Swag is one of the tackier aspects of celebrity. And that’s really saying something. It’s always aggravating to see wealthy famous people loading up on thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods, but it’s particularly annoying when the vast majority of the rest of the country is struggling to meet basic needs. That didn’t stop actress Vanessa Hudgens from stocking up on $12,000 worth of luxury items at the Golden Globes last night – nor did it keep her from bragging about it, along with her giant new house.
Vanessa Hudgens has a unique recession strategy: Get as much as you can for free. The “High School Musical” star hit the Golden Globes swag suites hard over the weekend, leaving her assistant to carry four “overflowing” bags of freebies, totaling a whopping $12,000.
Hudgens overtook “Access Hollywood’s” Stuff You Must … lounge suite, making sure to “take something from every booth,” our witness said. Among the gratis goods were a one-year pass for her and a pal to a AMC Theatres, a BlackBerry Pearl, a coffee machine, a $4,000 diamond pendant, designer clutches, a year-long gym membership and more.
It was more than a little ironic when, during her spree, Hudgens commented on how overjoyed she was with the “huge house I just bought.” We’re guessing it’s a little easier to fill a new home when you’re spending three hours in a gift lounge.
[From Gatecrasher]
I’m surprised we didn’t see Vanessa’s assistant lugging home a nice couch from the swag sitting areas. Of course a lot of other celebs partook of the free merchandise. But Gatecrasher points out that many refuse, or at least are gracious enough to limit it to one or two items.
At the BAFTA/L.A. Tea Party, Clint Eastwood, nominated for “The Changeling” and “Gran Torino,” told us: “I don’t want anything. I don’t want any gifts. [These] companies are trying to advertise, and they figure it’s low-cost advertising. They want to sell their product and help make the economy better, which is okay, but it’s not for me.”
Over at the HBO Luxury Lounge, Ricky Gervais picked up only a pair of shades from Solstice. “Sunglasses are the only things I can bear to take from these lounges,” he said. “I’m kind of like Elton John that way.”
[From Gatecrasher]
Clint Eastwood has a point – companies are trying to get free (or relatively inexpensive) press in exchange for getting celebs to use their products, so there certainly is a point to the whole thing beyond gratuitous excess. There’s just something about it that always seems so tacky to me, even when the economy is doing well. If there’s anyone who can afford expensive stuff, it’s celebrities. Some donate their items, which is definitely a more gracious way to go. But I do like the idea of just grabbing a pair of sunglasses or something similar as a nice compromise.
Here’s Vanessa Hudgens with Zac Effron at the Golden Globes last night, and at an afterparty later that evening. Images thanks to WENN, Bauer-Griffin, and Splash.
The movie theater tickets are just ridiculous. Like, Vanessa honey, you can SO afford to pay for a ticket each time you go to the movies. That’s more offensive to me than the clutches and diamond pendants. I embarassingly can’t even afford to go to the moviess.
What’s tacky is the number of celebrities who think they’re entitled it.
What’s tacky is the number of celebrities who think they’re entitled to it.
Exactly how many more HSMs is this little twaddle going to make before she’s declared a one-trick pony ?
Wasn’t there some kind of ruling that swag gifts are taxable income? Does Vanessa realize she’s going to have to pay federal, state, and local taxes equivalent to about 50% of the value of all that stuff?
It’s worth it if it’s something you really want – like a nice pair of sunglasses. It’s still a 50% discount off the full purchase price. But it’s a lot to pay for something you might not have wanted in the first place.
Perhaps that’s why the other celebrities are a bit more “gracious.”
life is so unfair.
I just don’t get that girl. She is surely one homely kid. I’m honestly not trying to be cruel, but truly, she is so extraordinarily plain. Plain like a 13 year old boy who gets sand kicked in his face. She sort of reminds me of Ugly Betty’s nephew but he’s far cuter. What is the fascination people have with her actually based on?????
GREEDY !!!! SHAMEFUL !!
That’s what I was going to say, Candy! I hope she realizes she has to pay taxes on that now!
Honestly, I would be humiliated by taking things from a swag lounge.
in response to pfft –
she’s not homely, she’s at the very least pretty. what kind of warped perception of beauty do you have? I get disgusted when random onlookers criticize the appeal of obviously good-looking people by saying petty things like, ‘(s)he is pudgy/homely/has a big nose’.
Real talk, I’m not gonna lie, if I were in that girl’s shoes, I would swipe as much as I could from a gift lounge.
That’s what you’re supposed to do! If it’s there free, then take it!
Am I missing something? Why is considered “tacky” to take something free? What about the 1000s of people on the internet everyday scouring freebie websites for stuff (myself included), except the stuff we get is crap, including cheap pencils, food samples, and the occasional free t-shirt or book bag plastered with some random company’s ugly logo smack dab in the middle of it for all the world to see?
Shoot, I’d take a free Blackberry, if I had the opportunity for it.
I’d think you’d be stupid to turn something like that down.
I guess this is something they do differently now — this all-you-can-grab-buffet. In the past before the swag was taxed, the swag bag was pre-packaged as a gift in lieu of getting payment to present at the awards; a bigger bag was given to the MC, smaller ones to the presenters.
One year, George Clooney donated his to a charity, which auctioned it off to raise funds. I thought that was a classy thing to do.
I agree that it’s tacky how much free stuff celebs get when they get paid more than most people and can afford to buy it themselves.
I think the tacky part about it is that some celebs don’t appreciate what they already have and want more because it’s free. It’s tacky like when you go to a fancy party and take the table decorations. She already has so much, why be a volture about it and take more especially when people all over are struggling just to eat!
well, she should!!
It’s not like she’s gonna be around in 2010 is it? She can sell the shhh on ebay.
Her acting and singing is just hilarious!! She doesn’t have any talent that will extend her 20mins of fame.
I hope she has a GED at least. She’s gonna need something to fall back on…
bwah ha ha ha ha. how does it feel to so young, and so unavailable. both your managers must be trying to get you to sleep with their friend$.
She’s just another teenage Disney slut with no class. Nothing new to see here.
“She is surely one homely kid”
“She’s just another teenage Disney slut with no class”
jeez, what’s with all the unnecessary catty comments on here lately? they sound petty and excessive for this article. the article was about her taking things that were things that were there for FREE, probably in excess but still… it’s not like she randomly stole somebody’s fur coat a la lohan.
i agree with AC, if i were there i would swipe as much as i could also. if you have a problem with it, blame the companies that give their products away knowing full well that the people getting them can more than afford it.
Come on, even events in the Hamptons give away gift bags to everyone. The irrestible gifts bags are loaded with all kinds of goodies and have turned me on to some quality products. This kid is probably sharing all of these gifts with friends and family. The companies are offering so they should expect it. Just let the kid have it. It’s not breaking the companies offering these gifts.
Hey Pfft, I’m super critical about looks, as CB writers know but I think this girl is as cute as a button. Not plain or homely. Oh well, you probably think Cate Blanchett is a stunner just because she has blue eyes and blond hair. To each his own, I guess.