Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson of That '70s Show went on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday to play "Pie Face." That '70s Show was an American sitcom revolving around a group of teenage friends, their mishaps, and their coming of age, set in 1970s Wisconsin.
Kutcher was raising money for his charity Thorn, which builds software tools for law enforcement officials to help fight the sexual exploitation of children on the Internet. DeGeneres brought out his The Ranch co-star, Masterson, to compete against him in the game.
During Ellen's show, Kutcher joked that his head didn't fit as they got settled into their respective places. Masterson seemed like he was in trouble when he didn't recall DeGeneres having hosted the Oscars in 2014. Kutcher was unlucky to have the pie on his face after he couldn't guess the name of the O.J. Simpson prosecutor played by Sarah Paulson on The People v. O.J. Simpson.
A pie-toss or throw-a-pie event usually involves some well-known figure, generally a person either in a position of authority or fame, who is intended as the "victim". Well, in Ellen's show, it's Ashton Kutcher with his friend Danny!
Usually, the people attending the event pay for or bid on the opportunity to throw the pie on the victim's face where it can't at all cause injury, anyway. Normally, it's done in slow motion or just for practical joke. Although this takes the element of chance out of the event, it allows the opportunity to smear pie more thoroughly in the victim's face and potentially through their hair. This is a popular fund-raising event with schools and social or charitable organizations.
Students can " pie " teachers, professors, or higher authorities to ease the tension while still raising money and/or awareness about a cause or advocacy. One additional option is allowing the person who has purchased or won the opportunity to use the pie to also fill it, usually with a variety of extremely messy dessert toppings: chocolate, cherries, caramel sauce, strawberry sauce, etc. Plastic bags for the victim to protect their clothing and hair are optional.
There are many ways of throwing a pie and hitting your target.
As for Kutcher, he's cool with it for the benefit of his charity Thorn, a partner across the tech industry, government and NGOs and leverage technology combating predatory behavior, rescue victims, and protect vulnerable children.
