I got called out once while boarding an Alaska Air flight from Spokane, WA to PDX. I had my rolling laptop bag, a paperback book, and a 20oz bottle of Sprite that I had just purchased at the news stand.

"You can't carry on 3 items - you'll have to consolidate" said the gate agent.

I thought about it for a second, decided not to argue, and balanced the Sprite on the top of my laptop bag so that it was no longer in my hand. That appeared to satisfy her - she nodded and scanned my boarding pass. I just walked away shaking my head.