Kutcher’s P.R. gold turns into tinfoil

What may have been an orchestrated attempt at an image-polishing weekend in Las Vegas for Ashton Kutcher, including a turn as Michael Jordan's caddie, ended with a whiff.

Last Sunday should have been a banner P.R. day for Kutcher following months of fallout after his nasty split from Demi Moore.

The day started with news from Variety, the Hollywood publication, that Kutcher had landed a plum film role to play Steve Jobs, the tech giant and co-founder of Apple Inc.

Then came Kutcher's nine-hole caddie outing with Jordan at Shadow Creek Golf Course, site of Jordan's celebrity invitational.

Topping off the promotional hat trick, a publicist's dream, was Kutcher's appearance Sunday night as a presenter on the Academy of Country Music Awards prime time show on CBS at Mandalay Bay.

But Kutcher's country act went over like a lead balloon, at least to some.

Wearing an extra-large black cowboy hat and what one critic called "an outfit worn by the Three Amigos," Kutcher presented the female vocalist of the year award to Miranda Lambert. While he sang a snippet of George Strait's "I Cross My Heart," a couple of Kutcher's buddies who joined him on stage hammed it up as beer-swilling country sidekicks.

Lambert wasn't impressed. She later tweeted: "Was Ashton Kutcher making fun of country or is it just me? Watching it back now and I'm kinda wondering?"

Justin Moore, a semifinalist for new artist of the year, chimed in, calling a Kutcher this generation's name for a jerk and tweeting that he doesn't appreciate "people making a mockery of the way country artists dress."

Moore didn't stop there. During an interview Wednesday at a benefit, he told Fox News he found Kutcher's act "distasteful."

"I haven't talked to Miranda about it, but I was happy to see I wasn't the only one," he said.

Kutcher, known for his goofy characters in "That 70's Show" and "Two and a Half Men," made a serious attempt to explain himself.

After Lambert took him on, he tweeted, "I Am One Of The biggest country Music fans you've ever met. Wasn't making fun at all."

He followed up with a congratulatory tweet to Lambert.

But his tone changed Thursday, however, when Justin Moore's latest remarks hit the Internet.

Kutcher, who has 10.1 million followers, tweeted: "I grew up idolizing the style of the Highway Men, Hank, Merle, Patsy Cline, Dolly. Starting to wonder if new country just doesn't get it."

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Fifty-plus Las Vegas entertainers, pro poker players and local personalities are competing against the public today at Caesars Palace in the seventh annual Opportunity Village celebrity poker tournament. Participants in the no-limit Texas hold 'em competition play against a field that includes poker stars Annie Duke and Andy Bloch and a lineup of entertainers that includes Penn Jillette, Kristi Holden of "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" and cast members of "Jersey Boys." Caesars is donating a seat at the 2012 World Series of Poker's main event. Cash prizes will go to the top 10 finishers. Information: 702-259-3700.

SIGHTINGS

Astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, taking in the "Country Superstars" at the Golden Nugget on Thursday. ... Playboy's 2011 Playmate of the Year, Claire Sinclair, dining at STK (Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) on Thursday with the $15,000 diamond-encrusted steak knife.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Tomorrow night is the Jewish holiday of Passover. Or as we call it here in Los Angeles, 'Cinco de Matzo.' " -- Conan O'Brien

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.