CBS Ticked at Ashton Kutcher's Men Act Already?!

Network peeved after Kutcher provided free advertising for websites he has a stake in when his Two and a Half Men character used a computer plastered with logo stickers

By Natalie Finn Sep 28, 2011 9:30 PMTags
TWO AND A HALF MEN, Ashton Kutcher Instagram

It really isn't Ashton Kutcher's day.

Amid rumors that there is trouble on the homefront comes word that the actor's new bosses are rather annoyed with him, too.

On the second episode of Two and a Half Men, the Kutcher years, his billionaire-Internet-entrepreneur character is lounging on the couch with his laptop, which happens to be plastered with stickers for social-networking and media websites like Foursquare, Flipboard and GroupMe.

Sounds like a realistic set-up for a Web nerd like Walden Schmidt, right? Well, it might be a little too realistic for CBS.

Kutcher has financial stakes in those companies: The Foursquare connection was noted by a disclaimer in the show's credits, per FCC regulations.

"Very cool - @aplusk shows off @thehipmunk @chegg @foursquare @groupme stickers on Two and a Half Men PIC from @dens," tweeted Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley.

But while Men cocreator Chuck Lorre, the gate-keeper of all that occurs on his show, was apparently cool with it, CBS received no compensation for providing what amounted to a prime-time advertising slot for the Kutcher-affiliated websites.

And in this business of nickle and dimes, we would imagine that's unacceptable.

"This was not part of any advertising transaction with CBS," a network rep confirmed to E! News. "Our policy is to disclose such financial interests in a credit at the end of the broadcast."

The network had no further comment on any dustup with its new star.

Meanwhile, despite reports that CBS will blur out the stickers for all repeat viewings of the episode, a show source says no decision has been made on the fate of the labels in reruns or in future episodes.