Why would someone embarass Michael Phelps and leak photos of him smoking weed?

Question

it only hurts people when you do this.
whether a nude photo, nip slip, drunk, high, etc.
it still is horrible, and it is indecent to do. betraying trust.

why are more and more people doing this?
they would not like photos of themselves leaked in their most embarassing moments, either online, or in a magazine, or on the tv?

really stupid for people to not only leak it, but take the photos too, but even then, you don't know who has a camera and who can be snapping a photo of you, people are pretty sick these days in leaking things.

Answer 1

Because stalker celebrity magazines are so hard up for dirt and exclusive stories on celebrities that they are willing to shell out millions of dollars out for a good juicy photo or story, even if it hurts the person that they're making millions off of in their publications.



That person who submitted those photos is probably sitting on a beach in Mexico counting millions in a lounge chair.



Celebrities are like regular people, just with a lot more popularity. Take that away, they're just like the guy next door. They're gonna mess up occasionally. We all do. But do we have to lambast them so much when they do? The celebrities don't go to the local municipal court and insult and laugh and mock at the people in the courtroom, do they?



We shouldn't, either.



Damn news media. I vote we reform it, because it is destroying this country.

Answer 2

Who cares?? 85-90% of people use maijuana??! Only an absolute idiot would come up with such an absurd number like that! Of course people should care. Yes, it is true that it ws his choice, but that's hte point. This isn't your next door neightbor who decided to smoke pot, it's Michael Phelps, one of the most influencial people of our lifetime. You can't compare his actions to those of American football players who are relaively well known but just in the United States. Phelps is admired internationally, all around the world and seen by most people as the greatest olympian of all time! And let me just support some points others have made as well. As teran mentioned, it's not like some pictures surfaced of something he did years ago - he was doing this AFTER he made the big time. Michael did a really stupid thing to himself and has to take responsibility for his actions And like busch said, what if your six year old brother or sister idolized Phelps, as many many others do, and they find out (one way or another...people can find out about that sort of this without the medias help) and they decide to try it also. People, there's reasons why marijuana is illegal. It's not like the lawmakers just woke up one morning and decided to randomly make this drug inlawful to use. It has negative effects, therefore one must face the consequences when they use it so irresponsibly. But it was his own doing that put this upon himself and with that choice comes restrictions. One need to act more wisely when faced with this kind of influence. P.S. Don't get the wrong idea, I am a huge fan if Michael Phelps and hold nothing against him, his actions were just surprising and dissappointing. What bothers me so much is the unbelievable response people showed, expressing that it was perefectly fine to smoke marijuana. And then we wondeer why other nations share such a negative view on Americans. Check out this website and see for your self the things marijuana can do to a person. "Marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty in thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. Research has shown that marijuana’s adverse impact on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug wear off.2 As a result, someone who smokes marijuana every day may be functioning at a suboptimal intellectual level all of the time."

Answer 3

Obviously money is the reason that someone would do this to Phelps, along with the chance of being famously known as "the person who caught Michael Phelps doing drugs".



My opinion is kind of split on this situation, though. I mean, Phelps knows that he is in the public eye, what did he expect to happen when someone was taking pictures of him smoking? A giant pat on the back from the world and pretend nothing happened? No, the world isn't like that. One person can be ripped to shreds in seconds for one little mistake, and that is far from a secret. Yes, a lot of people do smoke, but Phelps isn't just "people". There is a very big difference between joe-schmo smoking and Michael Phelps smoking, the world actually "cares" about Phelps, in some sort of way.

Answer 4

Cameras are around everywhere so everyone should be on warning or they will end up on the computer or in the tabloids. Phelps should know better than to do that. Not that there is anything wrong with marijuana but it is not a good example for young athletes. He is an idiot to do it. Smoke at home if you must.

Answer 5

Welcome to the real world.

This is what British Tabloids do, are you only complaining because Phelps was caught out?

Other people have had it MUCH, MUCH worse.



One of the top, top people in Formula 1 racing, quite popular in Europe to say the least, was exposed in the British Tabloids after having a Nazi style Bondage sex session in a DUNGEON where a leather clad women barked orders at him in German while she whipped him because it turned him on,

The man is over 70 or at least close to it and he got exposed like THAT.

That story came from the same paper the Phelps story came from.



Phelps has it easy

Answer 6

My guess is that they got a lot of money for the pic. I like the comment that if Phelps could smoke weed and win all those metals then maybe everyone in the Olympics should be toking. Phelps was wrong but he should be forgiven and we should all move on.

Answer 7

Hopefully you've never tried to embarrass anyone.Why would you do it? Jealousy or contempt could play into such an act as well as quick money.As a public figure you are under a tremendous microscope,and you've got to make better decisions.As a regular person so to speak,I don't care if you have pictures of me or not.If I'm caught,so be it.Maybe I shouldn't have been doing it in the first place.

Answer 8

Thank You. I was expressing similar anger on the phone to my mom earlier tonight. They're supposedly pissed off because he is a role model. Well, He CAN BE a role model if they stop putting this crap on TV. I don't believe the press should expose every ugly detail of a celebrity's past and present.



Politicians, yes. Celebrities? No.

Answer 9

$$$$$$$



"Celebrities? No."

Why not? As a celebrity, any type, any sense of a private life is gone.



How is morally wrong?

Phelps was smoking out in the open, he should have done it where no one else could see or around those he trusted.



His actions are not comparable to a nip slip, unless that was on purpose as well.

Answer 10

Lord of Numa, he already admitted to it and released press statements. His involvement in an anti-doping community is also being called into question.



People do this for publicity and attention-- same as shaming /any/ celebrity. It sells magazines, sells many things. Ultimate incentive is the almighty $.

Answer 11

If you didn't have a job or if you had college loans and you saw Michael Phelps smoking illegal substances and you knew that the photo would probably sell for six figures... what would you do?

Answer 12

I think its so ridiculous for someone to do that as well. He is 23 let him live his life. I'd like half the people who are giving him a hard time never say they got drunk/high.

Answer 13

The photos weren't leaked, they were sold. That is the answer to your question. It's all about the money, no matter how sad.

Answer 14

Money. Thats why. People get paid for these pictures and as our country slips deeper into a recession, people are willing to do whatever it takes to make money.

Answer 15

same reasons why internet trolls try and cause problems



their lives are horrible and they are sad individuals and they try and fulfill these gaps by trying to make other people feel as bad or worse than they do!



Really they are the saddest people of all.

Answer 16

My guess is that it's out of disgust for the fact that people glorify these individuals, and they use these pictures as a way to show people that they are not as "perfect" as people make them out to be.



Oh, and a ton of money.

Answer 17

Nobody's perfect

and it seems that another person is just asking for a bad reputation themselves

Answer 18

That boy was trying to have fun!! He shoulda done it on the low tho...ain't nuttin wrong witrh trying to get a little high once or twice.

Answer 19

If that was Federer,Beckham or any other clean cut sports superstar you would want to see photos why is Phelps any different.

Answer 20

Miss Wonder i will sum this up in one word Jealousy

Answer 21

It's is more stupid to do something when you are a celebrity in the public eye.

Answer 22

some people crave the truth and some people just like others misery(majority of america)

Answer 23

For money and they are haters and can't stand to see other people happy. Mainly for money though.

Answer 24

yea i think its sick cause the person who took this is most probably a friend cause it was taken up close.. how horrid is that one your friend got you in trouble.

Answer 25

Why is Phelps so stupid to get his picture taken while smoking it? Phelps deserve more blame for being so stupid.

Answer 26

there's nothing embarrassing about smoking weed



there's nothing wrong with smoking weed



alcohol and cigarettes are much worse than weed

Answer 27

Cashola.

Answer 28

It wasn't leaked.



It was purposely done for MONEY!

Answer 29

i know its horrible, but money PAYS

Answer 30

because people are stupid and immature..

Answer 31

It's not him.



Why you even give a flying ****, I don't know, but, rest assured, that was not him in the photo.

Answer 32

yea..people just want to get attention

Answer 33

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ andmore $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Answer 34

$$$



Although it sucks, that's why...

Answer 35

People suck.

Answer 36

idk but i figured him as a stoner. is that a bad thing. not in my opinion