THIS JUST IN FROM NBC:

MICHAEL PHELPS TELLS MATT LAUER ‘IT WAS A BAD MISTAKE’Phelps Sat Down With Matt Lauer In His First Interview Since He Was Caught On Camera Allegedly Smoking Marijuana

Interview To Air Friday, March 13 on “Today” and Sunday, March 15 on “Dateline”

NEW YORK – March 12, 2009 – In an exclusive interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer, Olympic champion Michael Phelps speaks out candidly about the night he was photographed allegedly smoking marijuana, the impact it has had on his career, and why its important for him to return his focus back to what he loves most — his family and swimming. The interview will air Friday, March 13 on “Today” and Sunday, March 15 on “Dateline” (7 p.m. ET). 

Following are excerpts from the interview.  Photography from the interview is available nbcumv.com. 

Jim Bell is the executive producer of “Today” (Monday - Friday, 7-11 a.m.).  David
Corvo is the executive producer of “Dateline.” 

*****

MATT LAUER:
Well, let’s go to January 31st, okay?  This is when this now infamous photo of you surfaced for the rest of us.  This picture of you with a bong in your hands at a party a month or so earlier in South Carolina.  How long before we all saw that picture were you aware of its existence?
       
MICHAEL PHELPS:
Not long.  Probably one or two days.  I had no idea and….
       
MATT LAUER:
How’d you find out about it?
       
MICHAEL PHELPS:
I forgot how it was.  Somewhere in– it was through an e-mail form.  And I had no idea really what to do.  You know, I knew that I’d made a mistake and made a bad judgment.  And– and, you know, I know that when you do make a mistake, you know, you’re responsible for all of the consequences.  And I was willing to, you know, accept the fact that I did make a mistake.

And it was an awful judgment.  And, you know, it– it was– really, you know, the people I hurt, you know, is my family, clearly.  My friends.  The close people around me.  And  most importantly, the fans.  And– and, you know, I realize that that hurt a lot of people. 
       
MATT LAUER:
But when you first saw the picture, when you first laid eyes on it and realized what it was a picture of, did you calculate at that point the fallout?  Did you start to think how damaging this could be to you personally and your career?
       
MICHAEL PHELPS:
It’s not about money to me.  So, you know, the– the contract side of things, yeah, I was disappointed.  But, you know, I think the biggest thing is– is who I hurt the most.  Like, if I lost money, okay.  It’s not an issue with me. 

*****

MATT LAUER:
Take me back, if you will, to the party in South Carolina.  Who were these people you were with?  Talk to me a little bit about that.  What was going on that night?
       
MICHAEL PHELPS:
I mean, we were just celebrating, honestly.  And– you know, there was probably two or three people there I didn’t know.  It was a very small group.  Six or seven people probably total in the whole house.  Like nothing major.  You know, not like a giant college house party.  It was nothing like that..  It was just a small group and we were just sitting around and celebrating.
       
MATT LAUER:
I have to ask you, were you smoking pot?

MICHAEL PHELPS:
It was a bad mistake.  I mean, we all know what, you know, what you and I are talking about.  It’s a stupid mistake.  You know, bad judgment.  And it’s something that, you know, I have to, and I want to teach other people not to make that mistake.
       
*****

MATT LAUER:
We’re living in a world right now, Michael, where people have a cell phone and it was a camera.  Were you aware that anyone had taken a photo that night?  That anyone was taking pictures?  Is that, maybe, a lesson to be learned here?  That not everybody’s your friend?
       
MICHAEL PHELPS:
Yeah.  You know, people think, you know, it’s funny at times.  Take a picture with a cell phone… I’ll say that there are a lot of people out there who want to take advantage of any situation they have…. I trusted my friends who were there about who they were.  And clearly they weren’t trusted people… Sometimes you learn the hard way.