Bridget+C’s+OpEd+Article



America loves fame. Adores it, craves it, runs off it. One might even go so far as to say America //feeds// on it. And the best way to promote the growth of something is to reward it. Thus, the awards shows were born, ranging from the Country Music Awards to the MTV Movie Awards to the Golden Globes. But once a year, the American public turns on their TV in late February or early March to watch the most important, most popular, and most extravagant of televised awards shows: The Academy Awards. The Academy Awards, more commonly known as the Oscars, began in 1929 to honor “excellence in cinematic achievement” and since then, winning an Oscar has become the ultimate dream for directors, writers, producers, and actors alike. But if one takes a step back and observes the Academy Awards from an eye that is not used to such lavishness and extremity that this night entails, it all seems a bit foolish. The amount of money that goes into both producing this show each year and making all of the people involved look as glamorous as possible is nothing short of ridiculous.

It’s no secret that the night of the Oscars is a night of elegance, luxury, and showing off. I can appreciate that; I myself find that getting ready for a formal dance such as Winter Formal (I have yet to experience prom) with my friends is oftentimes much more fun than the dance itself. We all know that the dress defines the woman at events like these, and a little indulgence is perfectly healthy. But really, there is a limit. Shall we take a look at what some of the pieces that our beloved starlets were wearing on the red carpet are worth?

Sandra Bullock: $380,000 diamond hair brooch Anne Hathaway: $485,000 diamond necklace Helen Hunt: $700,000 diamond necklace Naomi Watts: $1.5 million total in diamond jewelry, including earrings and bracelet Jacki Weaver (nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in //Silver Linings Playbook// opposite Robert DeNiro): $2 million total in diamond jewelry, including earrings, rings, and bracelet Jennifer Garner: $2.5 million total in diamond jewelry alone, including a necklace, ring, and bracelet

And that’s just from //this// year.

The most expensive pieces of jewelry in Oscars history:

Kate Winslet’s $4 million look, including diamond necklace, bracelet, and earrings, 2010 Nicole Kidman’s $7 million diamond necklace, 2008 Anne Hathaway’s $10 million diamond necklace, 2010 And finally, Gloria Stuart’s $20 million diamond and sapphire necklace, 1998 (Fun fact: that necklace was supposed to be a replica of the piece that appeared in //Titanic//, 1997, which Stuart starred in.)

Furthermore, the Academy itself spends a colossal amount of money on producing the actual event: the red carpet, food for the after-party, renting the theater, paying the host and entertainment of the night, the creation of the stage set for the various performances during the night… and of course, the creation of the famous Oscar statuettes, which are plated in 24-karat gold. Did you know that $75,000 alone is spent on //each// giftbag given to the nominees? Multiply that by the 488 nominees in the 2013 awards, and there goes $36.6 //million// that won’t make a difference to many of the nominees compared to their sky-high paychecks for each of their roles.

I’ll admit, of course, that all this money put into this production will greatly stimulate the economy in the Los Angeles area. After all, $50+ is not chump change and our economy needs all the stimulating it can get. However, am I the only one who feels that this money would be much better spend solving world hunger and providing clean water and healthcare to those who truly need it, rather than increasing the wealth gap by enlarging the egos and bank accounts of those in Hollywood? I respect the Academy Awards in that I believe that these individuals who have produced and acted in these marvelous films should be recognized, but enough is enough.

http://thevivant.com/best-jewelry-oscars-2013-anne-hathaway-jennifer-lawrence-more/ http://thevivant.com/expensive-oscars-jewelry-time/ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-what-costs-create-academy-422001 http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2011/02/26/12-Over-the-Top-Oscar-Costs.aspx#page1
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