The Golden Globes are looking to get back a little of their luster by forking over $500,000 worth of gift bag loot to the awards show's most glamorous guests.
The Globes and Robb Report, the luxury lifestyle magazine, announced Wednesday that 83 winners and presenters at the Jan. 7 show (airing live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+) will each receive bags featuring more than 35 products and experiences. The magazine will also donate an undisclosed sum to the Golden Globes Foundation, which contributes to a range of entertainment nonprofits. Gift Shopping Bags
While celebrities vying for Globes trophies, which honor the best in movies and TV, are likely to already have all the luxury they desire, the gift bags will funnel even more first-class glamour into their lives.
The swag includes gifts such as exotic yacht charter invitations, private jet credits, custom-made sneakers, celebrity tattoo sessions and private pizza-making classes with a top chef, with each bag valued at a half-million dollars.
Here's a partial list of what's inside (not all recipients receive all items):
◾ A two-night stay in Burgundy, France.
◾ An all-inclusive lodge stay in New Zealand for two.
◾ A two-night stay in Ireland.
◾ Private surf lessons in Southern California, including a custom surfboard.
◾ A one-year membership to a private social club in West Hollywood.
◾ A luxury wine experience in Houston.
◾ A $69,000 pair of emerald earrings.
◾ A bespoke pair of $1,500 sneakers.
Gift bags are staples of most affairs involving celebrities. Their apex typically is the Academy Awards, whose biggest nominees receive a bag of unsanctioned but expensive gifts. In 2020, Oscar bags were said to be worth around $200,000.
The Globes bags may set a new bar for excess as the luxe gesture marks both a return from scaled-down, pandemic-era awards shows, as well as the Globes' recently tarnished reputation.
The trouble started in 2021 when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was called out by the Los Angeles Times for its complete lack of Black members. The organization subsequently scrambled to revamp membership to include more people of color.
The HFPA was also accused of trading favors for votes, such as a group trip to the Paris set of "Emily in Paris," which subsequently received Globe nominations. Several studios announced they would sever ties with the organization, and NBC declined to televise the awards that year.
Golden Globe nominees:'Barbie' leads with 9, 'Oppenheimer' scores 8
In June, Dick Clark Productions took over the show, which had also become known for its zingy tone, thanks to irreverent hosts such as Ricky Gervais as well as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Comedian Jo Koy will host this year's show. Leading the nominations are "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," with nine and eight nominations respectively. In the TV category, HBO's "Succession" tops the list with nine nominations followed by FX's "The Bear" and Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building" with five each.
The Golden Globes are the festive kickoff of an awards season leading up to the Oscars, which air March 10.
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