Aside from the awesome champagne, the rest of the glitz and glamour associated with the Academy Awards is getting toned down a bit this year. Apparently, agents have informed their celebrity clients about the recent economic troubles, and are advising them not to flaunt their wealth. Brands are also being more cautious about giving away tons of free crap to Oscar patrons. While swag from previous years included private jet rides, vacations and designer toilets, this year's offerings include relatively modest items like $200 handbags, state-of-the-art vacuum cleaners, and toothbrush sanitizers. Which leads us to wonder if Sharon Luggage is sponsoring the Oscars now. Of course, the opulence isn't really going away, since it's still true that "attendees of the $100,000 event will pick up their freebies as they are escorted through five 1,000-square-foot rooms ... decorated in the theme of a best-picture nominee."

—Posted by David Kiefaber