When was the last time you went to a party for adults and got a party bag?
If you're lucky enough to have been nominated for an Oscar and are going to the Academy Awards this year, word on the street is that you'll receive a $100,000 gift bag.
Yes, you read that right - $100,000.
From the ordinary to the obscure, the unofficial swag bags each nominee will receive were put together by Distinctive Assets and include everything from diamonds and lavish overseas holidays to maple syrup (what?).
What's included in these Oscars gift bags
- We're obviously not talking about the maple-flavored store-bought stuff most of us put on our pancakes at home. Provided by Rogue Maple Syrup, the maple syrup in the Goodie bags costs $100
- Weight-loss supplements
- Self-defense items like a key-ring pepper spray, body alarms and a drink test kit that can detect if a drink has been drugged, as part of the #MeToo campaign
- Sessions with a personal trainer
- Sweat patches for your underarms, from Dandi Patch
- A lifetime supply of Oxygenating Foundation ($66) and Oxygenating Hydro Matrix ($70)
- Youthblast anti-aging supplement and 24k gold facial
- 23 and Me ancestry plus health kit, worth $199
- 12 nights in Tanzania at the Serengeti Migration Camp, worth between $695 and $1178
- Six nights at the Koloa Landing Resort at Poipou, worth around $1980
- A year's supply of fruit delivered from Epifruit
- Phobia relief training
- A commissioned original painting from Rein Williams Fine art
- Diamond jewelry
- And much more!
The best thing included in these bags, in my opinion anyway, is the $10,000 donation to an animal shelter of the recipient's choice.
Because let's be honest. These people don't need gift bags. Even the ones that don't win an award.
Should we be insanely jealous that we aren't getting such a bag?
When I first heard about how much these goodie bags were worth, I thought it sounded like 'the rich get richer' situation, where the top actors, who already have so much, are further rewarded. In my opinion, there's something wrong with the way we idolize celebrities such as actors and sports stars. Those at the top make an obscene amount of money and it seems ridiculous that they are further rewarded when so many people are struggling just to make ends meet.
Apparently, the Academy sued Distinctive Assets in 2016 for using the word 'Oscars' on their goodie bags, so it's not exactly like they endorse the gifts.
This year, the bags are called 'Everyone wins,' which at least reflects a more inclusive message.
I get that the purpose of these gift bags is to provide businesses with a priceless promotional opportunity (some companies pay up to $4000, apparently) to be seen with some of the most successful celebrities around.
But with gifts like donations to animal shelters and self-defense items as part of the #MeToo campaign, I'm going to focus on the fact that these goodie bags could do some good and try to contain my jealousy.
