Since a New Orleans-based company began printing “Brad Pitt for Mayor” T-shirts, hype that the Hollywood star might take over Ray Nagin’s term-limited seat has been rampant. Pitt, who lives in New Orleans part of the year, is a popular figure among residents because of his high-profile involvement in the restoration of the city post-Katrina.Recently, as Pitt made the rounds of talk shows promoting his latest film, “Inglourious Basterds,” he was forced to face the speculation directly. On the Today Show with Ann Curry, he dismissed the chatter when he joked about what a Pitt campaign might entail. “I’m running on the gay marriage, no religion, legalization and taxation of marijuana platform,” Pitt said. “I don’t have a chance.”Of course, if Pitt ended up actually making a run for office, he would not be the first politician to go back on previous dismissals.He also wouldn’t be the first actor turned politician: Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan all made successful forays into the political arena from the silver screen.Unfortunately, Pitt has not met the five-year residency requirement necessary to hold the office. The next election he will be eligible for is in 2014. We believe Pitt’s candidacy could likely be a positive experience for the city and state. Pitt has clearly shown a devotion to the city through his Make It Right charity, his actions and his words. Because of his seriousness, it’s entirely possible that his run would bring honor rather than shame to the state, unlike the 2003 California recall of Gov. Gray Davis, which resulted in a celebrity circus. –Contact the Editorial Board at [email protected]