# Are there \*new\* SD columns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 16, 2019, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041 "2019-05-16T06:33:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/21 "2019-05-24T16:16:31Z")
The mystery man, whose name must never be revealed. Because … reasons? ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/22 "2019-05-24T19:30:58Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > That’s usually how it works, yes. > > Even aside from that, it’s disrespectful to keep up a pretense like that. We do it to children for a while, because it’s tradition, but “Cecil Adams” doesn’t have that excuse, and we think adults are “people” more than we think children are people, so lying to adults is seen as worse than lying to children. With all due respect, I think you’re taking this far too personally. Pen names, when used, typically serve a purpose. Whatever or whomever was behind the persona of Cecil Adams, whether is was one person or several, succeeded in conveying useful information in an entertaining way through a singular authorial voice, which is not an easy thing to do. The body of work exists. Why not be glad the columns are still there to be read and enjoyed and leave it at that? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/23 "2019-05-25T00:35:44Z")
> [@Eo\_Echo](#): > > With all due respect, I think you’re taking this far too personally. Pen names, when used, typically serve a purpose. Whatever or whomever was behind the persona of Cecil Adams, whether is was one person or several, succeeded in conveying useful information in an entertaining way through a singular authorial voice, which is not an easy thing to do. The body of work exists. Why not be glad the columns are still there to be read and enjoyed and leave it at that? Because the people around here aren’t happy to leave it be and acknowledge that Ed Zotti was Cecil Adams for decades. They won’t leave it alone. They have to persist in the charade. Why? I have no idea. But they just can’t let it drop. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/24 "2019-05-25T01:19:03Z")
Cecil Adams was the pen name for Ed Zotti. There. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/25 "2019-05-25T01:21:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Examples? I don’t recall them off the top of my head, but then, I’m sure you remember those columns better than I. Starting with the Sears Catalog penis column, I helped research a number of columns. I am NOT saying I wrote them, because I most certainly didn’t. And by far the bulk of the work on all the columns, along with the great writing, was done by Cecil/aka Ed. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/26 "2019-05-25T01:26:21Z")
One used to be able to search the archive for topics covered by the Straight Dope column and the staff reports. I can’t seem to find that search function anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/27 "2019-05-25T07:44:23Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Because the people around here aren’t happy to leave it be and acknowledge that Ed Zotti was Cecil Adams for decades. > > They won’t leave it alone. They have to persist in the charade. Why? I have no idea. But they just can’t let it drop. I’ll bet it’d be really fun to go with you to see WWE wrestling. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/28 "2019-05-25T07:48:57Z")
> [@JillGat](#): > > One used to be able to search the archive for topics covered by the Straight Dope column and the staff reports. I can’t seem to find that search function anymore. About halfway down the main Straight Dope page there is Google custom search. Does that help? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/29 "2019-05-25T19:47:31Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I’ll bet it’d be really fun to go with you to see WWE wrestling. Hey, they dropped the kayfabe _decades_ ago, old timer! ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/30 "2019-05-26T00:23:16Z")
> [@JillGat](#): > > One used to be able to search the archive for topics covered by the Straight Dope column and the staff reports. I can’t seem to find that search function anymore. If one could scroll down the front page of the Straight Dope site they would find a search box on the page. Here’s what it would look like if one had eyes to see: [Google Custom Search](https://www.straightdope.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Google-Custom-Search.jpg) Jenny your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2019, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041/31 "2019-05-26T01:09:36Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Hey, they dropped the kayfabe _decades_ ago, old timer! And if we went to a performance, you’d be there to tell us so! We know that when we watch movies, _those characters aren’t real people_. We don’t have to catcall. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-new-sd-columns/834041.md?page=1)