The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is nixing celebrity swag bags this year, due to the IRS' crackdown on the expensive goody bags. For some reason, I was smirking with glee after reading this article. These overstuffed gift bags, which can be overflowing with $40,000 worth of free booty, are generally given to celebrities for merely presenting an award to nominees. I never understood the concept of giving multi-millionaires free stuff, they can afford or probably already own. I understand that it may be free publicity for some fledgling boutiques or a new fashion line, but it's gotten out of hand. I attended the Sundance Film Festival in 2005, and was lucky enough to get invited to some celebrity parties, and it was amazing how greedily some of these people snatched up the free goodies. Bearing witness to this swag phenomenon, I found that the rich and famous don't have to pay for their drinks... the bar was open to them (and me). It's almost as if these people can walk around within the realm of their bubble and do and have whatever it is they want. I mean, they have booths and whole cabins set up as temporary boutiques, at the Sundance Film Festival, a wonderland filled with free and expensive merchandise, where celebrities come, browse, pick out 10 Tag Heuer watches, 10 pairs of Gucci shades, luggage, vacations, spa treatments, a luxury purse, and ski attire; which they're fitted for, among other things, the greed and entitlement glistening in their eyes ... all for FREE. Most celebs only make an appearance at the festival, not for the art of independent films, but because they want to shop for free. Then they get on the next jet out of Utah, and go on about their business. I'm guessing Robert Redford never intended for his endeavor to be known as Swag Land. Oh, and don't think that, just because you're a friend or family member of a celebrity and you just happen to be present during this gratis shopping free, that you'll get spillover perks. These things are just for the "it" person of the moment. So keep your grubby, commoner hands to yourself, stand by, and look on longingly at the mountain of electronics, clothes, and jewelry. Certain types of celebrities seem oblivious to the real world... because they tend to mistake the real world for, well, swag. Some of these people go to bars and restaurants and think they don't have to settle their bill at the end of the evening, or tip accordingly, and they approach bouncers and doormen, asking, "Don't you KNOW who I AM???" These awards shows are lavishly thrown together for their benefit. To honor them and their craft. Isn't this what they work towards? Then why should they get free bags full of thousands of dollars worth of stuff? They're getting recognition, a lavish meal, drinks, and they get to party afterwards, all for free. I'm not getting on a soapbox, I'm ranting, because I am glad that celebrity swag is being questioned. Perhaps it'll eventually be phased out all together.