Blogs and Stories
Up in Smoke?
Today, though, it is the Olympian who has to eat dirt.
“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps pleaded in an apology posted on the International Olympic Committee’s preferred method of communication, Facebook, though Phelps was presumably not addressing the baseball-cap issue.
“I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”
That’s not a bet I’d take, not even on short odds. Phelps is a phenom, a millionaire frat boy. That’s how we raise ’em here in the USA. Phelps might be short on taste, but he ain’t no slacker, and he’s got 14 gold medals to prove it.
Unfortunately, in this nation of apologists, we also breed ’em to live in fear. Phelps shouldn’t be on his knees, the palsied puppet of a publicist who lives in constant terror of losing their gift horse of a client, the fawning patsy of a fickle public. What the times demand is a man of principles—and a man who can swim 200 meters in 1:42 ought to be able to stand up and make a few waves.
Thankfully, not everyone bends so easily in the breeze. Speedo, one of Phelps’ corporate sponsors, a company unabashedly in the “performance-enhancing” biz -- though, despite their spitfire moniker, their core competency seems to be some sort of microscopic bathingwear and not pharmaceutical-grade crank -- stood by their man, calling him a valued member of their team.
And another of Phelps’ sponsors, Swiss watchmaker Omega, nailed it when they called the whole affair a “non-issue.” But then, they also make watches for astronauts.
Mike Edison is the former publisher of High Times, the former editor-in-chief of Screw magazine, and a professional wrestler of no small repute. He is the author of 28 pornographic novels and the memoir I Have Fun Everywhere I Go—Savage Tales of Pot, Porn, Punk Rock, Pro Wrestling, Talking Apes, Evil Bosses, Dirty Blues, American Heroes, and the Most Notorious Magazines in the World. (Fararr, Straus & Giroux/Faber and Faber).
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
Amateur Hour at the White House
Leslie H. Gelb, a former New York Times columnist and senior government official, is author of Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy (HarperCollins 2009), a book that shows how to think about and use power in the 21st century. He is president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Going Rogue: The Index
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
Will Mickey Rourke Fight at WrestleMania?
Mike Edison is the former publisher of High Times, the former editor-in-chief of Screw magazine, and a professional wrestler of no small repute. He is the author of 28 pornographic novels and the memoir I Have Fun Everywhere I Go—Savage Tales of Pot, Porn, Punk Rock, Pro Wrestling, Talking Apes, Evil Bosses, Dirty Blues, American Heroes, and the Most Notorious Magazines in the World.
Hey, what's the big deal? Barack Obama smoked weed for years (probably took all kinds of dope back in his Hawaii days). Phelps for president - never mind, he's not black.
Who cares what Phelps or anybody else smokes? I can't believe the press on this. The US government spends obscene amounts of money, trying to stop people from laying their hands on a joint, in a culture that reaches for a bottle of pills everytime they have a hangnail. But rasie the subject of legalization (and the side bonus of taxation) and people go nuts.
I agree with Mike Edison, although I disagree with the use of your byline, "Pot's New Golden Boy". Poor Michael Phelps, just because he is a superb athlete and is passionate about his sport everything single one of his actions is seen as an endorsement of a product or life style, while he is kept to the "moral standards" of those who pretty much wallow in mediocrity.
Palin Syndrome? Only in your weak imagination. Unlike the Con Artist in Chief, Sarah Palin has an impressive record of achievement and integrity, the opposite of your boy. Phelps caved when he was busted. He could have said, "So what?" and pointed out media hypocrisy and noted that the more dangerous drug called booze was used without hysteria. What's sad is someone sold out this good kid for a tabloid check.
Michael Phelps is a role model for young kids. Ideally, that role model would model healthy, legal behavior.
Is that really so hard to understand?
To toke or not to toke, that is the question: The answer: None of anybody's business as long as he isn't in the water. Somebody needs to get a life.
Eff a role-model. He has no obligation to anyone's kids. This culture of gimps. This nanny state. Dude was getting his smoke on. That's all it was. What he needs to be careful of are the losers he invites over to kick back with. Choose your friends carefully, kid.
Time to change the law!
I think the message to America's youth is very clear:
"Don't smoke dope! If you do, you could end up becoming a 14-time Olympic gold medal champion!!"
A drug addict and pornographer leaps to the defense. Isn't there a champion out there who doesn't live on the scumbag side of the tracks?
Any parent who is upset about this based on the "role model" argument needs to question how they tech their children about role models. Phelps is a fantastic athlete, but this says very little about his moral aptitude. Why not teach your children that the doctor, the philanthropist, the civil rights lawyer, etc. are good models of morality? And why not also teach them that nobody's perfect, everyone has vices, and everyone likes to have some selfish fun once in a while and the key is to balance that with good actions that help others? I hope I didn't blow anyone's mind with that one.
At first I thought your question might be rhetorical, but then after reading your article I realized you were serious. To answer your question, because the media is fueled by, makes money off controversy....because the meathead masses are a buch of watchers who idol worship while they simutaneously loathe the idol because it makes them feel less than so they relish in it's "humaness".....because it's not the first time the idiot got busted....because it's only fair that if you get to take advantage of the publicity you receive that that same magifying lense will show your warts otherwise it's just theater...because its's the least we should come to expect, because, because, because....
Our nation has wised up with regard to marijuana. I wish our legislators would do the same.
Aren't Americans tired of making normal people into heros to afterward smacked them to little pieces for the smallest imperfection? This social "thing" always happens to you. Like a bad movie where you know the end, the middle and the beginning. Everybody in the media was taking shots at him. His girlfriend! His sexual tendency! And now you've got it! He smokes pot! Whow! I think we should stone him to dead! PLEASE! Leave this guy in peace I think your expectation are too high and nobody is a role model to anyone. Moreover I think that that your envy is getting the best out of you!
Healthy, legal behavior....vices and selfish fun. These are all very open to interpretation, except maybe legal behavior. Don't smoke with jerks who have cell phones or cameras. Keep your nose clean and do what you want in private. This gimpy country is fascist enough already.
Society of hypocrites!
You don't inhale bong water.
This is so terrible. What a travesty. So many millions of dollars spent trying to influence American kids to live "above the influence." And what does Michael Phelps do? Smokes some pot (probably not the first time) and is still able to maintain the determination, responsibility, competitive spirit, passion, etc. to become an Olympic gold medal champion! Oh, the shame.
We live in a media driven society. Period. Whatever sells papers, magazines or gets our attention gets the news. We love nothing more than to build up heroes and then knock them down. Watch, Obama will be next. How dare we comment on others when we are human ourselves. I am aware that I live in a glass house. Shame on the press and anyone else for judging Phelps.
He's a rich, 23 year old kid who made a stupid mistake ...
Who Cares ...
He might as well run for POTUS in 20 years at the rate he is going ...
I agree with this article. And I think Jesse Singal's argument that Phelps shouldn't have apologized
(http://campusprogress.org/opinions/3589/dont-apologize-michael) is right on the money, too.
Surprise! People smoke pot- Super Athletes, Lawyers, Politicians, and your everyday citizen, you name it! It's time we get with the program and realize that pot should not be outlawed!
America is so schizoid about its huge drug culture, i.e., prescription drugs and alcohol OK, so-called "street" drugs not OK. Makes no sense legally, medically or ethically.
Questioning a 23 yr. olds moral character because he smoked weed is ridiculous. I worry more about young adults who don't let down their hair -- how uptight are they? If a parent is worried about the role modeling, use this as a lesson about choices and the expectations you have for your child. Americans are so Puritanical and judgmental. Maybe we all need to inhale a little more often.
Mike Edison is living proof that smoking pot destroys critical thinking facilities of the brain. Now we know why they call it "dope"!
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.
Please log in to leave comments.