Ask Dr. Notebook

By Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daren Fonda, Ellin Martens, Ben Nugent, Desa Philadelphia, Julie Rawe and Josh Tyrangiel

Q. Why does the Seinfeld stamp, issued last month by the U.S. Postal Service, show only the inside of Jerry's apartment? Was the cast asking for too much money to be in the picture?

A. No egos to blame here. The rule is you have to lack a pulse to be on a U.S. stamp. Memorial stamps for Presidents can be issued on their first birthday after they die, but everyone else has to wait at least 10 years. Given this rule, stamp designers had little to work with after Americans last year voted the sitcom one of 15 cultural phenomena that best represent the 1990s.