The USPS Paying $3.5M for Putting the Wrong Statue of Liberty on a Stamp Is Everyone This Week 

The USPS has been ordered to pay $3.5 million because they used the wrong Statue of Liberty on their stamps. Turns out they went with the Vegas imitation, whom a judge has been convinced is sufficiently “sexier” to constitute a copyright violation.

This sublimely asinine story perfectly captures this useless week.

The Associated Press reported on this beautiful metaphor for so many things, really. In 2011 the Postal Service released a “forever” stamp featuring the wrong Lady Liberty (discovering it after three months of selling them) and was sued by sculptor Robert Davidson, the man who made the replica featured in the frankenstein facade of the New-York-New York casino and resort. Except, his lawyers argued, it was no mere replica; in fact it was “unmistakably different from the original and was more ‘fresh-faced,’ ‘sultry’ and even ‘sexier,’” said the AP.

And now, it turns out a judge agrees!

Federal Judge Eric Bruggink sided with Davidson last week and agreed his work was an original design with a more modern, feminine and contemporary face. He ordered the Postal Service to pay $3.5 million to the artist — a slice of the $70 million the service made in profit from the stamp.

“As the court noted, Mr. Davidson’s artistic creation of the Las Vegas Lady Liberty is highly unique and attractive, which is what prompted the US Postal Service to select a photo of his work for the second ever Forever Stamp, over hundreds of other images,” said Davidson’s attorney.

TFW when the third Google images result looks good enough for you, it’s Friday, and you’re ready to get home and take off your pants.