Business Communication and Character

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Ashton Kutcher's Teen Choice Award Speech

Natural, self-deprecating, and personal, Ashton Kutcher's speech at the Teen Choice Awards is winning critical acclaim. Kutcher dressed casually and took a casual approach to his speech, as he accepted the award for his portrayal of Steve Jobs in the new movie, "Jobs." Observers say he was channeling the Apple founder's presentation style. 

Starting by saying, "This is the old guy award. This is like the grandpa award," Kutcher endeared himself to the audience of screaming teens. (He's 35 years old.) He then revealed something personal: "I feel like a fraud. My name is actually not even Ashton. Ashton is my middle name. My first name's Chris." (Cue audience cheers.)

As of this writing, the video on YouTube garnered nearly 3 million views.

Discussion Starters:

  • Does Kutcher's speech deserve the attention it is getting? Why or why not? 
  • What is appropriate about his speech for the teenage audience? What, if anything, feels out of place?