Performing at the MTV Video Music Awards can be well worth it if you crave the pointless free crap packaged in the famous gift bags awards shows routinely hand out to entice big names to grace the stage. Crap like $1,000 mink eyelashes and 24-carat gold lash curlers. I’m serious, by the way. The bags at this year’s VMAs were valued at $26,000. Nice, but a paltry sum compared to the bag at last year’s Grammys, which were worth an estimated $34,000, or last year’s Academy Awards, which was valued at $150,000.
Other items in the VMA bag were an iPod shuffle with an MTV logo, an orange vinyl Paul Frank watch and a glass checker-set from Jose Cuervo, six months of guitar strings from Dean Markley, a six-month membership from The Sports Club/LA, two complimentary vacations, Shu Uemura makeup products, a Willy Wonka “golden ticket” redeemable for unlimited Nestle Wonka candy, a Dooney & Bourke triangle duffel bag, Swarovski T-shirts from Americana Couture, a Frederick’s of Hollywood herringbone tweed-and-velvet corset, Givenchy perfume, Taryn Rose ballet shoes, Missoni sunglasses, a limited-edition Sean John tee, and, last but not least, the billionaire artists can redeem a $1,000 gift certificate to “life coach” Sherri Ziff Lester, who may have some thoughts as to why people hate them.
