If You Could Put A Comedian On A Stamp, Who Would It Be? [FREE POST]
Joan Rivers, without a second thought
I don’t know why I like stamps so much, but read me loud and clear: I don’t collect them. I don’t have time to collect stamps, although I am a general collector, due in part, I surmise, to some hoarding in my extended family that I may have picked up genetically. Even my DNA hoards quirks.
I have collections of spangly vintage outfits, rad boots, found items (gold teeth, several rings, an interesting medallion), crystals (most of which I’ve dug myself), outdated devices (an old flip phone, anyone?), and coins, among other things. But I don’t have a stamp collection.
Still, I love stamps. I only ever buy pretty or interesting ones. What’s the point of buying ugly stamps?
I was reading about stamps recently, and wondered if any have ever featured comedians. I discovered that in 1991, there was a collection of comedian stamps that featured Laurel & Hardy, Edgar Bergen, Jack Benny, Fanny Brice and Abbot & Costello.
The artwork was drawn by caricaturist Albert Hirschfeld, who is known for his pencil illustrations of Broadway plays that ran in The New York Times for many years. Against typical U.S. Postal Service protocol, the stamps allowed Hirschfeld to include a secret mark, his daughter’s name, “Nina,” which is hidden somewhere in all of his illustrations.
Postmaster General Anthony Frank had this to say about the series: “These comedians have made immeasurable contributions to American culture and, through the magic of radio and film, have brought laughter and joy to millions of people throughout the world.”
Werd.
The only other female comedian besides Brice that I could find on a stamp was Lucille Ball, who was enlisted for U.S. postal service posthumously, in the year 2001.
Comedian Bob Hope also made stamp status in 2009, and Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain also graced a stamp in 1940, back before they were in full color, and then again in 2011, once they were.
In 2015, the Royal Mail issued a series of stamps celebrating their top dogs, including Spike Milligan, The Two Ronnies, Billy Connolly, Morecambe and Wise, Norman Wisdom, Lenny Henry, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Monty Python, French and Saunders, and Victoria Wood. At least some of those names may sound familiar. I recognize exactly 4. I guess I have some reading to do! How many do you recognize?
Interestingly, the UK placed more female comedians on one set of stamps than America did in our entire history. Oops!
In 2015, the Canada post also celebrated some comedians via stamp, including a young, dashing Jim Carrey, a slender faced Mike Myers and Martin Short, Catherine O’Hara, and Olivier Guimond. Most of these should ring a bell. I know these comedians are all Canadian, but somehow at least 4 out of the 5 read as American to me.
I found a stamp possibly from Uruguay that appears to feature George Carlin.
I also located a sheet of stamps featuring famous comic strips, which is like a second cousin of comedians on stamps.
What comedians did I miss?
Who picks stamp stars, anyway? The Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), a group based in Washington, D.C., select stamp designs that are both interesting and educational, and then presents them to the Postmaster General. So now you know.
And who presents the designs for consideration? Well, artists, just like you. The process doesn’t seem crazy, although only 35 designs per year are approved to become stamps, so your odds are a little low. But then again, so is becoming a famous comedian, and that never stopped me or thousands of people like me.
If you submit, let me know.
Daily musings:
A brief history of stamps booklet | Mystic Stamp
Artists who want to put me on a stamp can try their luck here | USPS
Fun list of famous postal workers includes at least 1 comedian | USPS
What do you love about comedy? Please answer this very brief survey
Your comedy related ad here, in 9000 comedy-loving Museletter subscribers e-mail accounts; $10/day, $40/wk | jess delfino at gmail
So long, cool kid.
Carlin would've been my pick for sure, so it was cool to see him pop up (even if with another country). I was curious so I stuck the different quotes into Google Translate to see what would pop out. I think the "Republique Du Burundi" listed on the image is actually talking about the country of Burundi in Africa, rather than Uruguay. It appears to all be in French.
All of the bits referenced are about religion. I know nothing about Burundi's past with religion or why they may be featuring a guy known for mocking it. Wikipedia says 93% of the country are Christians. Translations to English (starting top left to bottom right) from the image above are:
1 - Religion is, in a way, like an elevator in your shoes. If it makes you feel good, so much the better!
But don't ask me to wear your shoes
2 - The only good thing ever to come out of religion is music
3 - I finally accepted Jesus, not as my personal savior, but as a man from whom I thought I could borrow money.
4 - We created God in our image and likeness
I found this image (https://images.app.goo.gl/xi6jGvFQUeLQDSxf9) on Google too of possibly a fifth stamp with one of his most famous religious bits:
Religion is probably the biggest load of bullshit ever told! Think about it. Religion has effectively convinced people that there is an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he doesn't want you to do. If you do any of these ten things, he reserves a special place for you in the midst of fire and smoke that will consume you in torture and anguish, he will send you to a life of suffering to burn, to suffocate, scream and cry forever and ever until the end of time! But he loves you.
Maybe Burundi was just missing some of the irony/hidden meaning behind Carlin's work that is more easily grasped if you're a native English speaker. When you just read the text without the tone of voice and everything, I can almost see how some of them would be taken as affirmations for people that God is real and watching and the jokes like the shoe bit are viewed as more innocuous.
Great post. Hirschfield’s ink drawings often had a number next to his signature. That was how many Ninas were hidden.
I’m on my way something soon to Lucille Ball’s hometown, Jamestown, New York, to visit the National Comedy Center. Have you been there? I can report back my findings.