{"id":394,"date":"2009-05-07T22:38:34","date_gmt":"2009-05-08T03:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/?p=394"},"modified":"2009-05-07T22:39:26","modified_gmt":"2009-05-08T03:39:26","slug":"the-simpsons-get-%e2%80%98stamping-ovation%e2%80%99-to-tune-of-1-billion-stamps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postalemployeenetwork.com\/news\/2009\/05\/07\/the-simpsons-get-%e2%80%98stamping-ovation%e2%80%99-to-tune-of-1-billion-stamps\/","title":{"rendered":"The Simpsons Get \u2018Stamping Ovation\u2019 To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Simpsons<\/a>
Simpsons Stamps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LOS ANGELES<\/strong> \u2014 \u201cAy, Carumba!\u201d A \u2018stampede\u2019 of one billion Simpsons<\/em> stamps began escaping from America\u2019s 34,000 Post Offices and infiltrated the nation\u2019s mailstream following the issuance of The Simpsons<\/em> stamps and postal cards today. The first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony took place at Twentieth Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles. There, The Simpsons<\/em> Creator and Executive Producer, Matt Groening, along with Executive Producer James L. Brooks join the voices behind the famous characters appearing on the stamps (Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith) in conjunction with the Postal Service in celebrating the stamps. Hank Azaria and other voice actors from The Simpsons<\/em> will be in attendance to lend their support. The longest-running primetime comedy in television history has become a cultural and ground-breaking phenomenon since the series launch in 1990. This honor solidifies their place in history.<\/p>\n

The Postal Service is reminding the world to visit www.usps.com\/simpsons<\/a> to vote early and often for their favorite Simpsons<\/em> stamp. Results of the ballot stuffing that ends May 14 will be announced shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re looking to encourage a younger generation to develop an interest in stamp collecting by creating stamps they can relate to,\u201d said U.S. Postal Service Vice President Ground Shipping James P. Cochrane. \u201cThe Postal Service commemorates Homer, Bart, Marge, Lisa and Maggie as The Simpsons<\/em> are currently in its 20th year as a regularly scheduled half-hour series in 2009, making it the longest-running comedy in the history of American prime-time television.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show is a critical and popular favorite and has won multiple Emmy awards, a Peabody Award and numerous other accolades.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an incredible honor to be on a U.S. postage stamp,\u201d said Matt Groening. \u201cI honestly can\u2019t believe it. I thought the Pillsbury Doughboy would come before us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joining Cochrane and Groening in dedicating the stamps were The Simpsons<\/em> Executive Producer, James L. Brooks, actor Kelsey Grammer, and Chairman of 20th Century Fox Television, Gary Newman.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s only supposed to be dead people on stamps,\u201c said James L. Brooks. \u201cSomehow we were able to overcome that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elie Dekel, Executive Vice President of Fox Licensing and Merchandising added, \u201cAfter 16 years in development, we are so proud to have reached this major milestone for The Simpsons<\/em>. An amazing accomplishment for a show that the world has loved and laughed at for twenty years, and counting.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Simpsons<\/em> Beat the Odds<\/strong>
\nThe U.S. Postal Service receives approximately 50,000 suggestions for stamp subjects each year, yet only about 20 topics make the cut. The Simpsons<\/em> is the only television show to be featured as the sole subject of a stamp set while still in prime-time production. Sesame Street<\/em> and Monday Night Football<\/em> were in production when they were honored on stamps as part of the Celebrate the Century: 1970s<\/em> series issued in 1999. Seinfeld<\/em> aired throughout the 1990s. The Seinfeld<\/em> stamp was issued in 2000 as part of the Celebrate the Century: 1990s<\/em> series.<\/p>\n

Other stamps commemorating TV shows that were not in production as part of the 1999 Celebrate the Century<\/em> series included: I Love Lucy, Star Trek<\/em> and All in the Family<\/em>. Jim Henson, the Man Behind the Muppets<\/em> was honored in 2005. The Muppet Show<\/em> aired from 1976 to 1981.<\/p>\n

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark<\/strong>
\nCustomers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store website at http:\/\/usps.com\/shop<\/a>, or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes, to themselves or others, and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:<\/p>\n