Ashton Kutcher criticizes fame as ‘crap,’ ‘unhealthy’ on ‘Ellen’

Ashton Kutcher isn’t just a pretty face, and he doesn’t want people to think that that’s why he should be famous.

He works. He works really hard.

Forbes’ highest-paid actor in television and tech entrepreneur paid a visit to “The Ellen DeGeneres Show� in a clip posted Tuesday to drop a few more thought-provoking knowledge bombs on today’s youth.

You should work. You should work really hard.

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The 35-year-old “Two and a Half Men� star’s comments come on the heels of his insightful acceptance speech at the Teen Choice Awards in August in which he encouraged kids to put in the effort and actually work for opportunities rather than aspiring to be a Hollywood celebrity, calling that whole sphere “crap.�

Kutcher, who during the speech revealed his first name is Chris, also said that the “sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart and being thoughtful and being generous. Everything else is crap, I promise you.�

This coming from a former underwear model and the guy who played Kelso on “That ‘70s Show.� He also washed dishes at a restaurant and carried roof shingles for his dad, among other things.

The speech, as it turns out, was endorsed by DeGeneres.

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“It just felt like an opportunity to be honest,� Kutcher told the daytime host.

“I think that so much of what we see in the world today is this sort of propaganda machine around fame and around celebrity, and I actually think there are some kids in the world that grow up today that think, ‘When I grow up, I want to be famous,’ instead of, ‘When I grow up, I want to do something, I want to build something, I want to create something,’� he said.

“And I thought it was a valuable moment to actually let them know that all that is kind of crap, and that working hard and being thoughtful and generous and smart — it’s a path to a better life.�

The audience fervently agreed when it applauded its approval.

“And usually when you go to those shows, it’s people propagating the fame machine over and over and over and over again, so I thought it was an opportunity to do something different and I hope that, you know, if there is one person that was listening that pursues a different path, I think it did what I wanted it to do.�

DeGeneres chimed in, saying that it’s really important for young people to know it’s about hard work.

“It’s different. The system has changed now and the means to success,� he agreed. “When you have people that are famous for the sake of being famous or for the sake of being second-generation wealthy families, I think it shifts a dynamic in society and I also think that there’s an entitlement that’s starting to emerge. I think it’s unhealthy for people or for our country.�

The “That ‘70s Show� alum also derided his friends who refused to take jobs at Starbucks or anything they deemed to be “below them.�

“I think that the only thing that could be below you is to not have a job,� he said, with the audience erupting in cheers.

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