Sign of the Times: Oscars Swag Bags Contain Pepper Spray

They also contain, of course, expensive vacations and the like
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 1, 2018 5:19 PM CST
In This Year's Oscars Swag Bags: Pepper Spray
An Oscar statue appears in the ballroom during the 90th Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif.   (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP)

The swag bag handed out to this year's Academy Awards nominees is worth up to $100,000—and, in the wake of the sexual assault allegations rocking Hollywood, you may not be surprised to hear that one of the freebies included in the goodie bag is pepper spray. "This event is a unique opportunity for us to lend a helping hand in the #MeToo movement with solutions that take aim at the harassment culture that’s been pervasive most notably in the entertainment industry and in broader society," David Nance, the CEO of security systems company Sabre, tells Yahoo News. In addition to two types of pepper spray, Sabre's additions to the bags include two personal body alarms and a kit to test whether a drink has been drugged; another company is also including its pepper spray product in this year's bags.

"In the aftermath of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, PepperFace is arriving in Hollywood at the perfect time," says PepperFace CEO Brian Pennington. "We want to be an awareness symbol to help end violence against women and also provide resources for those unfortunate enough to have become a victim of violence." This year's bags—which are not officially tied to the Oscars and of which the Academy is no fan, Page Six reports—also include free trips to Hawaii, Greece, and Tanzania; health and beauty products like a "gum rejuvenation" dental procedure, a "24K gold facial," an 18-minute "phobia relief session," and sessions with a celebrity trainer; food including Mexican soda and locally grown oranges; pricey pet food and a $10,000 donation to the animal shelter of the nominee's choice; and jewelry including a conflict-free diamond necklace. (More Oscars stories.)

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