Ashton Kutcher doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with Uber “digging up dirt on shady journalist[s].”
The “Two and a Half Men” star, who is also an investor in the taxi service, took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to express discontent over a BuzzFeed report, followed by many others, that senior vice president for business Emil Michael suggested that his company should dig up dirt on members of the media who are critical of Uber.
“What is so wrong about digging up dirt on shady journalist[s]?” Kutcher asked his 16.5 million followers. “So as long as journalist[s] are interested and willing to print half truths as facts… Yes we should question the source.”
Michael has since apologized for the remarks that were “borne out of frustration during an informal debate over what I feel is sensationalistic media coverage of the company,” and believed they were made off the record “at a private dinner.”
BuzzFeed maintains, however, that nobody at Uber suggested the event was off the record.
Michael’s remarks were aimed at one particular journalist, PandoDaily’s Sarah Lacy, who recently accused the company of “sexism and misogyny.” He said she should be held “personally responsible” for any woman who gets sexually assaulted by a cab driver after taking her words to heart, and boycotting Uber.
Furthermore, he outlined an idea to give journalists a taste of their own medicine by spending “a million dollars” to hire researchers and journalists that would look into “your personal lives, your families.”
“This should be fun,” Kutcher tweeted. Here comes the part where journalist explain why they should be exempt from ridicule and judgement and probing.”
That part, however, appears to have led Kutcher to change his position on the issue.
“U r all right and I’m on the wrong side of this ultimately,” Kutcher tweeted. “I just wish journalists were held to the same standards as public figures.”
Take a look at the actor’s entire commentary, below:
What is so wrong about digging up dirt on shady journalist? @pando @TechCrunch @Uber
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
We are all public figures now! “@RussADeCastro: @aplusk Depends if they are a PUBLIC FIGURE, like you, or not. http://t.co/ZFemzZshxV”
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
I believe we live in a day were the first word has become “the word”
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
Rumors span the globe before anyone has an opportunity to defend them selves.
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
Everyone is guilty and then tasked to defend themselves publicly.
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
Questioning the source needs to happen… Always!
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
So as long as journalist are interested and willing to print half truths as facts… Yes we should question the source.
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
To be clear I speak for my self not @Uber
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
This should be fun… Here comes the part where journalist explain why they should be exempt from ridicule and judgement and probing…
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
U r all right and I’m on the wrong side of this ultimately. I just wish journalists were held to the same standards as public figures.
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
#GoodForRatings #TrafficSpike #WelcomeToShockJournalism
– ashton kutcher (@aplusk) November 19, 2014
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