E.T. finds new home // Alien to represent the '80s on stamp

E.T., write home.

The character from the movie "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" willbecome the first known space alien to appear on a United Statespostage stamp.

The friendly visitor from another galaxy was a hands-down winnerto represent the 1980s in the arts and entertainment category for theCelebrate the Century series.Postal patrons were asked to cast their ballots for people,events and things to represent the 1980s. Fifteen of 30 candidateswere selected by mail-in ballots and e-mail.The stamps will appear on a single sheet that will be availablein January 2000.The largest vote in all categories was 268,746, for video games."The Cosby Show" drew 194,517 votes. The postal service has apolicy of not putting living humans on stamps, so it was thetelevision show, and not its star, Bill Cosby, who was nominated.Other winners in the same category were the musical "Cats"(169,357 votes) and hip-hop culture, (158,509 votes).Losers in the category were country music (120,977) and thenovel The Bonfire of the Vanities (34,669).Representing significant people and events of the 1980s will bethe fall of the Berlin Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and theAmerican hostages who were freed from Iran.Sports will be represented by two stamps: figure skating andthe San Francisco 94ers' Super Bowl wins.Science and technology will have four stamps: personalcomputers, compact discs, cable TV and the space shuttle program.The lifestyle category will include video games and CabbagePatch Kids.Other losers in the competition were: the arms reduction treaty,pianist Vladimir Horowitz, the Lakers vs. Celtics, NCAA Marchmadness, beach volleyball, the senior PGA tour, AIDS awareness, genemapping, mountain biking, talk shows, camcorders, aerobics andminivans.The top two vote-getters in each of the five categories areselected, along with the remaining five top topics overall.The 30 candidates for the stamps representing the 1990s will beannounced and voted on in May.Stamp sheets already have been issued for the 1900s, 1910s,1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The sheet for the 1950s will be releasedMay 27.Information on the Celebrate the Century program is availableon the Web site: www.usps.com.