The Infamous Bong: The Michael Phelps Story

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Jerry Ashford Philosophy Essay #1 Monday February 16, 2009 The Infamous Bong: The Michael Phelps Story Michael Phelps, a world class swimmer and 2008 Summer Olympics, 8 gold medals, is seen at a party in South Carolina holding a bong and pipe; many of the news articles and tabloids say that it was used for marijuana, although the pictures themselves don’t clearly show any narcotics. Michael Phelps has not yet been charged for any alleged crimes, but he did have to apologize to the Chinese people in order to keep some of his endorsement deals; although other sponsors chose not to keep him as their spokesman. How should the media handle this type of situation? Personally the media shouldn’t get involved in people’s personal lives. Although the media in today’s society has thrived on the lives of the famous, anything that will sell is what gets published. On the other hand should the general public not have a right to know what they (actors, musicians, athletes) are up to, those people are and can be icons and role models for today’s youth. So Michael Phelps should have to beware of what he is doing in public where pictures and people may see what is going on, in this situation he has done the right thing by taking responsibility for his actions, he is a role model to many after all. Besides what company wants to have a spokesperson seen smoking marijuana is bad for their reputation as well Michael Phelps’s own. What is ethical for the sponsors to do to Michael Phelps? Mazda, accepted his apology video and speech that was for the people of China; so they aloud Phelps to keep his contract they stated “His expression of remorse and his determination to make amends, and especially his video apology and expression of thanks to the Chinese people, give us confidence that Phelps can make a healthy return to the pool and have even more brilliant

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