While only a handful of stars will receive the Oscars, host Chris Rock and all acting and directing nominees will receive a record-setting $200,000 goodie bag – a perk deemed taxable by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). We managed to get a peek into the list of items in the "Everybody wins at the Oscars Nominee Gift Bag", and here they are:
$55,000: | 10-day, first-class trip to Israel |
$45,000: | Year’s worth of Audi car rentals |
$45,000: | 15-day walking tour of Japan |
$31,200: | Lifetime supply of skin cream |
$6,300: | 10,000 meals for animal shelters donated in celebrity’s name |
$6,250: | “Ultimate Fitness Package” in private villa |
$5,000: | 3-night stay at Grand Hotel Tremezzo in Lake Como, Italy |
$275: | A toilet tissue gift box |
$150: | A sterling silver necklace |
$99: | rouGe Maple syrup |
$35: | Drunken Fig Cake Bites |
$12: | travel fuzz remover |
Here's a look at the rise of the 'celebrity bag':
1989: Originally conceived by AMPAS* to thank actors for presenting awards at Oscars.
2002: Marketing company Distinctive Assets commercializes gift bag concept
2005: $100,000 — Value of gift bag
2006: IRS decrees that celebrities must pay tax on gifts at awards shows
2015: $167,586 — Value of gift bag
(Source: Distinctive Assets, thewrap.com)