Michael Phelps Apologizes For Bong Photo
Over the weekend, News of the World, a British tabloid, published a photo of Olympic gold medalist, Michael Phelps smoking marijuana from a glass bong. Apparently the photo was taken last November at a party at the University of South Carolina.
If you don’t know who Phelps is, he became an instant celebrity after breaking world records and winning an astonishing 8 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He has been considered an inspiration, especially for kids suffering with ADHD, and even a heartthrob. He can also be seen all over our televisions in endorsements ad for things like Speedo, AT&T, and Rosetta Stone. Endorsements that earned him over $5 million dollars last year.
Today he verified the photo and admitted to smoking pot in a statement.
“I want to apologize to friends, family, and my sponsors for my inappropriate conduct. I truly regret my poor judgment, and I hope that my supporters will give me another chance. I promise to be more aware of my strength, and I promise to exercise restraint in the future. But, most of all, I want to apologize to that bong. I’m an Olympic athlete, and I put my ‘all’ into everything, even bong hits. I swim hard, and I puff hard, that’s just how I am.”
Now people are asking “should he have even had to apologize?” He’s only 23-years-old. He was at a party. At a college. All the kids do it. It’s just pot. These are the excuses I’m hearing across the blogosphere today. But does that make it ok?
I don’t think this photo will, or even should, ruin his career; both swimming and endorsements. But I do think an acknowledgment and apology was necessary. Especially now that news sources are bringing up his DUI from when he was 19.
Like most of us, he’s made a few mistakes in his young life. But the majority of us don’t have our mistakes splashed all over the front page of news sites worldwide. Most of us don’t need to put out a public apology because we aren’t role models. He is. Whether he likes it or not (and I think he does like it) he is a role model to many young kids. Young kids who look up to their idols. Young kids who model the behaviors of their heroes. So I think it was his responsibility to admit he did something wrong and let people know it won’t happen again.
What do you think? Was an apology necessary?
People expect celebrities to be perfect, and anytime they can find a flaw, it becomes a huge deal. Marijuana is not the worst thing he could be doing — it pales compared to the DUI — but if it makes a good story, it’ll be published to death.
He puts his all into bong hits? And thats his APOLOGY?
Holy hell. I guess the next step would have been saying ‘hey, at least I didn’t sell crystal meth to your daughter’.
Seriously — yes, he needed to apologise for his stupidity. And that wasn’t an apology, it was braggadocio.
His (and my) DUI are far more upsetting that his (or my) taking a few bong hits.
Getting stoned in a college dorm room rarely if ever kills someone. Drunk driving kills people pretty much daily.
If I were one of Michael’s corporate sponsors, I’d see his bong pictures as a blessing in disguise.
The 18-25 year old audience to which he is pitched won’t care about his bong use so he isn’t really damaged merchandise. However, when contract negotiations begin, I can see a 25% discount (or more) being applied to his previous rates as a penalty for his soiled image and as a hedge against future devaluation.
As for me, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. (In accordance with local laws, customs and good, common sense.)
—Isis
I don’t hear of too many other athletes apologizing for DUIs, promiscuous sex, breaking the law, etc. They refuse to even admit they are role models. Phelps at least acknowledges some responsibility. I wish other celebrities would too.
Isis Elfman you hit the nail on the head.
It doesn’t bother me in the slightest to learn that he’s consumed a mind altering substance.
It bothers me to hear that he’s driven after consuming a mind altering substance.
His sponsors accepted Michael knowing he had a DUI… how is smoking pot so much worse?
(I’m Canadian btw, so that might influence my opinion somewhat.) Ross Rebagliati first exemplified to the Olympic community that athletes can have fun at home, and I support that. And I’d rather have role models and regular folk alike smoking pot than drinking and driving.