Ashton Kutcher: Twitter Lord or Overboard?
When I saw the billboard this morning on the highway, I had no idea who @aplusk was. In fact, I was really surprised to see a billboard about Twitter to begin with. Why does a social media site as big as Twitter need a billboard to promote themselves?
But it wasn’t just Twitter. It was Ashton Kutcher. That’s right…and if you’re already on Twitter, you’ve probably heard about it. Ashton, @aplusk, ramped up his quest for one million followers by posting billboards on the side of America’s highways. What’s the matter, Ashton, can’t get enough of Demi’s pals to follow you?
I don’t give a flying crap how many followers he has. Twitter is not a numbers game. Obviously he hasn’t figure that out. Then again, he’s not there to add value to Twitter. (Shit. Neither am I.) It’s a game to him. Fairly obvious by looking at his follower vs. following count. A little lopsided there, Ashton?
So, Kutccher won the Twitter race against CNN Breaking News Network and got to a million Twitter followers first. I could get a million Twitter followers if I shelled out some dough to the billboard companies, too. Hey, Kutcher, I got my 12K followers on my own…without spending any money.
OK, so I seem a bit harsh. But I’m just trying to point out that if you’re raising money for a CAUSE maybe you should let more people know about it. A billboard that says “Follow Ashton Kutcher” tells me nothing. Maybe you would have gotten two million followers if you put up a billboard that said, “The more followers I get, the more money I’ll donate to charity”. That would have gotten my attention…and $100K? That’s pocket change to you. Why didn’t you have Demi match that amount?
Oh, and you’re not alone in the “I want to be on Twitter because I’m so famous” thing. I hear Oprah is on Twitter now. Lady Warbucks is tweeting it up with all of her 170,000+ Twitter fans…and following nine. Nine other big “stars”, not fans who shell out their hard earned money to follow every diet she endorses…and fails at. Big flipping surprise. Is Twitter going to be one of Oprah’s “favorite things” next Christmas? Not that she’s really USING Twitter. She just needs another place to be heard because her magazine sucks.
The only way to un-follow Ashton Kutcher is to block him. Or just ignore him. Wait…you don’t really have to. He won’t be tweeting it up with the menial little Twitter folks. Not that we’re going to be missing much….
Your blogs are hilarious! Love em! We have to start a movement to get all the rich and shameless out of the limelight and let someone else in for a change. I’ve noticed too, the photogs don’t really bug Demi and Ash…he’s pretty damned smart being the icon for whatever camera company that is. His gun is just as big as theirs! I dunno…I do get disheartened when the working class work their butts off and Twitter either allows or pays fame to make their case. I’m at a point I need followers so I can follow more peeps. Not ready to go delete a bunch of people and Ashton Kutch…could have as many as he wanted!
I’m the only one in this world. Can please someone join me in this life? Or maybe death…
Thanks for article. Everytime like to read you.
Have a nice day
Rufor
I agree wholeheartedly with this entire post, as I tweeted last night: http://twitter.com/beautiful_waste/status/1555671295, Ashton Kutcher plays off humanitarian quite well until actual interaction is involved, I mean, he could take some time off of that throne of his to show the “commoners,” that he’s still just human too.
As of last night, I unfollowed “King Kutcher,” he and Oprah already have paparazzi and stardom to use as their vehicle to spread whatever they’re after now, they need not clog Twitter.
OK, first of all, you do TOO add value to Twitter (each in her own way, doncha know? Your convos amuse, entertain, and enlighten. So there.
)
Second of all, if Kutcher’s whole point in advertising for and getting followers was to give away $$, did the billboards not say so? Dumb… My kids were fans of that show, That 70s Show, and I can only ever see his face as the character he played there – who was pretty stupid.
Finally, Hugh Jackman, @RealHughJackman, is also Twittering to give away cash, but it’s not a “help me get a bazillion followers and I’ll give you money” – his point is send him a tweet that tells him in 140 char why he should give money to the charity or non-profit you support or are part of. He RTs them, most of the time. Very much better, in my not-at-all-humble opinion!
Not sure when he’s deciding.
And welcome to WordPress. Looks good around here!
Wow! Comments will be sucky to leave now. ERG.
Trying to see if comments work here–no sleep, can’t get my header up on the new blog, need to go grocery shopping, kids are awake……life call, blog has to wait.
Great post! I must be honest in saying I’m confused about the “follower game”. I value twitter as a place to find & share information, have fun and be connected in cyberspace. I started following many celebs early on when I joined twitter because my site is about pop culture, arts & entertainment. Hoping to find out about their upcoming events or get information from their point of view but lately the “game” of it all is tainting the twitter experience for me. I welcome millions of followers but I also want to have a quality experience with them. I don’t care if I have 1 million people chanting my name, I’d rather have a couple hundred sharing an experience with me.
Nice new layout you have going on here.
I so agree. So, “when they start responding” to us “real” folk is when I’ll retract my post.
i agree completely. i remember that feeling when the cool kids in school starting listening to the music i liked or got into something i was into – all this hoopla over oprah and ashton kutcher is giving me that same feeling, as if they’ve taken something special and bastardized it. i’ve been tweeting about this myself, that they’ve brought twitter to the unwashed masses. the day one of these people actually interacts with the little people is when i’ll change my stance.
I hope I’m not going to offend anyone on this thread that is a fan of Ashton Kutcher but I really can’t stand that little twit. As far as I’m concerned he is an immature man-child and one ranks up there as one of the worst actors. Who really cares about his ability to Twitter?
So much for the “Butterfly Effect” huh?
A million schlamillion – so freaking what? Get a life, dude.
Great post – and spot on. I’m sorry if people left you nasty comments – I tweeted the link and stumbled this post, I thought it was brilliant.
I wrote about this too. He (and Oprah and other celebs) have got it wrong.
I was being cheeky in my post, but I really think that they should take a look at how Guy Kawasaki uses Twitter.
http://soyisthenewblack.blogspot.com/2009/04/ashton-kutcher-oprah-cnn-aplusk-on.html
Just checking up on all the numbers and it’s all pretty silly. Great post though. I just watched the show from our dvr. Oprah is sooooo late.
the only celebrity i follow followed me first. i re-tweeted something she posted because i thought it was a great thought and next thing you know she was following me. of course i had to reciprocate. we were tweeting long before these celebs and before it was so cool.
great post!
Funny you mention the whole crappy thing! I had been following him before all the hoopla, and just quit following cuz he was twittering too damn much for me to actually pay attention to the important things that I wanted to read, like your's and Stellan's updates…& all the other whole 30 people I bother to read up on. I'm glad I "unfollowed" him just in the midst of his shenanigans. 100,000 is sad. Especially sad, like you mentioned, that Demi couldn't have antied up too. Come on guys! I would love to read what these people are REALLY doing. Not the things they want us to think they are doing, or only the "good" stuff they want to report about. I'd like to see Paris tweet that she is in the potty snorting up a fat line with her new BFF! GIVE ME A BREAK!
I have been twittering for three days now and I’m hooked. I have “met” people I never would have otherwise. Networking on it’s way. LOL!
As for Oprah. WTF!She can follow her fans. The big “O” can show support towards the millions of people who tune in daily. Heah! I would like a chance to be recognized. I’m just saying.
I just read your blog for the first time, i follow u on twitter, (thetommyv) and now i’m damn glad i do! I found it interesting the Oprah, 200000 followers and following 10 thing, same with Aston Krutcher, keep up with the great takes on some funny shit!
Very good post!
It’s a shame that Twitter is becoming a ‘media side show’ for the rich and famous. If you have enough money, you can be the King or Queen of Twitter!
I hope to hell I am not following me. I can’t stand him honestly. Though I am following Dane Cook and he was saying some pretty funny stuff about the whole thing. Charity or no charity I’ve followed select few celebs on twitter for the random funny tweets, but they won’t engage or follow back so it’s pretty much pointless. I like real people! Love this post!
Damn – I missed all the drama! I’m always a day late and a dollar short!
Holy Crap, I could not agree more! You said exactly and I mean EXACTLY what was on my mind..He doesn’t give a rip about anyone that follows him…it’s just a big ego boost for him! Ugh..disgusting!
Is it possible to follow someone without choosing to do so?
No wonder he beat MSN. Sounds like some shenanigans afoot.
Sorry, I can’t send you chocolate thru cyberspace, but I’ll leave a comment. I really didn’t care one way or the other about Ashton’s desire to hit 1 mil. followers. I agree, though, it would have held a little more meaning if he would have put more emphasis on the fact that he was going to make a donation to charity and not on the idea that he had to beat CNN.
And the whole thing about you losing followers, Oh puh-lease. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, people!
You go, girl! Keep speaking your mind. This is America, right?
Keep on, tweetin’.
I love your post and I’m glad you put it back up. I find the celebrity twitter thing pretty annoying as well. Some, like Shaq follow others, respond and actually engage on twitter like us commoners. Ellen, Oprah, Ashton don’t want to engage just use it as another personal soap box. Isn’t having your own show (in the case of Oprah and Ellen) enough?
Yes, this is just a game to big stars. They don’t care one whit about you, me, or anyone else who might live on my street. Ashton is just a little kid in a man’s body — a bit on the immature side for my taste.
However, this is America and the beauty is that we have the freedom to jump on his bandwagon, or not. I agree that it would have been more PC to have advertised the charity thing but I really don’t think that was his point. He was out to prove he could do it – money for charity was a side benefit.
The one thing in your post that REALLY bothers me is how you were set to auto follow and unable to un-follow. Kinda like Barry Bonds claiming to be the home run king after taking steroids. Somehow, the victory seems a bit hollow.
Well stated and I believe spot on. Twitter wasn’t set up to be a “Numbers game” but a social network. By definition social implies a community which implies interaction. Don’t see that going on here. Now here’s a box of chocolates. Enjoy!