From 8 gold medals to 8 minutes of idiocy, this recent photo of Michael Phelps toking up a bong at the University of South Carolina in November 2008 says it all.

The 23 year old mega-star vaulted himself to elite stardom this past year when he won a record 8 gold medals and became the most winningest gold medal winner thus far in Olympic history.

And he tainted all that which he earned in a matter of minutes, making parents have to make an awkward explanation to their children when they heard their child ask about their hero, “Why does Michael Phelps have his lips all funny on that glass, mommy?”

It is true, however, that we all make mistakes.  We’ve all done things that we’ve looked back on and said, “Yeah, that was really stupid.”  Some may be “worse” than others, but in our own minds it all feels the same because of the weight of regret that lingers.

And in all fairness as well, Phelps did issue a formal apology: “I engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said. “I am 23 years old and, despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

And this is probably one of the better more sincere apologies that a celebrity has made in some time.  Phelps has at least acknowledged his failure or at least he’s had to because it became public.

 There is a conundrum with being a celebrity.  On the one sense you receive fame which you may not necessarily have wished for. On the other hand, you do receive fame regardless, and you surely must know that going into the business (whichever business that might be: sports, television, movies, etc.).  Unfortunately Charles Barkley was wrong - he is a role model, just as is everyone else who is in the limelight.

 As for the Michael Phelps issue, he screwed up big time, but only received a small slap on the wrist from USA Swimming (a 3 month suspension) .  The bigger picture though, is this incident is like putting your hands in the fresh cement of your own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and then coming back and messing with it before its dry.  You keep meddling enough and your going to screw it up.  And eventually, if you don’t leave it alone, that cement is going to dry and your mistakes will be cemented for all to see.

 Its not fair to be overly harsh on celebrities in one sense because the media is always following them, and its surely tiresome to never be able to live one’s own life in their own privacy.  Likewise, celebrities are human and imperfect like all of us.  They will make mistakes; most of us are just lucky enough they don’t get published in the paper.

 In the end however, as Phelps even eludes to himself, it takes a level of maturity to be able to handle the fame and pressures of stardom.  There is no denying the obvious privileges of such a place in society; celebrities never seem to hate that part of it.

This posting isn’t to necessarily harp on Michael Phelps alone however, but simply to make a statement of maturity that must be maintained for any person in a position of influence.  And while we may all have different amounts of influence, we all have influence within the many spheres of our lives; and may we remember that with influence comes responsibility.

 - IgniteTheMind