The Golden Globes will be the first awards show to implement the 'no gift bag for presenters' policy that has been put into effect as of 2007. I'm sure everyone who has watched awards shows like the Oscars or the Golden Globes has wondered why each presenter gets such a lavish gift bag, sometimes worth over $100,000.
Presenters at prestigious awards shows like these are famous actors, actresses and singers who earn more in a week than most people do in a year. Million dollar movies, records and multi-million dollars homes are how these people live their lives. So why is it that they're rewarded with overly expensive gift bags? No one really knows.
So what prompted the sudden ban of the gift bags? A few things actually. Apparently the decision was a combination of the threat of having to pay taxes as well as Edward Norton's very public opinion on the subject.
Edward Norton has called the bags "disgusting and shameful". He goes onto explain his take on the subject: "The gift baskets, worth amounts of money that a low-income family could live on for a year, (are given to) people who have so much already. It gets depressing. You sit there, going this is an embarrassment".
And it was Edward Norton's opinion that persuaded the IRS to make presenters pay taxes for the gift bags. The IRS responded by stating "Whether you're popping the popcorn, sitting in the audience or starring on the big screen, you need to pay your taxes. There's no red carpet loophole for the stars".
Norton's short-term solution for the gift bags - giving a donation to the charity of choice in the name of the presenters.
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