Thursday, May 03, 2012

Ashton Kutcher Ad Called Racist Is Pulled


Ashton Kutcher made a series of ads for Popchips, but one of them in particular has now been pulled. The ad featured Kutcher in brown makeup portraying an Indian man named Raj. I'm not sure why the producers would think it was wrong to have Ashton in makeup and portray a black man but not think the same thing applied to portraying an Indian man.


Popchips, of which Ashton owns a portion of the company says the ads were meant to be funny and not a stereotype.

42 comments:

Aly said...

Billy Crystal has done Sammy. Is there much difference?

And Eddie Murphy has done white?

People have it in a bit for Asston.

StewMcG said...

Crap! I love Popchips, but now I know that a portion of the profits go to Asston, I'm not so sure I want them anymore. :\

Anonymous said...

Yes people have done it before but it was a different time. Things of this nature are no longer considered funny or politically correct. When you add to that that nothing this douche nozzle does is funny or correct it's not that hard to understand why people would be upset.

Jennifer H. said...

I think this sort of thing can still be done, but in the context of SNL, for example, not in an ad for snacks. Stupid.

auntliddy said...

Man! Heres description of ashtons career right now:"fire in the hole!" lol

Amber said...

I can't speak for all of us, but I'm Native American and I personally find it offensive when people parody us. Casino & drunk Indian jokes aren't funny. White girls dressing up as slutty Pocahontas for Halloween isn't funny. I see it as no different than blackface.

It's good they pulled this ad, but I find it odd that it was made in the first place.

Amy said...

This guy really is a douchenozzle.

WednesdayFriday said...

I don't get the hate on this guy. I don't mind him. Can someone fill me in?

WednesdayFriday said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Henriette said...

Why arent't they upset abou the Metro cell phone commercials? Granted, the actors are Indian, but they are horrible steretypes portrayed.

Its just U said...

I don't get it either. He doesn't bother me at all.

Amber said...

Henriette - in what part of the country are you? We don't have Metro cell here.

nettalovesrobin said...

@Henriette i have seen those commercials and thought the same thing! This ad with Ashton is offensive also! I dont hate Ashton though but this ad isnt a good idea!

discoflux said...

I wish they'd gotten offended in 2008 and pulled The Love Guru from existence. *shudder*

Tempestuous Grape said...

I feel oddly turned on. I better get to work and stop dicking around.

JoElla said...

On the flip side of Amber, I am American Indian and they don't bother me at all.

Of course my Tribe is only State reconized and not nationally reconized and litigation for our casinos has been ongoing for the last 7-10 years.

Not slamming you Amber, just offering a differnt POV.

Linnea said...

Discoflux - I have been wondering the same thing! Why was that movie greenlighted?

alyssastinks said...

People just need to keep saying no to Ashton. How often do you think he has heard the word no?

Amber said...

JoElla - Didn't take it that way at all! :)

Lelaina Pierce said...

@Lauren - I think it's a variety of reasons, from what I've read on here over the years. Some people are/were annoyed by his Tweets, which could be obnoxious (he defended Joe Paterno in one, for one example). Some people hate him because he cheated on Demi and think he is the reason for her demise. His comments on January Jones. And some people hate him because they think he's a douchebag and a terrible actor. I'm sure there are more examples, but those were the first ones that I could recall off the top of my head.

This was a really stupid decision. I've never heard of Popchips...am I missing out?

Agent**It said...

To me it's not as offensive as Tanning Mom .

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/nj_tanning_mom_appears_in_new.html

auntliddy said...

He's all chaotic and twirly all over the place. And he professed undying love for Demo, then cheated. His shows are idiotic- punked, anyone?- and he just keep doing more and more inane stuff.
I am not from India, but I thought those phone commercials were charming. I liked that the mother was the chattterbox, not teenager.

EmEyeKay said...

@Agent**It, I have a hard time believing that woman is for real. Who would do that to her face? Do you realize she's 40 or so? FORTY.

Tanning beds = no, no, no.

EmEyeKay said...

Ashton, whatever. He does stupid stuff all the time, we shouldn't be surprised anymore.

Agent**It said...

EmEyeKay- I think she is "real". Perhaps she is trying to get her 15 minutes of fame (yuk).

Unknown said...

The base problem is they used Kutcher..I thought they wanted it to be funny.

EmEyeKay said...

Here's a great photo of that woman, if anyone hasn't seen her.

She's 44 years old.

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/tanorexic-hollywood-gallery-1.27171

JoElla said...

I wonder if she will let out hot air if someone pokes her, like the turkey in Christmas Vacation??

I can't help it, I like Ashton. And I really think a whole lot of stuff went on that we didnt' know (like Demi totally off the rails)

My Mom has this theory that the woman he was caught cheating with, was a decoy, she saw him and Mila on a show and said they couldn't keep their eyes off of each other.

Of course my Mom thinks Bravo is good tv and addicted to the real housewives shows..

crila16 said...

Eddie Murphy dressed like a jewish old man white guy and acted like the stereo-typical jewish guy and no one said a word about it. I'm just not liberal and I don't get offended easily. In my opinion, I think every single race has a stereotype. No one is safe. There's also some truth in humor.

HalleGoLightly said...

I don't hate the guy. I like his political/social views. But I do resent (and I'm sure it's why a lot of people hate him) his level of success. It's one thing that he has a career in HWood. But he's had SO much success, is making money hand over fist. I think many people (including me) feel that his level of success is nowhere commensurate with his level of talent.

He was good at the Punk'd stuff. Maybe that's his schtick, being a producer (like P Diddly being a producer...yet has no talent for music himself). But getting acting job after acting job when you don't have much talent? Getting a primo role on a hot tv show (he's getting 700k per epi next year...highest-paid guy on the show)? Hooking up with pretty much any woman he wants? It just doesn't' make sense.

He should be more of a minor player in HWood (like his "70's Show" cast mates).

seaward said...

Lauren & it's just u, I don't get it either. I mean yeah, he's a doofus and has done dumb stuff (this commercial included, ugh), but there are other people in Hollywood who have done so much worse than him. I think he just speaks and acts before really thinking and it gets him in trouble. Granted, he's a grown ass man and should have worked that out by now.

Anonymous said...

Well, I AM liberal and I don't get offended by it. I'm part Native American and you can call me Indian all day long, I don't mind.

The problem with stereotypes is that there is always some basis for them.

Anonymous said...

I'm VERY liberal and don't get offended easily either but I work in comedy most of the time so I know real funny from stupid and lazy. Besides it's not really about whether you personally get offended especially if you're not even in the group of people being stereotyped or made fun of but whether the group being stereotyped feels offended and insulted by their portrayal. It kind of requires thinking about the other person, seeing and respecting their point of view and not just your own. Not exactly in the Ayn Rand guidebook.

nunaurbiz said...

I have to say that I glimpsed the above photo on MSN (it was a small thumbnail) and thought, "What the heck is Mark Ruffalo doing now?!?!"

Sorry, Mark. Love ya, Mark.

__-__=__ said...

Note to producers: It's 2012. When you think funny is coloring someone's face, just go get someone who's face is already that color and see if it works.

Thanks in advance!

Idiots!!! I should charge for this kind of advice........

Sherry said...

_-_=_: Hey there! Haven't seen you in a while. Where ya been?

Rickatoo said...

The "cameo" Billy Crystal did as Sammy Davis Jr in the opening of this year's Oscars has been criticized as well.

mooshki said...

"...it's not really about whether you personally get offended..."

Thank you! This shit is not okay. Period.

astrogirl said...

This type of parody is not funny. It's rude and embarrassing and I hate it.

Big Bambu said...

Oh dear... the white people are upset.

Heltopia said...

@ Amber or JoElla: Would either of you mind explaining the difference between American Indian and Native American (sorry if this sounds ignorant, not intended to)?

And I can't help but think that Ashton kinda knew he might piss some people off with this ad and he was willing to take the publicity, Oops I mean chance....That's what makes him so douchy..

Monty said...

He should have had Jon Hamm do it.

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