SWAGTASTIC

One of the perks of covering junkets is the free stuff we get. Not just the free food for breakfast or lunch, but actual gifts.

The most frequent gifts are clothing. I’ve gotten T-shirts, caps, jackets and even a robe or two decorated with movie logos. My closets are full of this stuff. I still take along a sweatshirt from “Golden Eye” or “As Good As It Gets” if I’m headed back east during the winter, and I still wear my watch from “The X-Files” movie. One movie, “The Clearing” starring Robert Redford, awarded us with sneakers.

Another popular gift are carryall bags. I’ve got duffel bags, gym bags and backpacks. Every summer I grab my “Lake Placid” backpack to use to carry books around the San Diego Comic-Con.

There have also been some unusual gifts. One was a custom made bowling ball for the comedy “Kingpin.” Because I rarely go bowling, I passed on that one. There was also a “Charlie’s Angels” beach chair and even an actual cell phone designed for “The Matrix Reloaded.” More recently, we got a pregnancy test with the logo for “Juno” on it!

Now some people give these promotional items to charity or blow out the gifts at an annual garage sale. They might also put them up on E-Bay, although that may be why the movie companies have cut back on junket swag. You never know what people will want. We once got a wooden box with the logo of Mel Gibson’s “The Patriot” on it. Someone I know sold it for $ 700 to a fan who lived near where the movie was made and wanted a souvenir of the film.

Now every so often, someone will do an article or say on a TV show that swag will buy a good review. I don’t think that’s true. If you see someone recommend a terrible movie in an ad blurb, it’s more likely they just like to see their name in the paper. Although the carrot cake at the Four Seasons is pretty good…