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According to CNBC's report, some Oscar nominees and the host, Conan O'Brien, received luxurious gift bags. As per the media outlet, Los Angeles-based marketing company Distinctive Assets has given the "Everybody Wins" gift bags for 23 years. This year, the actors nominated for four acting categories, the directing nominees, and O'Brien received gift bags worth around $220,000.
According to CNBC, the gift bags include cannabis-infused drinks, a four-night stay in a Maldives resort worth $23,000, a stay at a Barcelona hotel worth $5,200, AncestryDNA's VIP Family History Experience worth $25,000, skincare from INSTYTUTUM, a John Boos cutting board worth $240, luxury pocket squares from Daniel Ashley co., amidst other things.
The marketing company's founder, Lash Fary, told the media outlet that he curated the gift bags with things he considered cool and fun. He said,
"My goal when I’m building this bag is that I go, ‘There’s some cool sh*t here that I would love to get if I were a celebrity.' I don’t think you’re ever too rich or famous to get past that. Especially when it’s so much fun stuff."
X user @PopCrave posted news about the gift bags on the social media app. The tweet garnered much criticism from netizens.
One netizen remarked that the rich actors and directors don't need the gift bag containing luxury goodies.
"Hollywood loves giving rich people free things they don’t need," they wrote.
Some netizens wondered if the people who work behind the scenes, such as editing, producing, sound, cinematography, and the like, also received the luxury gift bags. Another netizen expressed that it was off-putting that selected nominees were given the gift bags, seemingly suggesting that other nominees don't deserve them.
"I hope the cinematography, sound, production design, editing, HMU, score, producing, international etc nominees receive these $200k gift bags too," a netizen wrote on X.
"How the richest and most successful people get the most free stuff as if they couldn’t afford it already... and giving out cannabis to celebs - the new trend, aye!" another netizen wrote.
"The thing that pisses me off about these gift bags is that they don't give them to all the nominees. It's like saying that sound engineers, production designers, etc. don't deserve to get nice things, but only actors/directors do," another X user wrote.
One netizen appreciated the gesture of giving nominees gift bags. Another mockingly wrote that while normal people struggle with bills, celebrities enjoy gift bags worth $200k.
"I need $500 to get my water back on and I just got home from being in the hospital for a heart attack. Might as well be a $1M. Please tell me more about the f*ckin $200k goodie bags," a netizen wrote on X.
"This sh*t pisses me off like they are millionaires they don’t need this free sh*t however the workers that make the Oscar happen they work enjoy a premium," another netizen wrote.
"That's an incredible gift bag! Over $200k in goodies, including luxury trips, skincare, and even cannabis – quite the way to treat the Oscar nominees!" another X user wrote.
Conan O'Brien hosted the Oscar Awards for the first time
The Oscars 2025 saw Conan O'Brien's first stint as the host of the prestigious ceremony. According to Deadline's report dated February 26, 2025, before the 97th Academy Awards, O'Brien jokingly said in a press conference that he accepted hosting the Oscars because he wanted to attend it.
"I only hosted so that I could be invited to the Oscars. You’re supposing that I’m the perfect person. We don’t know," he said.
In the press conference, he also discussed hosting with Billy Crystal, the past host. O'Brien complimented Crystal, calling him the "all-time great" Oscars host.
"I’ve spoken with Billy Crystal, who I think is the all-time great and mastered the hosting of the Oscars, in my opinion, defined it and will always be the top," O'Brien said.
The 97th Academy Awards aired live on Sunday on ABC and Hulu. The awards ceremony can be streamed on Hulu, ABC.com, the ABC app, YouTube TV, FuboTV, and AT&T TV.
