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Kristin Seaver, Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of the United States Postal Service, stated, "It is a special honor to celebrate the 80th anniversary of one of the most beloved and iconic characters in history. Bugs is both timeless and timely, a quick-witted artist who can outsmart any situation with his clever disguises and intelligence. He summons whatever talent, costume, or personality is needed to evade any perilous circumstance."
Pete Browngardt, executive producer of "Looney Tunes Cartoons," and Alex Kirwan, producer of "Looney Tunes Cartoons," attended the ceremony alongside Seaver. The virtual stamp event can be viewed on the Postal Service's Facebook and Twitter pages.
Since his first appearance in the animated short film "A Wild Hare" in 1940, Bugs Bunny has delighted generations of audiences with his cheerful enthusiasm, quick wit, and boundless cleverness. To outsmart his opponents, he can conjure up explosives, cherry pies, and mallets out of thin air; dance like a seasoned hoofed professional; play the piano; and conduct an orchestra. He rallies any talent—and any costume—to help him defeat his relentless enemies.
Bugs' name originated from a young group of animators who created Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons for Warner Bros. "Bugs" and "Bugsy" were popular nicknames at the time, indicating a crazy or eccentric character. "Bugs Bunny" had a catchy alliteration that paired well with the names Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
Bugs' first line, "What's up, Doc?"—an unusual slang phrase delivered in the accent and attitude of a street-smart New Yorker—elicited cheers from the audience and immediately became a catchphrase for the "wascally wabbit" due to his first antagonist, the unlucky hunter Elmer Fudd, calling him the "wascally wabbit."
With global star power, Bugs Bunny has appeared on screens of various sizes, from television and movies to smartphones and tablets. The new "Looney Tunes Cartoons" series consists of 80 episodes, each 11 minutes long, reintroducing Bugs Bunny and other beloved Looney Tunes characters in short films that adapt classic storylines for modern audiences. This Oscar-winning rabbit has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.