Wooo? 
Totally no point/upside for Lance to do this, and everything to lose. Doesn't anyone respect silence anymore?
It's the new normal, Doc. It's no longer "loose lips sink ships".
You're guilty until you spill your soul on a talkshow, after which you're absolved of all sins by the church of Oprah, who has more followers than any other religion.
As long as soccer/mini-van moms believe what Oprah says, and if she says you're ok, then you're free to go about capitalizing on the spending dollar of the average female in America.
They'll buy you/your brand/your celebrity again. America loves celebrities. It loves it even more when celebrities stumble. And is yet even more akin to welcoming them back if they admit their guilt, seek redemption in the eyes of the church of Oprah/media, and atone for their sins. Then all will be forgiven and be as it once was.
About the only non-starters are child molestation issues, murder/rape of women, and racism/hate crimes against minorities/religions. Everything else seems to qualify for a pardon, given the right atonement.
For example, it's ok for Suzie housewife to buy Lance's new bracelet in a year or two, because she can say to Sally Housewife "oh Sally, didn't you see Oprah? Lance admitted he was wrong, and he was under so much pressure. How can you fault him? He had cancer Sally...just like Arlene down the street. Now he's better and helping us fight breast cancer now with the Livestrong bracelet program. You should get one and support breast cancer causes...we all should Sally. By the way, are you still make brownies for the school retreat?".
Sally has to acquiesce, or look like a social pariah who doesn't support breast cancer causes, which strikes right where women feel it most. Lance just used some drugs...hell, we all do/did. Can't be worse than that joint Sally smoked in residence in community college that freshman year? How bad can he be? And now he's trying to beat cancer. Can he really be all that bad?
Now, Mel Gibson is beyond touching. No one will give him a second chance. Can you imagine this scenario:
Suzie: "Hey Sally, you want to go see Mel's new movie? He was such a hunk in the old days, and I really loved him in Braveheart. Wasn't he great? So handsome, and I love that accent."
Sally: "Suzie, are you crazy? Mel hates Jews, so he's just like Hitler. And I heard he might be a nazi now. What would Judith down the street think if she found out you liked a nazi? You know, she's Jewish, and I'm pretty sure she knew someone who had a parent that died in a death camp in Germany. You should be careful here Suzie...Judith runs the PTA board at your boys' school. And didn't Mel threaten to kill his ex-wife? She was so pretty, just like Marie down the street. You remember Marie, right? She used to say she walked into walls all the time, but you and I both know her lousy drunk husband Harry was hitting her. He's such a horrible man. No, I don't want to watch any movie from a guy who's a nazi and beats women. What a monster!"
Suzie:"Oh my god Sally, you're right. That Mel is such a creep. I hope I never see another picture of him or a movie. Hey, wanna go to Quizznos and split a chicken carbonnara sub? Hubby is out of town for the next 4 days, and I feel like getting fat and putting on some sweat pants and watching Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse. Wanna come over and we can gab?"
Capitalism at its best. The heart wants what it wants.
