I would say it is just as much about the gay community as the black community. It would be just as upsetting to me if any black folks were to be portrayed in any single light.”

The positive portrayal of gay people and African Americans is something very important to Winston. Carter Heywood, the fictional Head of Minority Affairs on Spin City, was modeled on Winston. (The mayor of the show, as well, was named in honor of the producer.)

“Racism is a pointed word for something that is so transparent,” Winston says. “It is a part of the fabric the way things are done. If you look at show business or any other business, people just go with who they know or what they see. I can certainly say in the last studio network meeting I was in, I was the only black person in the room.” He laughs. “Is that just a coincidence, or just a percentage thing, or does it have to do with people not extending opportunities to people of color?”

Racism and homophobia were flashpoints at this past year's Academy Awards, particularly in the race for Best Motion Picture, which pitted Paul Haggis' Crash, the eventual winner, against Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain. Many came to believe that Brokeback Mountain, the most-honored film of 2005, was robbed of the win.

Asked which film should have won, Winston says: “Personally, I think Brokeback Mountain should have. I say that from the perspective as a movie watcher. I thought that [Brokeback Mountain] was a nicer told story. It was interesting and dynamic and a very universal, beautiful love story. Crash, while I thought it was a great film — prior to seeing it, people were trying to tell me of the subtlety of racism that was expressed in this film. Personally, I don't think it was all that subtle. I felt a little beat over the head by it. And for me, that was a little disconcerting. The actual buzz that people were saying, that this was a subtle depiction of racism, made me think: Am I that far off the mark?”

Many compare the struggle of gay people for equal rights to the struggle for equality the black community faced in the 1960s fighting against segregation. Some members of the black community are insulted by the comparison, but Winston has a different outlook.

I don't think it is [an] unfair [assessment],” he says. “They are both movements with civil rights. … I don't understand why every particular minority group doesn't understand that the rights of another group are everyone's. It's like the old saying, ‘When they came for the Jews, I'm not Jewish, so I said nothing. When they came for the blacks, I'm not black, so I said nothing. But, when they came for me, there was no one left to say anything.' Our rights are everyone's rights. That is obvious for me.”

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