Swag Hags…Let’s Kill Off The Gifting Suites

Jill Zarin...the biggest Swag Hag on Earth.

Jill Zarin...the biggest Swag Hag on Earth.

When did these tacky gifting suites enter the realm of fabulous? Who were/are these people that infiltrated the groovy backstage green rooms in order to display their sad wares? And when did real celebrities begin to frolic through free shit not minding that it becomes a press opportunity? When did fabulous go all wrong? Somewhere between the Golden Age of Hollywood and now, things have gotten cock-eyed. Press is no longer real press, and celebrities are no longer real celebrities, rather a bunch of schnorrers (Yiddish for moocher, as in Minnie the). Any schnook (Yiddish for stupid person) can be considered famous these days, hence gifting suites pop up everywhere and unfortunately for us, get all sorts of press. There is an item on Page Six in the New York Post today that literally made my skin crawl. Hold your nose…here it is:

“THE Real Housewives of New York City” taught their New Jersey counterparts some lessons in “fame” recently — including how to grab as much graft as you can. Jill Zarin and Ramona Singer came to the Lia Sofia gifting suite for TV Upfronts at the London NYC hotel and got to grabbing. Zarin took a bunch of Michael Stars tops, explaining, “I just got my breasts redone and need these to fit my new figure.” Zarin then swapped plastic-surgery advice with the Jersey women — Dina ManzoJacqueline LauritaTeresa Giudice and Carolina Manzo — while Singer told them that the gifting suites are “the fringe benefits of being a star.”

Melissa Rivers...noted Swag Hag. Is this the company you want to be in?

Melissa Rivers...noted Swag Hag. Is this the company you want to be in?

Now, you tell me. Is this enough to make George Clooney, Brangelina and Catherine Zeta Jones cringe if they ever see a gifting suite again? There’s no difference between the Real Housewives and ANY celebrity that par-takes in this sort of down-market activity. If you take free shit then you are a Swag Hag. Now, let me differentiate between individual gifting and these “suites”. Sending lovely gifts to celebrities homes is completely acceptable. There’s enough reasons to do this such as birthdays, winning awards or nominations, moments to acknowledge so it makes sense. But these grab bag rooms filled with crap have got to end.   Thoughts?

Please

5 responses to “Swag Hags…Let’s Kill Off The Gifting Suites”

  1. Johnna says:

    She is a super swag hag. I heard her boob job was done at a HUGE discount just as long as she promoted the hell out of the doctor. Whaaaat?

  2. david Lerner says:

    brangelina can grab as many free leggings and tees as they want. send them right over here. george clooney too. thats how im doing it!!

  3. G-Mole says:

    I mean what? This is crazy. Who the hell cares about some swag hags that live in NY? Whatch when their lives/looks are circling the drain & their husbands bang $4000 call girls. That's more impressive then the sad boob job.

  4. The Repentant Report says:

    Oh..the hypocracy! Back in 2002, when I fell into fashion and lifestyle writing after several years in P.R., the Swag Events in L.A. were a civilized mix of A-list celebrities and writers scouting trends. At my very first suite, I was treated with respect, though I was at a small neighborhood paper at the time. Though I didn't get high ticket items and did not expect them, I was thrilled with the cosmetics and haircut I walked out with, as well as wonderful P.R. connections, some I still maintain to this day. The suites in L.A. peaked in 2005, and while I had climbed the writer food chain and worked closely with vendors who were nice to me to make sure they got press, I noticed big stars and d-listers were sharing the space. The hosts of these events were so nice to the press until about 2007-8, and encouraged vendors to be kind to us as well.

    However, I stayed at the party too long and paid a price for it. When press is invited to attend a suite (unless they are gorgeous model types working for E! or one of the major newsstand outlets), they simply watch D-list celebrities get gifted–which is about as much fun as watching your parents make out. Also, I was verbally gang raped by one event planner I wrote and gave a ton of press to along with her prep-school pals, who said "every vendor hated me" because I was greedy and I was merely tolerated since 2002 (never mind I did not meet this person until 2004). Talk about double standards!!!! The ONE vendor who busted me lied, and her clothing line was so tacky that I didn't even spend much time at her table and took NOTHING. I am being nailed to the cross for the sins of everybody else in Hollywood…It's the rich giving to the rich, and though the good times were good, and as a starving writer I appreciated the cosmetics and clothing, I regret the publicity I gave to the planners of the events–not the vendors, who are nice people who are working hard to get exposure–but the planners who function like a hybrid of drug pushers and high school it group who like to humiliate others because they can.

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