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March 5th, 2010
02:42 PM ET
Oscars get their swag on with $85,000 gifts
Let’s start with the good gifts. Since those who lose out on Oscar night may feel the need to get a way from it all, there’s a $45,000 trip voucher for a South African safari, complete with personal chef, a $14,500 trip voucher for a getaway to Monaco, plus a $7,000 trip voucher to a posh resort in Connecticut. There’s also deeli.com gift cards, an offer for an iFLY indoor flying session as well as a Tiffany cat collar and designer dog toys. And, because this is Hollywood, Oscar nominees will get gourmet chocolates that can be burned off with the gift bag's offer for personal training sessions and a week at a fitness boot camp.
Moving on to the strange: To round out the swag, The Academy opted to include a bizarre game called The Pig Board, a year’s supply of Altoids Smalls and a “Green Home” Serta mattress. The cost: about $85,000 a bag. Read more about Oscar goodies at Fashionista.com.
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Not everyone can take home a shiny Oscar statuette, so the Academy offers gift bags filled with the awesome as well as the bizarre.
Hollywood has the right to give out whatever they want. This is the same at all of the "parties" but in this economic climate shouldn't the Academy have a contest or a raffle and allow some regular people into the event and receive a gift bag as well. People line up for hours just to get a glimpse of their favorite star. The publicity would be great for the Oscars. Someone talk to Tom Hanks!
I just learned about the gifts today and I was a bit shocked.
In lieu of these exotic gifts, donations should be made to the innumerable charities that exist to help people with issues such as healthcare, education a disaster relief( just to mention a few).
However, this is not the way things work in Hollywood, USA.
Obviously it is all about notoriety and it's potential influence on business.
Unfortunatley, isn't it always about money?
It is a shame. Maybe one of these days most of the actors and other attendees at the Oscars can boycott this type of thing.
One can only hope!
And i suppose these bags are all being donated to Haitian and Chilean relief efforts right?
i can not believe in this time with so... many people unemployed that good old Hollywood with their own standard would do something like that but it doesn't surprise me. Do they really think they need these gifts (bonuses) after making millions? oh, they will tell us how much they give but what per cent is that from what they make or get as tax breaks. They do not tell the truth to themselves and they do not fool the public.
Omm, in this economy!!! Most of us are struggling and then this kind of money and offers and such. Where are the stars shame? Some may care, others don't. Only in America
you guys are retarded, companies give all this stuff away so their goods can be written about in articles like this, nobody is wasting money....THEY ARE MAKING MONEY!
I thought I heard several years ago, they started taxing them – and that it was decided to not give them out since nobody wanted to pay taxes etc.. Guess I'm "behind" in the oscar news. When I received my "simulated oscar" in High School dramatics, mine was carved and covered with speckly stuff – and nobody got goody bag. that was "life in 1960" small time. Maybe money could be saved and productions cost less if they gave "carved wooden ones" or even "virtual oscars" & actors salaries back within "reason" and folks could maybe afford to go to motion picture theatres again! They seemed to be more enjoyable when they cost "under a buck" !! How can they be making money when the $1 DVD dispensers are out there cranking them out really soon, or out for sale on DVD, or out on satellite TV for 4.99 ??
All those money are going to waste... Why not give it to those who need it more?
disgusting, we should all boycott this excessive display of bad taste
Great. Just what a bunch of over-privileged pricks need: more perks. They should all receive a bag of "carbon credits" instead. Some of them deserve prison, too.
With joblessness, poverty and disasters the experience for many today, this is obscene. These people have more money than they know what to do with, get clothes and jewelry to wear for free and $85,000 gift bags on top? Disgusting and totally out of touch with reality.
The unbelievable part of all this is how many of you complain about what they are receiving and the ridiculous cost and the majority of you will still be glued to your television watching these pampered premadonnas.
It's simple. The companies give these gifts so celebrities will go , endorsing their South African Safari. As we know, that's worth a lot to the company. (George Clooney was here! Sales go up.) if you want free stuff, become a famous actor. If you don't, keep whining but don't fool yourselves by saying you'd turn it down if it were offered to you.
Hey if you want the gifts then go study acting or directing and take the risk of being poor and move to hollywood and attempt to become an actor. This is the world we live in and while it may seem silly the amount of money generated by these people showing up to events make the 85 grand a bag seem like pennies. If you dont like it don;t watch movies or the oscars because plenty of other people still will.
If you do not agree with this, don't watch the Oscars. that's it- they are making money off of our eyeballs, and all it takes to change the world and the media in it is to watch something else.
Oh good grief - how petty can some of you people be?!?
This folks have risen to the top of their professions - in some cases because of luck, but in most cases because of dedication and hard work. Now they are being honored for their accomplishment, and you begrudge them some gifts, all of which are donated by businesses hoping to build relationships with big-spending customers. It must be hard to go through life carrying that big chip around on your shoulder. Try putting it down for a bit - you'll be amazed at how much energy you have for more usefull pursuits.
If it makes any of you feel better, the folks accepting these "gifts" will have to pay about $30,000 in taxes. And, they get to do this since they can do something we can't. If you can do it, go do it. If you can't, then just sit back and enjoy the show...
I wish I could go on just ONE LITTLE $2000 trip to Hawaii or some other sunny, 70 degree blue ocean, white sand place. Get my drift. Anyone else need a VACATION????
I hope they get taxed for some of these items.
What is WRONG with this picture?! Unbelievable.
And to think.....those people can afford to go anywhere in the world for little or nothing, and yet, they receive a "gift bag!" If they stop giving them out, I wonder how many would show up and support those that were nominated.
I am confused. Are these gifts for me sitting and watching at home or for the already wealthy celebs who go to this distinguished event? Oh, the celebs? Because they can't afford these things otherwise? I see.........
my oh my! it costs an arm and a leg to go to a movie; the economy for most of us is not on the upswing and these folks, who make millions per picture, are getting a goodie bag worth $85,000. give me a break...someone, anyone, should step up and refuse...and maybe others would follow...shame on those who offer this stuff and shame on those who accept it.