People are weighing in on the controversial photo of Micheal Phelps smoking a bong that was published in The News of the World over the weekend. Phelps has been cashing in on his reputation with endorsement deals after a record setting 14 Olympic gold medals and seven world swimming records. The 23 year-old may be able to achieve greats that others can only dream of, but he’s not immune to temptation. He admitted to smoking pot and said in a statement that he’s sorry for letting his fans down and it won’t happen again.
Many of you said that pot is not a big deal and that it should be legal or at least decriminalized anyway. Ashton Kutcher seems to agree, and he twittered that many 20-somethings do the same thing:
“God forbid he hit a bong,” Kutcher Twittered about the incident on Monday. “Go ask your 20-year-old kid what they did last weekend.
“I’m not saying it was a smart move. But he doesn’t need to be publicly outed for it,” Kutcher went on.
The photo wound up in a British tabloid Sunday. Kutcher said, “Whoever put the pic out is an a**!”
Of Phelps – who was arrested for DUI in 2004 – Kutcher wrote: “He’s a good kid.”
While Kutcher said he hasn’t smoked pot “in quite some time … I’m not immune to a lapse in good judgment from time to time.”
[From US Weekly]
Companies are paying Michael Phelps millions to endorse their products, and they’re relying on his image to sell everything from cars to sugar cereal. A lot of young kids smoke pot, but they’re not cashing in on their hero status. Phelps is held to a higher standard because he’s achieved so much in his life. He knows this, and he should keep his partying to a minimum if he doesn’t want to affect his bottom line.
Last year, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore were rumored to be trying to convince Phelps to star in a reality show they wanted to produce. Phelps was seen out having drinks with Kutcher and Moore and was said to have also gone over to their place for dinner. We haven’t heard much more about that, so it may have been just a rumor or Phelps might not have wanted to go through with it. A reality show sounds like a much worse idea for Phelps’ reputation than being photographed smoking some pot.
In the header Ashton Kutcher is shown at Sundance on 1/18/09 while Michael Phelps is shown promoting his book on 12/9/08. Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are shown on 1/31/09 at a Superbowl event for The Giving Back Fund. Credit: WENN
They should out people every time someone is seen having a drink of alcohol or a cigarette too. I think most people could care less if someone is caught smoking marijuana, it’s not sensational or any more harmful than the other two society approved narcotics.
I wouldn’t say smoking and drinking are society approved – they’re just legal. And marijuana should be too.
I think Kelso meant to say, “You call that a bong hit?”
“Phelps is held to a higher standard because he’s achieved so much in his life.”
That is not a valid reason to hold someone to a higher standard. He’s achieved what he’s achieved through talent and his own hard work. did he ask to be a role model? I doubt it. This business of setting people up as unwilling role models really pisses me off. it just sets them up for an inevitable fall. He’s 22, he owes no one and endorsement companies should accept him for what he is, a serious talent but ultimately a 22 year old who’ll behave at times like any other normal 22 year old.
He’s 23 years old, most young guys his age have tried pot. He got caught, he probably will be much careful in the future and will unlikely get caught again. (Not that he won’t do it again, he’ll be more careful. :))
Give the guy a break, it’s not like he’s shooting up or doing coke.
you’re right geronimo. He’s doing his competitors a favor. Imagine how good he’d be if he wasn’t a pothead.
I just don’t get the problem with pot.
If you’re out driving on it, yeah that’s a DUI just as if you were on coke or alcohol or whatever and should be punished severely – you’re endandering others’ lives.
But doing something – whatever it is – involving yourself and other willing adults, in your own home…how is that the government’s business??
Seriously, that is one fast pothead.
I think the real issue is whoever sold that photo. What a jerk. Smoking pot doesn’t make you a bad person but being a two faced, slimy jerk makes you a rotten person.
Michael is a good kid.
Lordy, he’s in his early 20’s. He just got a buttload of money and was finished with the Olympics. So he did it? He apologized. What’s the big deal.
OMG! HE SMOKED POT!!!
WHO GIVES A SH*T! He has definitely proven that POT doesn’t effect your ability to accomplish your goal as long as you put your mind to it.
After that bong hit he probably played video games then went for a swim.
LEGAL drugs such as Alcohol, Demerol, Perc… all highly addictive that cause MAJOR lapses in motor function and organ damage.
POT is only illegal in parts of the US people!! The worst thing that happens when you smoke too much is you pass out and get the best sleep of your life!
In Paris a lot of people mix weed with their tobacco in every cigarette that they smoke. It simply relaxes you or makes you feel better when your stomach is upset. Do some research— short term memory loss is the worst side effect. If you ask me, I’m ok with forgetting parts of my week lol
Get off his ass and let him do whatever he needs to when he’s in and relaxing for the night. If he’s not bothering anyone – who cares.
PREACH Charlene!
I’m so tired of people who, because they can regurgitate what the government tells them, think they know anything about marijuana. If you’re not willing to do actual research, and look at actual facts, stfu.
Herb doesn’t glue your ass to the couch, YOU having zero self-control and no priorities glues your ass to the couch.
i don’t know why they keep bringing up his age people over 30 smoke weed too. and it wasn’t a lapse in judgment it was a choice that he made. he’s only apologizing b/c he got caught. he should’ve just paid off whoever was taking the pic, b/c they obviously wanted money. and nothing will happen to him just like nothing happened to kate moss
although i think doing drugs is disgusting, michael phelps won like a billion olympic gold medals, and seems like a really sweet, adorable awesome person. after all hes accomplished and had all this respect, its stupid that he should be bashed for this.
@Geronimo, I do agree with most of what you said, but he owes the companies that he signed a contract with to endorse their products, with his image. I am sure what he signed has a morality clause which would probably include smoking weed.
Like it or not, weed is illegal in the state of SC, whether you’re a waitress or an Olympic dynamo.
This I type in my home, wearing my “Just Doob It” t-shirt. Smoke a joint next time Mikey, or use a bat that resembles a cigarette, dumbass.
Don’t get me wrong, I adore weed & I don’t blame him for smoking, but I WAS surprised to find out Michael had a conviction for drunk driving! I don’t approve of that…
But kudos to him for being able to be a pothead and an olympic champion at the same time haha. There’s no way I could smoke weed and muster the energy to swim as much as he probably did. & U need a good lung capacity for swimming, smoking & swimming aren’t usually a good combination!
Well, the presumption is that Olympic athletes don’t take illegal drugs of any sort because they are supposed to be role models. They are well aware of that before they even get close to Olympic stature.
Besides, last time I checked, recreational marijuana use is still illegal in all 50 of the United States.
“…I’m not saying it was a smart move. But he doesn’t need to be publicly outed for it…”
Oh yes, he needed to be publicly outed and held responsible for his actions. He’s a role model no matter how he or others spin it. He’s contracted out to endorse things and I would bet the farm somewhere in those endorsement contracts there is a morality clause.
If Phelps was like the next-door kid who occasionally mowed our lawns I wouldn’t even sniff (pun intended, hehe), but when you’re a big celebrity athlete with an image of health and being drug-free, yes, you needed to be outed and then maybe you’ll smarten up and realize that until you totally retire from the sport and go into hiding for the rest of your life every single thing you do will be outed by both your friends and enemies.
Daisy – you’re right in the sense that he has an image to protect but any company who chooses to have a 23yr old endorse its products has to realise that a 23yr old will do from time to time what most 23yr olds do, screw up publicly. To expect more is unrealistic. (love your tee!)
I am on the fence with this subject. I am not a pot smoker nor done a condone the act or support it; fact is that he is a now a huge role model for all type of kids. Regardless of its legality the fact is that it is illegal. So how would you feel if your kid says, “Oh yeah mom/dad I smoke pot because Michael Phelps does it.” Problem is that kids are influenced by celebrities more than we want to admit. However, if you raise your children to not do drugs then they probably will not be influenced by the wrongdoings or rather the free will of others upon themselves. Now on the other side of the other fence, Michael Phelps has been arrested for DUI in Maryland now this. He needs to be more conscientious of the fact that his actions doesn’t just affect him but also his family and how it affects them. If you know what both his parents careers are, then you will understand my last sentence. As for posting or selling the picture, it’s what the public wants. The more dirt, the more stories, them more we buy the magazines and post comments on these blogs while everyone else sits back and cashes in on their publicized issues. So who really is to blame about matter?
Oh and as for Ashton Kutcher, please save us your b.s. Michael Phelps has been swimming his ass off for quite sometime now. Where were you years ago? Now that he an absolute money maker for everyone, I guess you figured hey why not make some money for me and Demi off the kid too. Sure we’ll pay him but everyone know that the producers make more money than the actual actors. Instead of a reality show of Michael Phelps, why not make one of you, Demi and your clan, then you can make all the money. Stop trying to exploit him. Sure he has a great story however there are ordinary people out in the world that have better stories of overcoming obstacles in their life as well. Why not tell their story. Oh yeah that’s right because they haven’t won an Olympic medal which makes them boring and non profitable to you. Even though he wasn’t smart enough to not drink and drive, to not make sure that no one was taking his picture of smoking weed from a bong, I hope he is smart enough to not agree to do a reality. Jus say no Micahel , Just say NO, Michael, just say no.
@G, I see your point completely, but he did sign on the dotted line.
I do feel some empathy for him, but I had 3 kids when I was his age and can’t relate to his naivety.
btw, here is the tee I was wearing,
http://cgi.ebay.com/JUST-DOOB-IT-NIKE-LOGO-HUMOR-MENS-ADULT-MEDIUM-T-SHIRT_W0QQitemZ220348964776QQihZ012QQcategoryZ15687QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
Ashton Kutcher is a talentless a$$hole.