Ashton Kutcher ‘Brown Face’ Snack Ad Pulled Over Complaints of Racism
- Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:27pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Image source: YouTube
Snack brand Popchips has pulled part of an advertising campaign featuring actor Ashton Kutcher after complaints that Kutcher’s brown-faced portrayal of an Indian character was racist.
The campaign was meant as a parody of an online dating video in which Kutcher portrays several different “bachelors” looking for love. One character, Bollywood producer “Raj,” featured Kutcher in a wig, brown makeup and speaking in a sing-song affect. The spot — posted Wednesday — quickly prompted a backlash from Indian Americans, who directed their anger to the company’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
In a message on the company’s website, Popchips founder and CEO Keith Belling said the intention was not to offend anyone with the ad.
“Our team worked hard to create a light-hearted parody featuring a variety of characters that was meant to provide a few laughs. We did not intend to offend anyone. I take full responsibility and apologize to anyone we offended,” Belling said.
The official clip solely featuring “Raj” has been pulled from YouTube but you can see another version below:
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Comments (97)
Individualism
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:47pmAtleast loiter squad is still on adult swim, it has a black guy tyler eating a banana and it has taco taking a dump in the woods and black people coming out. Boondocks is still on the air to and it makes you laugh at the stupidity of some black folks.
Report Post »I support God's Israel!
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 4:13pmAshton:
Report Post »How about just ACTING IN MOVIES AND TV AND STAY OUT OF EVERYTHING ELSE????????
Your acting isn’t that good anyways and your politics is even worse.
hidden_lion
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 5:52pmSo, now it is racist to an actor. Thats what you get hollywood.
Report Post »FROTHYDISCHARGE
Posted on May 4, 2012 at 7:53amSpoken like a Pualtard genius. I always suspect you freaks lived in mama’s basement watching adult swim and licking the cheetos bag
Report Post »Snake
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:45pm**I AM OFFENDED**
Ok now let me think of something to be offended by….. OOoo yeah….
I am offended that a no skill bafoon like Ashton Kutcher has work when others don’t. Why don’t the over paid talentless tards from Hollywood cough up some money to pay those true Americans out of work thanks to our fine POTUS.
Report Post »TheEDGE
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:36pmAnything to get their names in the headlines. I feel punked for watching it.
Report Post »MittensKittens
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:35pmWhat offends me is when he plays a white guy…but that doesn’t count as racism.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:31pmA “tattooed Southerner?” I bet they think THAT one is ok… haha
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on May 4, 2012 at 10:52amAll you have to know is that Hollywood is OK with targeting Whites for commercial comedy and OK now with targeting the Brown Indian man because we are easy target…we don’t complain too much about it. But this ad goes to far for some on the Brown side of humanity? What about the constant demonization of Whites in the public eye through commercials? Hey morons!!! I’ve got to walk around and try to function in this society and if you keep portraying people who look like me, how do you think I will be treated by others who do not look like me when we first meet? Oh yea, thats the goal right? Create stereotypes of Whites, degrade them to make other races feel better and superior even. Nice! Thankyou to my fellow White Americans who go along and create these scenes that serve only to demoralize White people by making them appear to be clueless, uneducated about how to get their own childrens college funds started and need to be lectured by a Black couple on the subject. Oh yea, thats on GBTV as a commercial to.
Report Post »Jabocx
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:18pmAshton Kutcher is a class a twit. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
Report Post »Kaoscontrol
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:18pmI was extremely offended by the stereotyping of rednecks by the ‘Swordfish’ character. He got it all wrong! We rednecks don’t have that many teeth. Or was Swordfish a biker? I can’t tell if I should get all offended or not!
Report Post »moreteaplease
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:46pmI know what you mean. As a redneck Southerner myself, I never know whether I am supposed to be offended or not sometimes so I don’t bother with it.
People need to learn to laugh at themselves sometimes. It’s my biggest source of amusement.
Report Post »I support God's Israel!
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 4:16pmmoreteaplease:
Report Post »Yes, I must agree, but PRETENDING TO BE BLACK in this day and age of screaming racism over each and every little thing, is really in poor taste. I AM PLAIN TIRED OF BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT, SO I HAVE STOPPED BEING SO. However, I am respectful, but I will NOT be told to be careful ANYMORE. I tell the truth in love and respect. If that is wrong, then it is wrong in THEIR EYES, not mine. Sue me.
Rob in Katy
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 5:13pmSo you have a white guy acting just like an Indian, but because he is not an Indian it’s an issue. But an Indian acting like an Indian is OK.
Report Post »WOLVERINES!!!
KyleD
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:09pmAnd of course they let the white stereotypes continue while the colored one must go. The world really has gone down the tubes, can’t wait for either the second coming or colonization of a new planet…whichever comes first.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:05pmand yet Aboo still continues to sell slushies at Quick e mart??? working 24 and a half days 9 days a week………
Report Post »Kaoscontrol
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:23pmI remember the quote, but…Joe Biden said this, right? Or was it Hillary?
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:04pmMore whiny complaints by those who care less what kind of gene pool they are derived from. Just crap to keep this “racist” crap going to stir up things for the weak minded who cannot shake off anything, but want their 15 minutes of “fame” or shame.
Report Post »KyleD
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:00pmOh my goodness this commercial is hilarious, anyone who pulls it should be shot.
Report Post »WatchingThePuppetShow
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:04pmI agree I thought it was great! He did a nice job with it.
Report Post »Pearsontech
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:40pmWow say what you want about Aston. I don’t really like him or dislike him but that was some really funny stuff right dar. People seriously need to get over it and remove the 2 by 4 that has been shoved directly up the poop shoot. or get laid or something because getting offended over that is just insane. besides now its on youtube and the internet and because you went and made a huge stink over it, it will probably be way bigger than it was before. So you basically have just shot yourself in the foot if what you were trying to accomplish was keep people from seeing it.
Report Post »I support God's Israel!
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 4:18pmHe is a TERRIBLE actor so maybe his SKITS are ok, I have never seen one. But, I have seen a move or 2 or his and I had to turn it off as it was just BAD ACTING. I hate wasting my money and so now I know to never watch anything of his again. If it was funny, so be it. Like someone else said, we need to learn to laugh at ourselves sometimes – just so we can lighten up the atmosphere, since we live in a very politically correct culture, which is really, really PATHETIC.
Ashton: LEARN TO ACT OR DO SOMETHING ELSE.
Report Post »AFreeManInTexas
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:57pmSo if my animals on the farm poop in my face or while working I get covered in dirt and a friend takes a picture and posts on Facebook are we racists? Please people relax a little.
In when handed lemons, what do the PC crowd do with them? They stick them up their butts. Only explaination why they are some puckered up.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:56pmWhy would ANYONE use this dude for advertising ? His life is a mess. Guess if they were tasteless enough to select him, they were tasteless enough to select a tasteless ad. Goes together ;like peanut butter and jelly…
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:53pmWhy not use a real person from India then?…What, they can’t be funny?…again, Hollywood, devoid of any creativity…using the same old people to push the same old tired bs…yawn…I do believe most advertising/movie producers are brain damaged 20 somethings…no imagination in those fields anymore…sad.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:52pmCry racism enough and it means nothing. Even more than it means nothing now. Real racism is DEADLY.
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 5:21pmI’m offended by the appearances of our POTUS on TV, Sweet Old Baracks lying an posturing, even giving himself a shout out, his histronics are sickening, expecailly when he tries to take credit for getting Osama. I’m also offended by Babs Boxer, Fancy Nancy Pelosi (the queen of botox), Diane Fienstein, Maxine Waters, Shiela Jackson-Lee, and several others that are considered newsworthy.
The only good thing about them is that they keep my stomach upse and I can’t eat (could stand to lose a few pounds.).
OMG 2012
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:48pmWho’s the Encinom who thought that this was a good idea?
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:08pmOh, I‘m sorry it’s the son Obama always wanted.
Report Post »kmiller1970
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:47pmHilarious, laughed my ass off.
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:44pmIt is a shame when advertisers resort to ignorant or seemingly offensive stereotypes to promote their products…it seems as though imagination is completely dead in Hollywood/Advertising etc. Its like tossing in the gay scene or the killing of an animal in a movie…childish, overdone and a pathetic attempt at drawing out sympathy or ‘shock’ to garner attention…thats why no one sane takes ‘actors’ or ‘Hollywood’ seriously anymore {except the idiot left}…its a joke and sane people avoid purchasing those ‘products’.
Report Post »Sergei
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:03pmWho give a damn – people need to lighten up and not take s#$@ so seriously… can anyone see Blazing Saddles 2 making it’s way to the box office? We now cower to anyone and everyone and it’s friggin sad…
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:16pm@Segei…did you even read my post?…Read it again and use some comprehension skills…it is a lame commercial using tired old tricks to garner attention for profit…get it? It has been done before…is there any imagination left in the ‘entertainment’ world?…get it now?…lighten up….aren’t you tired of seeing the same old same old?
Report Post »Gold
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:44pmOkay. So now, it seems that if an organization in support of being gay, another in support of bikers, another in support of hippies had also complained of being offended, the whole ad could have been pulled. Where does this insanity stop? It seems all speech will soon be offensive or hate speech to someone somewhere. Are we to just stop talking?
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:43pmWow! Those libs honestly believe they don’t have to follow the same rules or what the hell?
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:42pmSo I guess Bill Dana’s… “HELLO, my nang (name) is Jose Jimenez” wouldn’t fly today?
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:39pmPopchips just needs to hire a lesbian couple for the commercials, to be on the safe side.
Report Post »godlovinmom
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:47pmGo to the Burger King ads……watched one the other day showing a girl employee spooning over a hunk that came in…then the male manager comes out to help and starts spooning over the dude too…yuck!..sorry about the word “spooning” I hear it does not mean what it used to mean…as in the word gay….used to mean very happy..not anymore….How come all the “good” words are being highjacked :)
Report Post »troymac20
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:16pmThe guy is David Beckham and yeah…..spooning is not even close to the right word.
Report Post »Brad Brzezinski
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:30pmgodlovinmom: The word you’re looking for is, “mooning.”
(At your service, despite being terribly offended. Must run off now and figure out why I’m offended.)
Report Post »godlovinmom
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 3:52pmNo the word I said was correct…my grandma used to say when you liked someone you we’re spooning over them…comes from the Welsh, meaning to offer kisses and hugs to someone…now it means to lay together like your connected like a spoon..somehow the homosexuals are using it to show their sexuality…anyhooo…spoon quite abit with the hubby..(the old definition that is)
Report Post »HaroldHeard
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:38pmThis is very funny, period. Next.
Report Post »FromSeaToSea
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:36pmThese attacks against free speech are meant to silence Citizens rights and have nothing to do with creating a color blind society. Liberal communists are behind taking of rights, privileges, and freedom itself.
Report Post »Create fear in all people’s to talk freely. Adolph Hitler
Rohawk
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 8:31pmIs Mind Of Mensia off the air too or can you make racial humor if you’re a minority?
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:32pmHollywood lefties are slowly leaning: Live by PC; die by PC!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:45pmAmen .. they are all for it .. when it is the other guy .. but now they are getting some of their own medicine. How does that taste Hollyweird?
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on May 3, 2012 at 2:46pmLMAO
I don’t think Hollyweirdos can LEARN anything.
They consider themselves above the fray.
Adam Kooshy could care less.
OMG 2012
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