Michael Phelps Bong Photo

[Michael]

US media is about to go into a tizzy... if they aren't already.

Phelps Apologizes for Marijuana Pipe Photo

Source (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/sports/othersports/02phelps.html?_r=1&hp)

Now I don't think this is particularly newsworthy - about Phelps anyway. To me, the news story here will be the wild over-the-top reaction we're going to be subjected to from the US news media because of it!

Nothing worse than self-righteous moralizing from US media trash.

And here's the photo...

[partofme]

I've already heard about this in several places in the media. It's amazing that a 22 year old smoking weed is still looked at as a big deal. Looks like that stick up most people's asses isn't going to be pulled out any time soon.

[drgoodtrips]

I just read an article with a poll saying that 80% of respondents don't think it's a big deal or care.

I think it's more the sponsorship/corporate angle and its fear of being perceived as unwholesome that will cause the fervor. I think the status quo is that it's understood that a lot of athletes or young people smoke pot, but they're supposed to do a dance and apologize for it.

[Donkey]

Good for him. I hope he enjoyed it.

[Americano]

I just read an article with a poll saying that 80% of respondents don't think it's a big deal or care.

I think it's more the sponsorship/corporate angle and its fear of being perceived as unwholesome that will cause the fervor. I think the status quo is that it's understood that a lot of athletes or young people smoke pot, but they're supposed to do a dance and apologize for it.

I agree. There is a market demographic repulsed by 'sin'. Normally hypocritical, they do accept apologies for offending their public facade.

[phungus420]

He made some apologetic statement. Which kind of sucks, makes it boring. Would have been far more interesting if his reaction had just been "So, I smoke weed on occasion."

[wphelan]

He made some apologetic statement. Which kind of sucks, makes it boring. Would have been far more interesting if his reaction had just been "So, I smoke weed on occasion."

True. It would have been a much more interesting story if he'd have come out and said something like "Hey kids, look how many Olympic gold medals I have. You should smoke weed too!"

[Michael]

True. It would have been a much more interesting story if he'd have come out and said something like "Hey kids, look how many Olympic gold medals I have. You should smoke weed too!"
Nothing would be different. Deviations from the script are not permitted by the media. They have their story and they are going with it regardless if any annoying facts get in the way.

Don't forget that the media work for the same employer as Phelps - mass advertising corporations.

[SMadsen]

The only thing that bugs me is that it was a "story" here as well. Damn the increasing import of moral policing.

[drgoodtrips]

I thought of this thread this morning on my way to work. I often listen to sports talk radio on the way to and from work, and the Michael Phelps had hit there. It was interesting to listen, because the subject inevitably turned to "what do I tell my children?"

It was at this point, as the deejays discussed this subject, I realized the true essence of the cognitive dissonance on the matter that is ingrained into society, and particularly sports. The conclusion that they reached was that the appropriate thing to tell a 13/14 year old who admires Phelps is that he "made a really bad decision". And, I realized the reason for this. There is a basic truth that we as a society, and especially in the sports world, are asked to accept. Marijuana is evil and it will inevitably ruin your life. Ergo, the only way to explain Michael Phelps winning a slew of gold medals and also being photographed smoking pot is that he just did it once. He "made a really bad decision".

Charitably, the deejays agreed that there was no reason to order their children to take down the posters of him, because athletes are human, and they can make really bad decisions just like anyone else. One said his daughter had decided that she really liked him, even if he did something "really, really dumb". Of course, someone who allows himself to be photographed expertly holding a bong is clearly not someone who smoked pot only once. But, never mind that.

In a way, the irony is beautiful. When you parse out the bullshit, the real message here is that the dumb part about this was getting caught, and that the "bad decision" was allowing someone to take a picture. That's the real message here, and the one that anyone with half a brain, including teenagers, will get. It isn't a "bad decision" to smoke pot in any sense of impeding his success - how could it be? The guy's 14 or whatever medals are a testament to that. It's a bad decision in terms of suffering the wrath of society - it's a bad decision because of the clucking done by the various people calling it a bad decision. I doubt those same people would say "boo" if Phelps were photographed sipping a Heineken.

In a way, it sort of reminds me of the claptrap about why homosexuals shouldn't be allowed to adopt children - because other children will make fun of them. In other words, "we're creating a stigma surrounding this and will persecute you, so it's a bad idea for you to do it."

[Multiplum]

Guess we know why he only got eight gold medals, and not nine. Loser.

[Zedrow]

It reminds me of the winter olympics when Ross Rebagliati was found to have marijuana in his system and was stripped of his gold medal, until it was determined that it wasn't a performance enhancing drug. :D

I say good on Phelps, and don't apologize too much.

[Michael]

I thought of this thread this morning on my way to work. I often listen to sports talk radio on the way to and from work, and the Michael Phelps had hit there. It was interesting to listen, because the subject inevitably turned to "what do I tell my children?"

It was at this point, as the deejays discussed this subject, I realized the true essence of the cognitive dissonance on the matter that is ingrained into society, and particularly sports. The conclusion that they reached was that the appropriate thing to tell a 13/14 year old who admires Phelps is that he "made a really bad decision". And, I realized the reason for this. There is a basic truth that we as a society, and especially in the sports world, are asked to accept. Marijuana is evil and it will inevitably ruin your life. Ergo, the only way to explain Michael Phelps winning a slew of gold medals and also being photographed smoking pot is that he just did it once. He "made a really bad decision".

Charitably, the deejays agreed that there was no reason to order their children to take down the posters of him, because athletes are human, and they can make really bad decisions just like anyone else. One said his daughter had decided that she really liked him, even if he did something "really, really dumb". Of course, someone who allows himself to be photographed expertly holding a bong is clearly not someone who smoked pot only once. But, never mind that.

In a way, the irony is beautiful. When you parse out the bullshit, the real message here is that the dumb part about this was getting caught, and that the "bad decision" was allowing someone to take a picture. That's the real message here, and the one that anyone with half a brain, including teenagers, will get. It isn't a "bad decision" to smoke pot in any sense of impeding his success - how could it be? The guy's 14 or whatever medals are a testament to that. It's a bad decision in terms of suffering the wrath of society - it's a bad decision because of the clucking done by the various people calling it a bad decision. I doubt those same people would say "boo" if Phelps were photographed sipping a Heineken.

In a way, it sort of reminds me of the claptrap about why homosexuals shouldn't be allowed to adopt children - because other children will make fun of them. In other words, "we're creating a stigma surrounding this and will persecute you, so it's a bad idea for you to do it."
:weed:

Great post! A classic in your best known style. ;)

(My all-time fav was your post about the whining neocon wussies - that was priceless)

Note: First time usage of the new smilie!

[Dominick]

This incredibly important story has made the Belgian news. Go figure.

[Americano]

Several of his sponsors have announced that's it for them. From a business standpoint it would be retaining the no public sin hypocrites. What's that these days, 25-35% of the US market? If it was my call I'd drop him. Most of those contracts have moral clauses covering such issues. It's business.
:weed:

[Michael]

As a contrast, there is the case of Ross Rebagliati (as Zedrow pointed out above).

He's the Canadian olympic snowboarder who won a gold medal in 2002 and got caught smoking pot (during the Olympics no less) - the Olympic committee tried at first to deny his medal, but had to back down since pot isn't a 'performance enhancing drug'.

The point is that Ross Rebagliati has a pretty good 'sponsorship' career since here in Canada. He's very popular. Small scale stuff, but Canada doesn't have $50 million dollar sponsorship deals. Fact is, quite a few big Canadian corporate names are involved with him. He has suffered virtually zero on the sponsorship side up here. Indeed, some might suggest that episode raised his profile and made him popular!

http://www.rossrebagliati.com/Appearances.php

[Americano]

As a contrast, there is the case of Ross Rebagliati (as Zedrow pointed out above).

He's the Canadian olympic snowboarder who won a gold medal in 2002 and got caught smoking pot (during the Olympics no less) - the Olympic committee tried at first to deny his medal, but had to back down since pot isn't a 'performance enhancing drug'.

The point is that Ross Rebagliati has a pretty good 'sponsorship' career since here in Canada. He's very popular. Small scale stuff, but Canada doesn't have $50 million dollar sponsorship deals. Fact is, quite a few big Canadian corporate names are involved with him. He has suffered virtually zero on the sponsorship side up here. Indeed, some might suggest that episode raised his profile and made him popular!

http://www.rossrebagliati.com/Appearances.php

I'd say the hydro business benefited greatly. Traditional downhill skiers consider snowboarders 'rabble'.

[Multiplum]

I'll take that.

:weed:


You wouldn't believe what the tabloids are writing over here. It's dawning on me why I think 90 % of the people in this country are complete idiots. I know I'm not the smartest guy around, but come on. Like the word "sex", "hash" is an instant winner in the headlines. Not cannabis, marijuana or weed - hash. Why? It's a word people have learned to react to, like the word marijuana initially was in the US. It's comparable to the word "skunk" in British tabloids, which are even worse.

"Phelps smoking from a hash-pipe at dope-party". Oh lawd, expanding the Norwegian vocabulary - these journalists are innovative geniuses!

I'm dry, too, and this close to suicide due to a severe case of misanthropy. Any better in Canada?

[drgoodtrips]

:weed:

Great post! A classic in your best known style. ;)

(My all-time fav was your post about the whining neocon wussies - that was priceless)

Note: First time usage of the new smilie!

Thanks for the kind words.. :)

[Americano]

I'll take that.

:weed:


You wouldn't believe what the tabloids are writing over here. It's dawning on me why I think 90 % of the people in this country are complete idiots. I know I'm not the smartest guy around, but come on. Like the word "sex", "hash" is an instant winner in the headlines. Not cannabis, marijuana or weed - hash. Why? It's a word people have learned to react to, like the word marijuana initially was in the US. It's comparable to the word "skunk" in British tabloids, which are even worse.

"Phelps smoking from a hash-pipe at dope-party". Oh lawd, expanding the Norwegian vocabulary - these journalists are innovative geniuses!

I'm dry, too, and this close to suicide due to a severe case of misanthropy. Any better in Canada?

It's post-harvest time in the Americas, a bountiful crop in wide distribution.

[Americano]

I'll take that.

:weed:


You wouldn't believe what the tabloids are writing over here. It's dawning on me why I think 90 % of the people in this country are complete idiots. I know I'm not the smartest guy around, but come on. Like the word "sex", "hash" is an instant winner in the headlines. Not cannabis, marijuana or weed - hash. Why? It's a word people have learned to react to, like the word marijuana initially was in the US. It's comparable to the word "skunk" in British tabloids, which are even worse.

I just read he had a DUI before Kellogg (one of his major sponsors) hired him and that didn't seem to bother them.

"Phelps smoking from a hash-pipe at dope-party". Oh lawd, expanding the Norwegian vocabulary - these journalists are innovative geniuses!

I'm dry, too, and this close to suicide due to a severe case of misanthropy. Any better in Canada?

[Michael]

You wouldn't believe what the tabloids are writing over here. It's dawning on me why I think 90 % of the people in this country are complete idiots. I know I'm not the smartest guy around, but come on. Like the word "sex", "hash" is an instant winner in the headlines. Not cannabis, marijuana or weed - hash. Why? It's a word people have learned to react to, like the word marijuana initially was in the US. It's comparable to the word "skunk" in British tabloids, which are even worse.

"Phelps smoking from a hash-pipe at dope-party". Oh lawd, expanding the Norwegian vocabulary - these journalists are innovative geniuses!
I suspect it is the "foreign/exotic" element they are trying to evoke with usage of particular terms. Hashish has always come from the Middle East and as such, that gives the word its subliminal undertones in Europe.

Marijuana has strong "Mexican" and "Spanish-America" connotations in the USA, thus, that term is used.

Essentially the media is engaging in social-control propaganda pushing the meme that 'recreational drugs are foreign' things - not part of the mainstream.

I'm unfamiliar with "skunk" in the British usage. I'll check that out.

I'm dry, too, and this close to suicide due to a severe case of misanthropy. Any better in Canada?
Us Canadians don't have problems with that issue - at all. Never have. :)

[Multiplum]

I suspect it is the "foreign/exotic" element they are trying to evoke with usage of particular terms. Hashish has always come from the Middle East and as such, that gives the word its subliminal undertones in Europe.

Marijuana has strong "Mexican" and "Spanish-America" connotations in the USA, thus, that term is used.

Essentially the media is engaging in social-control propaganda pushing the meme that 'recreational drugs are foreign' things - not part of the mainstream.

I'm unfamiliar with "skunk" in the British usage. I'll check that out.
Every old woman knows about hashish (usually believing it's a killer drug), and thus, they say "hash-tree". Not kidding. I wouldn't be surprised if most people think that cannabis and hashish are two completely different things. When the papers turn to an authority on the subject, they are far more likely to ask the police (who know nothing about psychopharmacology; I've met some incredibly stupid police officers in my time), priests (what the hell), or ex-addicts who are more than willing to blame substances - even the most benign - for their hardships, than they are to ask someone who has read a book on the subject. Or who has ever read a book, any book, at all. There is absolutely NO sense of proportion in context with the drugs we all know and love.

Everyone embraces the gateway-theory, which in their minds says that once you try an illicit drug, your brain is chemically altered to crave substances that have nothing in common with, for instance, cannabis.


You should check out some articles from the British tabloids. Schizophrenia is the new thing. You should also do a search for a "professor Nutt" (real name). The way I see it, he made a claim based on his sober observations that ecstasy is about as dangerous as horse riding. Now, the two aren't easily comparable, but the reaction to what he said is what's amusing. Politicians were quick to express outrage, and demand an apology on behalf of the "victims" of ecstasy. Bastards.

Us Canadians don't have problems with that issue - at all. Never have. :) I'm almost starting to believe that a country exists where the media doesn't work actively to dumb down the population. Again, I may come off as arrogant and a bit of a besserweisser, but I pay attention to how the tabloids treat scientific studies. They take it all out of context, and do what they can to make it sensational. Drugs are a popular target, of course, but so many other things come out so distorted, it's ridiculous. In my 21 years, I have no idea how many time I've read that "cancer has been solved". And that is how they might actually phrase it. "Cancer has been solved." That alone makes no sense, and the people actually working on these things will usually laugh at these articles.

So, in general, any better in Canada? Don't ruin my dream.

[Americano]

Every old woman knows about hashish (usually believing it's a killer drug), and thus, they say "hash-tree". Not kidding. I wouldn't be surprised if most people think that cannabis and hashish are two completely different things. When the papers turn to an authority on the subject, they are far more likely to ask the police (who know nothing about psychopharmacology; I've met some incredibly stupid police officers in my time), priests (what the hell), or ex-addicts who are more than willing to blame substances - even the most benign - for their hardships, than they are to ask someone who has read a book on the subject. Or who has ever read a book, any book, at all. There is absolutely NO sense of proportion in context with the drugs we all know and love.

Everyone embraces the gateway-theory, which in their minds says that once you try an illicit drug, your brain is chemically altered to crave substances that have nothing in common with, for instance, cannabis.


You should check out some articles from the British tabloids. Schizophrenia is the new thing. You should also do a search for a "professor Nutt" (real name). The way I see it, he made a claim based on his sober observations that ecstasy is about as dangerous as horse riding. Now, the two aren't easily comparable, but the reaction to what he said is what's amusing. Politicians were quick to express outrage, and demand an apology on behalf of the "victims" of ecstasy. Bastards.

I'm almost starting to believe that a country exists where the media doesn't work actively to dumb down the population. Again, I may come off as arrogant and a bit of a besserweisser, but I pay attention to how the tabloids treat scientific studies. They take it all out of context, and do what they can to make it sensational. Drugs are a popular target, of course, but so many other things come out so distorted, it's ridiculous. In my 21 years, I have no idea how many time I've read that "cancer has been solved". And that is how they might actually phrase it. "Cancer has been solved." That alone makes no sense, and the people actually working on these things will usually laugh at these articles.

So, in general, any better in Canada? Don't ruin my dream.

Heh heh heh. You're asking members of this forum to not ruin a dream? Heh heh heh.

[Michael]

So, in general, any better in Canada? Don't ruin my dream.
I think Americano addressed this point already. :tape:

[Dominick]

It's all :bong: to me.

[Michael]

It's all :bong: to me.
That smilie ought to be named "phelps" :D

[Abruptum]

If the pictures didn't exist, nobody would know, and life would go on as per normal. Even President Obama has admitted to smoking some. The mindset of the world needs to change.

[Donkey]

If the pictures didn't exist, nobody would know, and life would go on as per normal. Even President Obama has admitted to smoking some. The mindset of the world needs to change.
Indeed, one of my favorite things that he's said is "When I was a kid I inhaled frequently. That was the point"