Ashton Kutcher’s 2013 Teen Choice Awards speech has made its way to West Virginia, six years later. In a viral video posted by Parkersburg High School graduate Abby Smith, Ashton Kutcher's 2013 Teen Choice Awards speech seemed to have circled around and made its way to West Virginia, six years later. In Smith's video, Parkersburg’s principal Ken DeMoss can be seen appearing plagiarize Kutcher’s speech.
Smith edited the video, putting together both the “No String's Attached” star’s words from the 2013 awards, as well as DeMoss’ commencement proclamation, and we can't help but see that they appear to be more than just a little similar.
In the six-minute clip, DeMoss begins to share with the graduates, the three things he believes his student will learn as they move forward in their life: “opportunity, being intriguing and living life.” In comparison, Kutcher’s list from 2013 was, “opportunity, being sexy and living life.” “I believe that opportunity looks a lot like hard work,” DeMoss continued, using Kutcher’s exact words. The principal and star's technique of listing of all their first jobs also bare an uncanny resemblance.
The plagiarism continues with the principal remixing Ashton's claim that the "sexiest thing in the entire world" is being really smart and generous, with "the most intriguing thing" in the entire world as being "really really smart," and generous. But, he does employ Ashton's exact words that "anything anyone else is trying to sell you is complete crap." Continuing with the resemblance, the two speeches both included a quote from Steve Jobs, with the conclusion that this life we live in was created by people "no smarter than you," and that therefore we must "build a life, not live one." With the closing words: "I love you guys, thank you."
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After the video went viral, DeMoss released a statement, admitting to having seen Kutcher’s Teen Choice appearance but insisting that he did not copy his ideas. “As a proud father and a man of faith, I want to sincerely apologize to those I have obviously offended. It was never my intent to take credit for what I said or give specific credit because of how I prefaced my speech.” He added that “the format" of Ashton’s speech were what he liked the most, but that the "thoughts and ideas were from my heart.”
Ashton has not yet made a comment, but the star's schedule is probably hectic as he testifies in court for the murder of his ex love interest.
