WHIPPING UP PUBLICITY

This year, everybody gets an Oskar.

Allegheny International Inc. has sent Sunbeam Oskar food processors (retail list $87.95) to nominees in the five most prominent categories, with a note of good luck.

“Sunbeam thought the play on the name was too good to pass up,” said Allegheny spokeswoman Jennifer Eidson.

She said Allegheny has received no responses yet, but claimed that when the stars’ agents were notified of the gifts, “they were real excited.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was less thrilled. For a comment on the promotional ploy, they had a curt “no comment.”

Undaunted, Allegheny is thinking about sending Oskars every year.