Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Das Racist Calls Out Ashton Kutcher For Going Brownface In New PopChips Commercial
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 2, 2012
Modified May 3, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 2, 2012
Modified May 3, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Earlier this afternoon Max Silvestri Tweeted, "Which PopChips Ashton Kutcher character is your fave? It's so hard to pick! (how I'm gonna drown myself fastest)," with a link that sent us into a world where Kutcher portrays a diva; a hippie; a biker; and Raj, an Indian. Soon after, New York band Das Racist—who are 2/3 Indian—also noted the ad campaign on Twitter, calling Kutcher out for playing a "brownface character."
So, a dude who pimps sex trafficking awareness @aplusk to revive a sagging acreer also plays brownface characters for @popchips #america
— DAS RACIST (@dasracist) May 2, 2012
Anil Dash is also questioning how this ad campaign got approved, via Twitter, and in a longer form piece on his blog.
Hey @zambezi_la + @AlisonBrodPR can you talk about the meeting where brownface was suggested? I want to understand the creative process.
— Anil Dash (@anildash) May 2, 2012
Kutcher, who helped develop the campaign, hasn't responded as of yet, but we reached out to PopChips, who told us:
The new popchips worldwide dating video and ad campaign featuring four characters was created to provoke a few laughs and was never intended to stereotype or offend anyone. At popchips we embrace all types of shapes, flavors and colors, and appreciate all snackers, no matter their race or ethnicity. We hope people can enjoy this in the spirit it was intended.
UPDATE: Sometime between 6:30 and 8 p.m. the video went private... but the agency is still hosting them on their Vimeo, which you can see below.
Tagged
ashton kutcher
brownface
das racist
pop chips
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Why NYC restaurants are playing coy about sustainability
Though it has multiple benefits, the practice remains popular for one basic reason: it saves money.
By
Samantha Dady
Published Oct 26, 2026
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .