Oscar's Gift Bags

Of course you'd like to present an Academy Award. Along with your moment in the spotlight, you'd receive 2010's Oscar gift bag. Receiving this swag ("stuff we all get") comes with a price. Starting in 2006, the IRS demanded that the bags, worth over $100,000, could not be considered gifts and would have to be taxed as ordinary income. This means Uncle Sam collects approximately $30,000.

What's in the 2010 goodie bag for nominees as well as presenters? Here are just a few items stuffed inside. Recipients have their choice of posh getaways: A five-day African safari, to which they can bring along eight adults and eight children. Or, if they prefer, a stay at a Monte Carlo beach hotel. There's even a trip to the Galapagos Islands. They also receive $4,000 in luggage. Hope it's not Louis Vuitton -- they probably have that set already. The bag also contains Chocolatines from Sweet Endeavors. It turns out that many presenters are cat owners. It's bad enough they have to stay home, so there is a cat lover's package from Fancy Feast. But that's not enough -- they get a flip cam and jeweled cat collar. No news on doggie owners.

Oscar celebs deserve to be comfortable, so HGTV is providing the Green Home mattress from Serta, a new, eco-friendly product. Their teeth will remain sparkling with the Oral B Pulsonic. We don't know whether gifts from previous years will be provided. One unusual product was included in the past: Ladies received a Victoria's Secret set of undies with their individual names embroidered. Don't ask how their sizes were discovered.

Will some unsung heroes receive goodies? A few years ago makeup artists and stylists received a faux crocodile and red petit point bag chock-full of Revlon cosmetics. Even fans along the red carpet got a bag of lipsticks. (And it's supposed to rain this year!)

So if you're asked to present an Oscar -- say yes.

Oscar's Gift Bags

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