Michael Phelps made a documentary, "The Weight of Gold," for HBO. It's clear that Phelps is a beautiful person--because he has made use of his suffering in an intelligent way. I struggle to think of other heterosexual male athletes who have been so open about mental illness and therapy. "The Weight of Gold" is so-so. Its problem is that none of its subjects really "pops." If you're filming actual people, you can't coach them to become significantly more compelling than they actually are. This is why, if you're making a documentary, it's sensible to pursue Joan Rivers, or Tomi Ungerer, or Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "The Weight of Gold" says this: If you're coached for national adulation, then you have a few weeks in the spotlight, and that's (maybe) nice, and then you are forgotten and you begin to try out reckless behavior. Several Olympic athletes have carried out or attempted suicide, or come close: Phelps, Jovanov...