Benny's fans seek stamp of approval

By Josh Noel
Chicago Tribune
Letters and an online petition seemed
at first like a fine way to get Jack Benny
the comic who always claimed to be
39 years old on a 39-cent stamp.
But the woman trying to push one of Waukegan,
Ill.'s most famous sons into the upper-right corner
of U.S. mail is changing tactics, turning instead to political
muscle. U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., whose district includes
Waukegan, said he is already on board and
plans to lobby the U.S. Postal Service.

Last Tuesday, which would have been Benny's
112th birthday, Laura Leff, president of
the International Jack Benny Fan Club,
also lobbied the offices of Illinois Sens.
Barack Obama and Dick Durbin
after leading a "39 Man March"
of about 10 people - from the
Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol.
She's already talking like a savvy political pro.

"We're hoping for positive and broad
bipartisan support," said Leff, 36,
who founded the fan club when she was 10.
"One thing that's clear is you definitely
need political connections."

Despite a letter-writing campaign at
Jack Benny Middle School and an online petition
that has attracted 3,200 names,
Leff said people who have landed celebrities
on stamps told her that success comes not
from grass-roots efforts but having influence on your side.
Leff can use all the help she can get.

Among several hurdles, the largest appears to be
Benny's presence on a 29-cent stamp
in the early 1990s as part of a
series honoring comedians.
Postal Service rules say a person can be
honored with a stamp every 50 years.

Also, Leff is trying to get him on the stamp
before the rates change - a likely window of no
more than a few years. Stamp images for 2006
have already been announced, and
2007 images have been chosen but not
yet approved by the postmaster general,
postal spokeswoman Frances Frazier said.

"Not to say he won't be considered in the future,
but they're already working on the
2008-09 program," Frazier said.

Kirk, who did not attend the 39 Man March,
said he would write a letter to
the Citizens' Advisory Stamp Commission,
possibly suggesting that they honor Benny
in another series of stamps for comedians.

Kirk said he is joining the effort because
Benny reflects "the spirit of our area."
"He had a very self-effacing manner
that fits the Midwest," he said.
Leff said she is hoping for a resolution
in the House of Representatives
in support of the stamp,
but Kirk said that is unlikely.

"If it increases the chances of it happening,
I'll do it. But what I'm told is the letter is a better way,
" he said. "Getting them to work with your
idea is a lot easier than getting an act of Congress."

Frazier said the political alliances are
unlikely to sway the stamp advisory panel,
which recommends to the postmaster general
approximately 25 of the 50,000 suggestions
that come in every year.

"They would not print a new stamp just
because someone (of power) says
they wanted it," Frazier said.
"I would definitely say they make their choice
based solely on what they believe
is the best stamp for that year."