# A taboo topic **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 2, 2000, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957 "2000-02-02T06:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/21 "2000-02-03T05:47:00Z")
**eden** , you are definitly the coolest. BTW, awesome website! You carve a wicked pumpkin. šŸ†’ > [@](#): > > If you want more juicy Slug details, all you have to do is ask! Consider yourself asked. Tell all, please! And for starters, what is his real name? (He wonā€™t mind, will he? Besides, Iā€™m sure the books you mentioned above donā€™t list ā€œSlug Signorinoā€ as the illustrator.) Oh, yeah, and do you have a picture of _him_? Now that youā€™ve dropped such tantalizing hints, I suddenly want to know everything about him, even more than I do Cecil. Thanks! [/gush] ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/22 "2000-02-03T07:18:00Z")
I happen to be the proud owner of a ā€˜statā€™, signed by Slug, of the sketch he made for the column where the Master answered my question re: Santa Claus. * * * **R** anger **J** eff \*The Idol of American Youth \* [Riders In The Sky](http://www.ridersinthesky.com) ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/23 "2000-02-03T14:48:00Z")
Oh, NOW Iā€™m a popular poster. Harrumph. Well, hereā€™s the storyā€¦although first off, I should say that I swore I would not reveal his real name. Sorry. And the books I mentioned DO list Slug Signorino as the illustrator, BTW. When I hired him for the illustrations on the first book series, it turned out to be a real bear to try to come up with an art list of an illustration a page for each of three 180-page books (on math, yet). So he ended up inviting me to brainstorm ideas at his house. Slugā€™s house is really interesting, as heā€™s a packrat and has all kinds of nifty things to look atā€“if you can stave off the advances of his two large affectionate dogs. (And cat). His animals all wear bandanas. I never got the Straight Dope on that though. Anyway, we spent some rather frantic days coming up with ideas to illustrate abstract mathematical concepts. It got a little punchy ā€œOkay, how aboutā€¦a camelā€¦in a boatā€¦with a funny hat!ā€ Soā€¦hereā€™s what I learned about Slug in these meetings: Slugā€™s first love is music; he was in a band when he was younger and is an avid basement drummer still. He loves Jazz and can talk about people Iā€™ve never heard of for hours. Ukelele Ike would LOVE Slugā€¦ He got his start in art when he realized he didnā€™t have to draw ā€œgood,ā€ he just had to draw ā€œfunny.ā€ Which, clearly, he can do. He is every bit as irreverent as the SD illustrations suggest. I do have a picture he gave me of him and his band (clearly not current). I will scan it in. I think he looked just like Billy Joel. And I hope to God he doesnā€™t ever see the message boards. Iā€™d hate to embarrass him. It isnā€™t likely, since heā€™s sort of a technophobe. This is getting to be quite a long post. Any other questions? Iā€™m not sure how personal I should get here. ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/24 "2000-02-03T17:23:00Z")
Okay, hereā€™s a link to a picture of Slug, and some other stuff: [Click Here!](http://www.i-mite.com/slug_shrine.htm) ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2000, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/25 "2000-02-04T06:13:00Z")
Is that the same band as this one ? [http://www.tpo.org/rockets/home.htm](http://www.tpo.org/rockets/home.htm) ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/26 "2000-02-03T19:38:00Z")
funneeā€¦I wish! They look like some rockinā€™ dudes! I guess Rhythem Airs (complete with bizarre spelling) was a popular band name in the 50s. Who knew. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/27 "2000-02-03T19:57:00Z")
Wowā€¦ Iā€™m speechless with envy. Iā€™m also in love with your name. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/28 "2000-02-03T20:07:00Z")
eden, Iā€™m done being speechless. One question: was Slug sweet on you? ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/29 "2000-02-03T20:15:00Z")
Um. Yes. Next question, please? Nickrz, are you tallking about MY name? ::blushing:: ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/30 "2000-02-05T06:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Um. Yes. Slug is obviously a man of impeccable taste! > [@](#): > > Next question , please? Based on the caption to the photo, heā€™s been called Slug Signorino for a long time. Is that what you called him in person? Do you know how he got that name? PSā€“ > [@](#): > > Oh, NOW Iā€™m a popular poster. Harrumph. Not just cause you know Slug, or even cause you were immortalized by him, but cause you share your insiders info with us, and scanned in that great pic. The fact that you actually posted it here on the board for us all to venerate is what makes you tops in my book! Well, OK, that, and you know Slug. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/31 "2000-02-05T16:37:00Z")
You know SLUG? Can I buy something he touched? Can I have your autograph? * * * I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail. ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/32 "2000-02-06T04:50:00Z")
this is going in the hall of fame. look in about this board. ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2000, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/33 "2000-02-06T13:18:00Z")
like [http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000195.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000195.html) ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2000, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/34 "2000-02-07T14:44:00Z")
Alan: he got the nickname Slug as a kidā€¦his folks called him ā€œLittle Sluggo.ā€ Didnā€™t have anything to do with baseball IIRC, like Slugger or anything, just ā€œSluggo.ā€ He always hated his given name (kind of a girly name) and Iā€™m sure he encouraged the nicknameā€™s use. And yeah, you do call him Slug in person. I ended up calling him Uncle Slug. (Canā€™t remember how that came about, exactly.) ::curtseying to the applause, picking up rose bouquets:: Thank you, thank you, Sunbear, for the great honor of this thread appearing in the Hall of Fame. I think my fifteen minutes are over now though. ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2000, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/35 "2000-02-09T06:11:00Z")
Mmmm, yes, YOUR name (I didnā€™t want to repeat it in public, some people may have missed it) it has the sound of antebellum mansions and Spanish moss and silk stockings and mint juleps on the veranda. ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/36 "2000-02-08T22:41:00Z")
::fluttering lashes:: Whah, thahnk you, young mahn, Ah am most flahttahd. : :off to mix some juleps, on the veranda:: ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2000, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/37 "2000-02-08T22:43:00Z")
Goddam smilies, ruining my demure demeanor. (Say that five times fast!) ---
**Author:** ![Poto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ab992/32.png) [@Poto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poto)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2000, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/38 "2000-04-08T23:39:00Z")
OpalCatā€“save this thread! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2000, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957/39 "2000-04-09T03:37:00Z")
Umā€¦ Ok! * * * ā€“ I have over 2000 posts, dammit! Show some respect. [http://fathom.org/opalcat/showmerespect.jpg](http://fathom.org/opalcat/showmerespect.jpg) O p a l C a t [www.opalcat.com](http://www.opalcat.com) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taboo-topic/9957.md?page=1)