Michael Phelps Caught Smoking a Bong… So What?
February 5, 2009 • By Michael Larrick, The Breeze
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HARRISONBURG, Va.— Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps. What were you thinking? I’ve never been so disappointed in all my life. How dare you throw away everything you’ve worked for and poison the minds of those who look up to you? You’ve embarrassed yourself and worst of all, you’ve embarrassed America.
A photo of Michael Phelps recently surfaced in a British tabloid that showed him (brace yourselves, this is going to turn your world upside down) smoking marijuana! Oh, the humanity!
This picture originally came to my attention while watching ESPN, and the line on the ticker said “Picture of Phelps smoking marijuana pipe surfaces.” I thought it might be some sort of elementary smoking device, just something innocent. But no, no, no. He was hitting a huge bong, and a nice one at that (not that I would know anything about that).
Michael Phelps made a public apology saying: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment… I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”
Several of his sponsors have accepted the apology, while a few have stayed quiet during the media fiasco. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has made it clear that if he can prove Phelps was using marijuana in Richland County, where the picture was allegedly taken, he will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law. I think this is a good time to step back and ask ourselves, what’s the big deal?
I’m not saying that marijuana use is beneficial; I’m just saying it’s no worse than tobacco or alcohol. If there were a picture of him drinking a beer or smoking a cigarette, it wouldn’t have even made the news.
He won eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics alone, for God’s sake! It’s amazing that he can do that and still even think about swimming. All of the people I know who rip bongs like that are just really good at Call of Duty.
Let’s make a comparison to alcohol for just a second. Thousands of people die a year at the hands of drunken drivers and it’s a terrible thing. No one drives high; first you have to get up, then you have to remember why you got up, then you have to find your keys, and by that time, forget it, you’re just going to watch “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” and take a nap. Even if you make the ridiculously dumb decision to drive while high, you might be one of the safest drivers out there. Most people look at the speed limit and add 5 mph to 10 mph, but potheads are the only people that look at speed limits as actual limits. They just want to get to Taco Bell and back in the safest way possible. Not only that, but potheads tend to think that every other car may or may not be a cop.
If you’ve haven’t already noticed, they can’t even make anti-marijuana commercials effective.
Remember the “Just Say No” commercials? They usually had some 8-year-old walking down the street, and then out of nowhere, a 13-year-old would approach him with a heaving bag of marijuana and ask him if he wished to get high at no cost to the child. The kid would decline, and then the words “Just Say No” would appear on the screen. I believe this just made habitual smokers want to find these magical, fairytale lands where angel children would give you free weed. I thought the more appropriate slogan at the end should have been “Keep the hope alive, potheads. There are places for you out there.”
If you found the Phelps picture highly offensive, then you should just lighten up. He’s not hurting you, and he certainly should not be demonized for this. It’s true that marijuana may make you dumber, but it could be worse. For instance, my former roommate stopped smoking marijuana and when asked why, he implied that he could physically feel his sperm dying. I know, seriously, and he is a nursing major, which is horrifying.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
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7 Responses to “Michael Phelps Caught Smoking a Bong… So What?”
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I think it is safe to say that your article concerning Michael Phelps’ marijuana use has its relevant points; those points being that Michael Phelps did in fact win eight gold medals, and that Michael Phelps should be held accountable to the same laws prohibiting marijuana use as every other American citizen. I also understand that you may not think that Phelps’ prosecution is a “big deal”, but it is. Michael Phelps is one of the most common faces of America, and to a lot of younger kids here in the States, he’s a role model. Personally I feel like Michael Phelps should be a little bit more aware of the fact that he’s an international icon and that his life is on camera, 24/7. Sure I understand that Michael Phelps’ casual bong rip photo isn’t as bad as the amount of drunk driving incidents we hear about. What I don’t understand is why you failed to mention that 5 years ago at the age of nineteen Michael Phelps was in fact arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Salisbury, Maryland. I really don’t think we should “lighten up” on Phelps for his actions. I like to consider myself a more educated American since having enrolled in this university, and I think we need to start holding our national superstars to the same expectations we would expect from our kids someday.
I agree with this article. Our society loves to build people up as celebrities as is the case with Michael Phelps and then we try to find anything we can to demonize and bring them down from the pedestal we created. Mr. Phelps is not much older than most college students, plenty of whom have at least tried marijuana if not partake on a regular basis. And to be fair, the picture showed him smoking from a bong but we can’t assume with 100% certainty yet that it was marijuana.
Granted marijuana is illegal but it is the government’s attempt at prohibiting a substance, which is being kept out of the hands of Americans about as well as alcohol was in the 1920s and 1930s. Now if Phelps was smoking pot then I think he shouldn’t receive preferential treatment just for being a celebrity. He should know better given the higher scrutiny placed on people like him. However, I don’t think what he did was this heinous crime that he should be ostracized for.
I have no problems with people who smoke as long as they moderate because any activity or substance can be taken to an extreme. P.S. Do you know where this magic land of free weed is? I’m kidding.
The “So What?” is that if you are getting paid millions of dollars a year for endorsements and are a proclaimed role model, you can afford not to smoke. I would say a huge majority of people will experiment with marijuana in their lifetime. But if you are getting paid that much, it doesn’t have to be you. If this was his first incident with drugs and alcohol, it probably wouldn’t be a big deal, but when you just got a DUI at age 19 … your cards are up.
Yes, Michael Phelps is a role model celebrity whatever, but we made him that way. The way I see it is, he is 23 years old, he’s going to make mistakes. How many of you did not do anything stupid when you were that age? I say leave the boy alone.
If anything.. publicizing Phelps’ pot use will only bring attention to it. All this will do is teach the kids that everyone does it.
What else is he supposed to do with all his money!? Of course he’s going to buy drugs — excuse me, HERBS. And what do you expect from someone constantly being followed by the papparazzi — they can catch him doing ANYTHING they want. Plus all the stress that comes with his “stardom,” of course he’s got to chill out sometimes. How many of our top celebrities have been caught using substances? A lot.
You don’t get prosecuted for pictures, I don’t think. Also, I sure wish we could get some sense and legalize a plant. Forget the whole “oh, it’s medicinal” nonsense. It’s true, but more importantly, don’t tell me what to do, government. Oh, by the way, Anonymous, everyone DOES do it.
And Seth Meyers said it best: “If you’re at a party, and you see Michael Phelps smoking a bong and your first thought isn’t, ‘Wow, I get to party with Michael Phelps’ but instead you take a picture and sell it to a tabloid, you should take a long look in the mirror because you’re a ****. I mean really.”
Yeah, biggest thing is, it’s not really anyone’s business if Phelps wants to get blazed at a party. He’s done insane things.
And come on, of course it was pot. Are we hitting salvia bongs at parties?
Leave the kid alone.
Rambling yes, but I was covering stuff as I thought about it.