Kaiser pointed me to this story on Gawker with some new PSAs I guess you would call them for Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore’s campaign to bring awareness to human trafficking and child sex slavery. My reaction is very similar to Gawker’s editorial, in that I issue a very hearty WTF?! The “PSAs” feature celebrities like Justin Timberlake, Sean Penn and Jamie Foxx doing stupid sh*t like ironing grilled cheese sandwiches, shaving with a chainsaw and opening a beer with a remote. They end the PSAs with their tagline “Real Men Know How To…” whatever and then concluding “Real Men Don’t Buy Girls.” Ok, but how are those two concepts even related, and how did someone greenlight these videos? They’re making really dumb light beer commercials out of kids being sold in slavery. It’s mind numbingly stupid and makes light of the issue, as Gawker notes:
Everyone needs a joke now and then, but do we really need one now, when discussing the very real and very horrifying problem of sex slavery? Hm, no, I don’t think we do? So it’s a bit strange that that’s the angle Ash and Dem chose to go with these ads, featuring silly things that Real Men are doing followed by Jessica Biel or Eva Longoria informing us who are Real Men. See, Real Men don’t buy sex slaves. See that’s how that works. So… no more sex slaves then, because Sean Penn made a grilled cheese? Right. Sean Penn, the original hobo with a shotgun, has once again rescued us from a great injustice, and this time he didn’t need to live in a tent or anything! Thank you also, Jamie Foxx and Bradley Cooper, two men who have totally never hired prostitutes, for bringing this issue to light.
So yeah. What was anyone thinking? Nobody knows. Ashton and Demi should maybe consult with a PR person or something next time. Guys, before you do your jokey ads with Lake Bell and Mila Kunis supporting spina bifida research, maybe make sure you’re not accidentally making light of the problem first.
[From Gawker]
Remember when Demi and Ashton put out a supposedly “funny” video around Christmastime, 2007 where Ashton played Santa and Demi was a sexy reindeer? It was supposed to be funny but it just made no sense and was incredibly dumb. Only in that case they weren’t trying to advocate for an important cause. Then in January, 2009 then had a video that they put out with their friends meant to promote Obama’s USA Service Pledge that was in no way endorsed or approved by Obama’s people.
So Demi and Ashton, both followers of the Kabbalah cult which is being investigated by the IRS for potential fraud and is being sued by a wealthy victim who claims that they start charity projects that never materialize, have started their own foundation. They’re advertising it through these ridiculous videos and they’re asking for donations through their website DemiAndAshton.org and on Facebook. So while it seems admirable they’re involved in a worthy cause, these videos don’t seem to be doing much to bring awareness to it, and it’s possible that whatever money they collect for it will go the same way as Madonna’s Raising Malawi project – nowhere.
Bradley Cooper:
Jamie Foxx:
Old Spice Guy:
To quote Michael K at DListed – something in the milk ain’t clean.
???????????
WTF?
Oh and the dumbest campaign ever.
I wish these celebrities would stop sullying real issues with their vain attempts to show they have depth. In general, they lend no credibility and we get beaten over the head with examples of their overbearing buffoonery
“human trafficking and child sex slavery” – first person who came to my mind – Kris Jenner. Wonder why???????????????????????
I don’t get why celebrities feel the need to start their own charities rather than just raise money/awareness for already existing legitimate charities.
Real men know when to STFU.
i won’t even watch it.
i work across the street from UNICEF and i don’t feel like being pissed off for the rest of the day.
🙁
Why am I not surprised.
Hollyweird. These people are in their own little world. I think this ad campaign is the BEST they can do to come off their pedestals. They truly have no idea….they truly are CLUELESS!
I am SO glad you posted this. I became aware of this last week. I’m thrilled that sad reality of human trafficking is an issue that is getting better coverage but my problem with this campaign is that its proponents seem out of touch with reality/the perpetrators/their audience, thus not making the most of an opportunity to (possibly) effect change.
The goofy/confusing videos aside, this is the type of advertisement that would appeal to young people (adolescents and teens). People who think stars and what not are cool and young/impressionable enough to want to change their behavior based on what they say. However, the message is targeted straight to the villains who are either profitting from this financially or creating a market with their sick, depraved desires.
I HIGHLY doubt that the majority of offenders involved with human trafficking are adolescents and teens. The grown men and women who are doing this (and for some reason I think they are people with $$$ but maybe I’ve gotten a stereotype from the media) DO NOT CARE A FLIP about Brad Cooper, JT or whomever else and their 2 cents on the matter, unless they are caught/stopped/have some sort of life change. They are selfish, morally bankrupt people who need correction not peer pressure! It just makes me wonder about the maturity level of Ashton and Demi to have overlooked this and think this was a good idea.
I will say this though, 1-it is at the very least, probably drawing more attention to this heinous atrocity-GOOD.
2-maybe the young people growing up today will remember this and when they get to the point where they can make a decision to further human trafficking or not they will remember what Brad, JT, Eva etc. said and remember that it’s NOT cool and they shouldn’t do it-PERHAPS.
In fairness, I think I see why they thought this would work. It catches the attention and would be a pretty smart approach to other situations. The Timberlake one in particular is super cute until you find out what the PSA is for and hear the bizarre lounge music.
I think Ashton, Demi and their entourage on this project are just too out of touch with normal people to psychologically come at something like this correctly.
They start their own charities/foundations because they can’t get tax shelter with someone else’s charity. All it does, even supposing that the money actually goes where it’s supposed to, is dilute the effect of the total amount of money going to an area/cause would have if it were all dispersed through the same organization.
The way I see it, at least they’re passionate about an issue and are doing something about it, tax write-off or no. At least they’re doing something with their fame and money.
Kasey, your post said exactly what I was thinking.
If they want to do something to help, great, but this is not going to have any effect on the people doing it. Waste of energy, IMO.
And I agree they should support an existing charity instead of starting one of their own, that always sounds a little fishy. I know a few celebs have done it well, but often it seems less effective.
Oh my God. The ego’s these fools possess are beyond enormous. Are they under the assumption that persons involved in the sex trade are going to immediately rethink their crimes because Bradley Cooper and Ashton Kutcher disapprove??! I’d love to know what color the sky in their world is. This has zero to do with any charitable contribution- this is all for the glorification of their massive ego’s.
JT sucks so much. Why is he famous again?
This is a great ad for something like, say: “Real men don’t avoid condoms” or some such thing. But as @Kasey so well-explained, this fail on this issue for so many reasons.
My theory? Depravity is so common and accessible to Hollywood types that they truly believe that the best way to end sex-slavery is a generic, mass-market campaign aimed and just reminding people not to fuck sex slaves. Because the only reason it exists is that people just don’t KNOW that it’s wrong– right?
Ugh. Right intentions, wrong braincell count.
the dumbest part in this is that their target audience in this vids is MEN WHO BUY GIRLS. do they think those people will listen to this???? O.o
These people especially Hemi and Asshat are unbelievably clueless. Not the cause, the effect!
All that special Kaballah water they drink must be making them delusional if they think this is an effective advertisement to stop child sex slavery.
Totally agree this is just ego-feed for their self-important airs.
Oh, and JT, just go a little lower on the neck with that chainsaw!
OMG? Who DID greenlight this ad campaign? Demi and Ashton? All of these are ridiculous! Agree – this is about Demi and Ashton and their egos, nothing more.
We should start a campaign against tools like Ashton Kutcher
This is ridiculous. It’s sophomoric humour and the only reason for that is that they want the videos to “go viral”. It’s the latest thing, every brand wants a viral video, and when you don’t have a good one just make some ridiculous piece of crap and it will pass. this is it.
Why is Ashton K in the same hemisphere with the term ‘REAL MEN’ …huh…huh???
They arent trying to make a joke of sex slavery – they are trying to get viewer attention by being funny. It does not come off as a joke to me at all.
My opinion is ANYTHING that brings light to the mass problem of sexual slavery is ok in my book.
Esp if trying to appeal to younger audience of men, i can see why they are using younger hip stars and making the ads funny. Majority of young boys will respond to this type of ad versus a depressing sad one.
Everyone knows the issue is sad and sick and a dilemna so i think to bring the issue attention to mass audience via humor is a modern way to go and it doesnt lessen/cheapen the cause at all.
Everyone here talking about the ads is proof the ads work. They are getting a response. Good and bad BUT its bringing attention to the issue period. If this was a regular PSA ad no one would be talking about it.
lol @ rita >_<
I’m….not really getting it.
Real men know how to use the remote? WTF?
Better, I think, to work with/donate to agencies who actually know what they’re doing.
Rita FTW!
When have you ever seen a PSA featured in an article on this site? Or stopped a moment from soaking in the gossip to think about this issue? At least the message is getting attention.
Hey were are talking about it right? Something is better then nothing. At least they are trying and bringing awareness to the issue.
Can we get these twat whores sent to North Korea to do some community service? Please?
how is justin timberPereniallyUnfaithful A REAL MAN!?!?
I think it’s GOOD he tries to bring awareness to a terrible issue that gets far too little attention.
More young men in western culture have a quite relaxed attitude to sexual offenders and from what I see here, many women rather blame the victim and be quiet about it as well.
It seems like they’re mocking the whole issue. Which pisses me off.
@Flan @Sue, @ Just Saying
No one is saying it’s not good that he is aware of the issue and wants to help.
But this is as efficient as chewing bubblegum to solve the problem. Even in terms of awareness. Your average member of the general public is aware than buying a sex slave is wrong. That isn’t really an issue. And those that do it aren’t going to stop and think “Whoa–Justin Timberlake wouldn’t do this–maybe I shouldn’t!” Please.
So this is–at best– just a big, masturbatory, self-congratulatory waste of money that could be better spent.
I cannot believe it. Literally, it cannot be this stupid and yet this true.
They are of the same community that bring us sex slavery as entertainment, that fucking Mormon illegal sex ring with children in harm’s way. They are depraved.
These same fuckers think all’s cool with child rapist Roman Pederanski too. Fucked up.
To Zelda above
You’re absolutely right – this has the right tone and appeals to the right age group – to encourage condom use.
Other than that, it’s pathetic.
It could only be worse if they had asked Mel Gibson to take part.
Last week Demi Moore was in Nepal meeting with this years CNN Hero Anuradha Koirala who runs the organization Maiti Nepal which has been combating trafficking along the Nepal/India border for years.
http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive10/anuradha.koirala.html
Anuradha has been so successful with Maiti because they have been low profile (rescued boys and girls often become future employee’s of Maiti where they basically go on buses and look for older men and women with young boys/girls who looked drugged, scared or both). With this world wide attention given to this problem and organization specifically may actually be doing more harm than good.
These PSA’s are doing what exactly? Well they are making people question, regardless if it is a WTF question-bad press is still press.
I agree with all the posters with the audience issue. Sex traffickers and their customers don’t GAF about these PSAs.
How about something that would be relevant to everyone like: It’s not enough to not participate in the sex trade. If you see something, call the police(or some other org).
But I guess that wouldn’t fit this ad campaign. Maybe they came up with the campaign first and then tried to make the message fit…
completely inappropriate.
@Ol Cranky – “I wish these celebrities would stop sullying real issues with their vain attempts to show they have depth. In general, they lend no credibility and we get beaten over the head with examples of their overbearing buffoonery”.
I COSIGN every bit of this comment. Expressed much better than I could. WTF should be the titles of these fucking videos that have nothing at all to do with sex slavery, thus complete wastes of the opportunity to publicize, & the celebrity ‘guests’ involved.
@Krissy – “I don’t get why celebrities feel the need to start their own charities rather than just raise money/awareness for already existing legitimate charities.”
Because then, they wouldn’t be getting all the ‘credit’ showing how they’re incredible humanitarians, even feeling Superior Vanity. Someone else might get said credit, but we can’t have that!