Politics | 02/06/2009 8:00 am

Amanda Beard Compares Her Playboy Backlash to Phelps's Pot Pic Problem

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Michael Phelps’s week just keeps getting worse.

On Thursday, cereal and snack maker Kellogg Co. announced it wouldn’t renew its sponsorship contract with Phelps after a picture of him smoking pot surfaced last weekend. He apologized, but that wasn’t enough, and Kellogg insisted the Olympic swimmer’s behavior is "not consistent with the image of Kellogg." Later in the day, the record-setting Phelps was banned for three months by USA Swimming.

"This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero," USA Swimming said. "Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust."

Phelps’s coach, Bob Bowman, said Phelps will emerge from the experience a stronger person and, yes, swimmer. "Michael’s been through a lot and he’s learned a lot, hopefully," Bowman told the AP. "I support him and I want to see him do better. I’m here, as always, to try to help him move forward. He’s learned some tough lessons and he’s disappointed a lot of people, me included."

Phelps has also received emotional support from the likes of super swimmer Dara Torres, teammate and gold medalist Ryan Lochte and Amanda Beard, a four-time Olympic swimmer, who, according to rumors, Phelps dated last summer. Beard compared Phelps’ ordeal to some of the backlash she faced after posing nude in Playboy before the Beijing Games.

"If anyone knows public scrutiny, it’s me," Beard said. "When I posed for Playboy, so many officials looked down on me. Michael knows he isn’t a bad person. He made a mistake. People need to get over it. I want to cheer him on in London." And we do, too!

15 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

wow…what a knee jerk reaction to a bong hit. It is amazing to me what kind of storm will brew over a phone photo. Poor guy….must be a very slow new week.

By Kashmir ____ on 02/06/2009 8:48 am

e-mail alert

To quote Old Blue Eyes: ‘riding high in April, shot down in May’(February in Michael’s case) - that truly is life in the goldfish bowl of media scrutiny!

By Green Tears on 02/06/2009 9:27 am

e-mail alert

Sometime the price of fame comes a dominoes effect.

By Grande Camper on 02/06/2009 10:26 am

e-mail alert

“and Kellogg insisted the Olympic swimmer’s behavior is ‘not consistent with the image of Kellogg.’” What is consistent with their image? Amish people? Do Amish people eat Kellogg cereal? Something from the 1950s perhaps. This has gotten ridiculous. Of course a company has the right to say or do whatever they wish, but I feel this will backfire on Kellogg.

By kermie b on 02/06/2009 2:09 pm

e-mail alert

kermie: Of course a company has the right to say or do whatever they wish, but I feel this will backfire on Kellogg. Might backfire worse if they overlook what he did. Every kid old enough to read, by now knows what Phelps’ probably does in his spare time. Some parents don’t approve of this kind of behaviour in a role model. Anyway, he’s only being suspended for three months — a slap on the hand in the grand scheme of things.

By Marjorie C. on 02/06/2009 3:47 pm

e-mail alert

I agree, a three month suspension is appropriate. Phelps is old enough to know better…

By Ava J on 02/06/2009 8:39 pm

e-mail alert

“If anyone knows public scrutiny, it’s me,” Beard said. “When I posed for Playboy, so many officials looked down on me. Um, apples and oranges. I don’t see how the two incidents compare. Unless Phelps was posing for the photograph. Naked.

By kermie b on 02/07/2009 2:19 am

e-mail alert

To those who argue that Michael Phelps is a role model: The best way to deter your children from mimicking Michael’s behavior is to educate them using this instance as an example. Parents are the best tool in raising kids-sometimes stating the obvious is necessary. Michael should be an inspiration not a babysitter, a finish line, a standard of measure for performance or actions. To those who think the punishment doesn’t fit the crime: To think that Michael would parlay his marijuana smoking into the use of performance enhancing drugs is ridiculous. Here is a young man who has trained all his life to accomplish great things at a young age, he clearly has a good head on his shoulders. Is it an ideal situation? Of course not, but it also is not worthy of crucifixion. To those who think Michael Phelps has introduced pot smoking to your teen: Ask them what they did last weekend. Not to insinuate that all kids smoke pot but parents cannot provide a life sheltered from all things. Exposure to and education about drugs and alcohol helps to curb the curiousity teens may have about them. I’m not saying roll a joint and smoke it with them but this situation would be an excellent ice breaker into the knowledge your kids may already have about the world no one wants their child to reside in.

By Katie Wilson on 02/07/2009 10:46 am

e-mail alert

First off, yes he messed up. I am sure he is beating himself up over it. And yes, getting a 3 month suspension is probably appropriate…but come on. It’s not like he was video taped smoking crack. He just made a mistake. Kelloggs really shouldn’t have dropped him. They should have made him redeem himself with some type of treatment or counseling….it wasn’t that bad!!!!

By My Oppinoin on 02/07/2009 12:15 pm

e-mail alert

He made a mistake. I’ve heard that alot lately from dems not paying their taxes. I love all those wanna be swimmers and their mothers going to the pool to pactice everyweek, while Phelps is getting blazed. Do you think he took one hit, that guys been getting stoned a very long time.

By alex harvey on 02/07/2009 6:10 pm

e-mail alert

Phelps admits in public he is wrong kelloggs dropped him instead of offering help who is the better example for our chidren?

By c dodd on 02/07/2009 1:20 pm

e-mail alert

I don’t think I’ll be buying anymore Kellogg’s products, I have never smoked pot or done any other drugs. Have my children??????? hmmmmmmmmmmmm, not that I know of. Doesn’t mean they didn’t, I’m sure they probably did. I just didn’t catch them. Elvis died of a drug overdose he is still the KING. Michael should have been more selective in his choices but he has admitted to being wrong. Takes a big man to do that. Kellogg’s jumped on the bandwagon of the golden boy, but when he acted like the guy next door they decided to kick him while he was down. I’m on your side Michael. You can be a role model for my children and grandchildren just goes to show them, They don’t have to be perfect they can be human just like 10’s of thousands of other people, young and old, we all make mistakes. Michael I believe has learned from his mistake, not all of us do. KELLOGG’S???

By Flo Heath on 02/07/2009 5:15 pm

e-mail alert

I had just told my husband I was not going to buy Kellogg’s and then I read Flo ‘s comments. I promised my husband I had not responded to this post when I saw that Elvis was mentioned because he knows I think Elvis is the KING. My husband said that Post cereal and products are better anyway. I’m with Flo all the way on this one.

By Dab-a- do on 02/07/2009 6:58 pm

e-mail alert

In retrospect, this may be the wake-up call that Michael Phelps needs. I heard someone talking about being at the same party, and she said that he was a wild man when he arrived; that he was all wound up. The sudden fame and success that these young people face is too much for so many of them. Best to find out at the beginning that the feeling of “entitlement” is not going to get you anywhere in the long run. And, he just may be in the early stages of additive behavior, certainly early enough to be aware of it and do some behaviour modification or something. I certainly hope he has learned his lesson and he faces a brighter future than so many that we have watched over the years descending into hell. He is a fine athlete.

By Diana T on 02/08/2009 12:12 pm

e-mail alert

Kellogg markets primarily to small children, and Phelps didn’t just hit a bong, he has been partying 3 nights a week. I can see where they would not want to tie their reputation to yet another celebrity with a reckless lifestyle. Kellogg paid him alot of money to be a positive role model, and he has failed. Kellogg’s is a business struggling in a falling economy, they have to make the most out of the resources they have. Anything less would be irresponsible. People have become too desensitized to drugs. Drugs are still on the streets, portrayed in entertainment, yet rarely mentioned in media. The “war on drugs” has been going on a long time now, and given the conditions in South America, and the poppy fields in Afghanistan, the signs are that we are losing. Other countries are pleading for Americans to stop buying drugs, stop making the industry profitable. Stop sending our money to drug cartels and terrorist organizations. Was this a minor event in the life of Michael Phelps? Yes. Is a 3-month swimming suspension a slap on the wrist? Yes. And maybe that is part of the problem. Just shrug it off and go back to business as usual? This stopped being a minor incident when it fell into the national (and world) limelight. To my knowledge, Phelps did not lose any other endorsements, but maybe this one will be the wake-up call he needs to grow up and respect the position he has achieved in our culture. Good luck to him. :-)

By Steve R on 02/08/2009 2:44 pm