[78-L] Kate Smith stamp

[David Lennick]

Kate was popular at a time when fat jokes were an accepted part of the culture. 
Listen to any old Jack Benny program and count the fat jokes about Don Wilson. 
Up here, Wayne & Shuster did the same thing about their announcer, Herb May, 
suggesting that television wouldn't work in Canada until the screen was big 
enough to show all of him.

dl

Cary Ginell wrote:
> Bailey was never as big a star on radio, television, or films as Smith was, so most people really didn't know what she looked like. The one who really never had jokes made about her looks was Ella. I think this was because of the tremendous respect people had for her abilities as a jazz singer. 
> 
> Cary Ginell
> 
>> Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2010 16:28:42 +0000
>> From: julianvein at blueyonder.co.uk
>> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
>> Subject: Re: [78-L] Kate Smith stamp
>>
>> l78rpm at aol.com wrote:
>>> In a message dated 1/8/10 11:07:12 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
>>> lherault at bu.edu writes:
>>>
>>> Kate was  routinely kidded about her size/weight if the musical shorts I've
>>> seen with  her are any indication.
>>> Has anyone reflected on how she may have dealt with this  personally?   To 
>>> be known and "beloved" by millions as a public  figure, and to be, 
>>> simultaneously, the object of constant derision?  
>>>  
>>> And now her image will be placed on a United States postage stamp --- a  
>>> remarkable honor. And the fat jokes continue.
>>>  
>>> pc
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>> Strange, Mildred Bailey never suffered that indignity, except as I 
>> recall some banter with Chubby Jackson.
>>
>>       Julian Vein
>>