Celebrities Not Immune To Embarrassing Photos

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Olympic swimming phenom Michael Phelps apologized this week after a British newspaper published a photo of the champ inhaling from a marijuana pipe. "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in a statement.

Phelps' photo got us thinking of other big names that have apologized after not-so-flattering photos were published of them in what-were-they-thinking? situations.

Michael Jackson

2002: King of Pop Michael Jackson was in need of remedial Dr. Spock training after his fathering skills were questioned when he was photgraphed by German television dangling his son over a balcony. "I got caught up in the excitement of the moment. I would never intentionally endanger the lives of my children," Jackson said afterward. Read more

Steve Irwin

2004: A couple years later, Steve Irwin caught some Crikey! heat after he held his month-old son, Robert, in front of a 13-foot crocodile. Irwin issued a semi-apology. "If I could have my time again I would probably do things a little differently," he said. "But I would be considered a bad parent if I did not teach my children crocodile savvy because they live here. They live in crocodile territory ... so they have to be croc savvy." Read more

Miley Cyrus

2008: A shutter, er, shudder was felt across the tween world when photos by photog Annie Leibovitz of "Hannah Montana" star Cyrus appeared in a Vanity Fair photo spread. "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," Cyrus said. Leibovitz defended the photos. Read more

Richard Gere

2007: Far from his days in "American Gigolo," Richard Gere sparked protests in India when he kissed Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty. "What is most important to me is that my intentions as an HIV/AIDS advocate be made clear, and that my friends in India understand that it has never been, nor could it ever be, my intention to offend you," Gere said in a statement. "If that has happened, of course, it is easy for me to offer a sincere apology."
Read more

Vanessa Williams

1984: "I've hit rock bottom," former Miss America Vanessa Williams told People magazine after nude photos appeared of her in Penthouse. "I trusted him not to do anything with the photographs. That was my error. I did not give my consent to him or Penthouse to ever have them published, used in any magazine or in any way," she said. Read more

Vanessa Hudgens

2007: Vanessa Williams later gave some advice to "High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens," who was also "embarassed" by nude photos. "I want to apologize to my fans, whose support and trust means the world to me," Hudgens said. Read more

Prince Harry

2005: Britain's Prince Henry of Wales, known as Harry, doesn't have to worry about facing voters at the polls - he's third in line for the throne no matter what. But that doesn't mean the rebellious prince is immune to public backlash. In 2005, a tabloid published pictures of Harry attending a costume party in a Nazi uniform, complete with swastika armband. He quickly apologized for his
"poor choice of costume." Read More

Gary Hart

1987: Gary Hart, a U.S. Senator from Colorado, was the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president in 1988 when a single photo derailed his political career. It showed Hart cavorting with a 29-year-old model in the Bahamas on a yacht named Monkey Business. "If the question is: In 29 years of my marriage, including two public separations, have I been absolutely and totally faithful to my wife, I regret to say the answer is no," Hart said. "I was not running for sainthood." Read more

Kate Moss

2005: Phelps so far has not lost any of his sponsorships but model Kate Moss lost some big fashion campaigns after a photo was published of her allegedly snorting cocaine. "I take full responsibility for my actions," Moss said. "I also accept that there are various personal issues that I need to address and have started taking the difficult, yet necessary, steps to resolve them." Read more

- Associated Press File photos