Three news stories on this little stamp.
A millennium stamp which has gone on sale has come under fire. The stamp depicts the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury stripped to the waist and also shows drummer Roger Taylor.
Philatelist Peter Jennings said heads should roll for permitting Taylor to sneak into Peter Blake's design, because he is still alive. Royal Mail rules stipulate only members of the British royal family may be depicted on stamps during their lifetimes - and being in a group called Queen does not count.
The Royal Mail admitted it was a rare breach of the rule but called for "common sense to prevail" over the pinhead-sized portrait, which appears on millions of 19p stamps put on sale.
The stamp shows Mercury in performance, stripped to the waist and looking heavenward, with Taylor at the top of a drum kit in the background. The Freddie Mercury stamp is part of The Entertainer's Tale set whose subjects were chosen with help from public opinion polls.
The others are England's World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore (26p), a fictional Doctor Who Dalek (44p) and comic film star Charlie Chaplin. Mr Jennings, a fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society, said: "I am extremely surprised the Royal Mail has broken the strict rule that no living person other than a member of the royal family may appear on a British postage stamp." The stamp was also attacked this week by Daily Mail columnist Simon Heffer who called it a "vulgar" commemoration of a star "whose degenerate lifestyle caused him to die of Aids at an unfortunately early age".
The Mirror (UK Newspaper if ya didn't know)
OFF WITH HIS HEAD
Fury as Queen drummer breaks rules and appears on new stamp A MILLENNIUM stamp showing Queen drummer Roger Taylor was slammed yesterday - because he is still alive.
Royal Mail rules say only members of the Royal Family can be portrayed on stamps during their lifetimes.
The 19p stamp, now on sale, pictures the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury performing, with Roger Taylor in the background.
Critics said being in a group called Queen doesn't put the stamp within the rules.
And they attacked the Royal Mail for allowing Aids victim Freddie on one of their designs.
Philatelist Peter Jennings said heads should roll: "I am extremely surprised that the Royal Mail has broken the strict rule that no living person other than a member of the Royal Family may appear on a British postage stamp. "Roger Taylor is clearly shown behind a set of drums proclaiming the name Queen on a stamp which depicts lead singer Freddie Mercury."
Mr Jennings added that it was "in poor taste" to dedicate a stamp to Freddie Mercury.
He wants the Royal Mail stamp advisory committee, whose members include actress Floella Benjamin, scrapped and the public given a "meaningful say" on future stamp subjects.
The new stamp is part of The Entertainer's Tale set whose other subjects include England's World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore (26p), a fictional Doctor Who Dalek (44p) and comic film star Charlie Chaplin.
Freddie Mercury was a lifelong stamp enthusiast whose collection is now in the possession of the Royal Mail. A Royal Mail spokesman said the new stamp had a tiny portrait of Roger Taylor and called for "common sense to prevail."
He added: "It is important to say that every stamp is approved by the Queen, including this one, which was also given the consent of Freddie Mercury's family and Mr Taylor."
Freddie Mercury Stamp Creates Controversy In The U.K.
ÊQueen'sÊ Freddie Mercury
ÊA British stamp honoring the memory of the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury isÊ kicking up a stir in the U.K., even though the stamp has been in circulation less than aÊ week.
ÊMercury, who passed away in 1991 from AIDS, has been honored with a stamp as partÊ of the Royal Mail's millennium series recognizing some of the most famous Britons of theÊ last 1000 years.
But the Associated Press reports that some in the U.K. have objected to any stamp being issued to honor the flamboyant Mercury, with one "London Daily Mail" columnistÊ criticizing the Royal Mail for honoring the star's "degenerate lifestyle."
Others have a more technical beef about the stamp, which also features a small rendering of Queen drummer Roger Taylor in the background, guidelines for Royal Mail stampsÊ include a provision that the only living persons who can be depicted on stamps are members of Britain's Royal Family.
The Royal Mail has fired back with a statement on the controversial stamp, noting that both the Queen and Freddie Mercury's family had approved its final design.
Taken from http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/beegee/483/thatsourboy.htm which in turn was taken from http://www.screaming.net