Believe it or not, there are “celebrities” out there who do not like getting expensive, free stuff.
Edward Norton is one of these so-called celebrities and he’s currently leading a campaign to ban extravagant gift baskets traditionally given to presenters at top awards shows, the World Entertainment News Network reports.
Norton is appalled by the lavish baskets stars receive at awards like the Golden Globes and Oscars — gift baskets that often contain more than $100,000 worth of goods, including iPods, designer clothing, Hawaiian resort and spa packages and various other electronics and luxury items.
“A lot of us have talked to the Academy Awards producers about this and I think they're actually going to scuttle the gift baskets and that kind of stuff,” aays the noble Norton. “I mean 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.’”
Good work, Ed! The heroic Norton probably won’t mind not having to fork out some bucks to the IRS, too. Under U.S. income tax law, Oscar-level gift baskets are treated as income, not gifts, and are subject to some heavy taxation. We’re sure this had absolutely nothing to do with his passion for this pressing issue. We’re also sure Norton wasn’t aware that CNN reported in August the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had decided to stop handing out gift baskets anyway because of the whole tax issue — otherwise it would make his whole grandiose gesture seem a little, ahem, hollow.
Hey, we’re sure he’ll do something noble with all the cash he’s saving everyone!
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