VIDEO: Ashton Kutcher’s Popchips Ad Pulled Due to Brownface/Racism Controversy
Ashton Kutcher’s new Popchips commercial has officially been PULLED due to allegations of racism, after the actor appeared in brown makeup to play a Bollywood producer.
The ad, which was first seen on the Popchips website, features Kutcher playing a variety of characters in a dating service commercial. The Bollywood producer, Raj, is only one of a number of acts, which include a biker, a hippie, a fashion exec, and Kutcher himself.
On his blog, Anil Dash called the ad, “a hackneyed, unfunny advertisement featuring Kutcher in brownface talking about his romantic options, with the entire punchline being that he’s doing it in a fake-Indian outfit and voice.”
However, with all the controversy, Dash did admit that he doesn’t think the Popchips people knew what they were doing, saying:
“I think the people behind this Popchips ad are not racist. I think they just made a racist ad.”
Popchips CEO Keith Belling issued a statement saying, “We did not intend to offend anyone. I take full responsibility and apologize to anyone we offended.”
Watch the full ad below, and let us know what you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLdobzj_9_I&feature=player_embedded