By Marilyn Loeser
Although the announcement came on April Fools’ Day, it’s no joke — The Simpsons are being honored on five First-Class Mail stamps. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie will be immortalized May 7 when the 44-cent stamps go on sale nationwide.
The TV series has already been honored with 24 Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a multitude of other accolades. Now the dysfunctional — but loving — family is getting the ultimate nod from the U.S. Postal Service.
The Postal Service receives approximately 50,000 suggestions for stamp subjects each year, yet only about 20 topics are selected for postage.
The Simpsons, currently in its 20th year as a regularly scheduled half-hour series — and the longest-running comedy in television history — is the only television show to be featured as the sole subject of a stamp set while still in primetime production.
“This is the biggest and most adhesive honor The Simpsons has ever received,” said Matt Groening, creator and executive producer of The Simpsons.
The Celebration has Begun
By logging onto www.usps.com/simpsons you can vote for your favorite Simpson stamp up until May 14. Results will be announced shortly thereafter.
Visitors to the website, over 18 years of age, also have the opportunity to register for a sweepstakes to be one of 25 winners of a limited-edition Simpsons’ poster to be signed by Groening. Winners will be notified the week of May 18 – 22, 2009.
Postal employees, their immediate families including parents, children, siblings or spouse, and others living in the same household, are not eligible to enter.
You can order framed artwork of the stamps and pre-order stamped postcards, stamps and first-day-of-issue merchandise from the website.
First-Day-of-Issue Dedication Ceremony
Groening created the original artwork for the stamps and is scheduled to participate in the dedication ceremony, along with executive producer James L. Brooks and several of the actors, at Fox Studios in Los Angeles at 11:15 a.m. PT on Thursday, May 7.
A limited number of seats are available to the public on a first-call, first-reserved basis. Those interested in attending can call 1-866-268-3243 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
Due to the expected demand, only one reservation will be accepted per requester per call. When calling, speak slowly.
Individuals attending the event are asked to provide a driver’s license or another form of government photo identification.
There is a fee for parking.
“We are emotionally moved by the Postal Service for selecting us rather than making the lazy choice of someone who has benefited society,” said Brooks.
“Maybe, for once, someone will call me ‘sir’ without adding ‘you’re making a scene,’” added stamp honoree Homer Simpson.
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