# Did he exist? And, if so, did he die? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 25, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851 "2005-10-25T18:04:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/1 "2005-10-25T18:04:01Z")
Something a little strange is happening on the periphery of my life. I’m involved in poetry. A guy also involved in poetry has apparently died. That’s sad, of course, but something weird is happening. A group of people is denying that the dead poet ever existed since his vitals don’t match those he claimed. So far, it seems no one had met him face-to-face. It was all online. Did a real person die, or just a sock of someone else entirely? This online stuff is just plain weird. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/2 "2005-10-25T19:49:52Z")
I don’t suppose his name was “Wally?” (ducking and running) ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/3 "2005-10-25T20:04:07Z")
A man that I knew just died. That is, unless it turns out he lied. He might have just been A not-real man In which case I’m so mystified. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/4 "2005-10-25T20:09:26Z")
You mean William Ashbless? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/5 "2005-10-25T20:13:28Z")
Is a link possible, or would it set off a board war? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/6 "2005-10-25T21:17:55Z")
He might be the man I shot in Reno, just to watch him die. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/7 "2005-10-25T22:23:11Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > He might be the man I shot in Reno, just to watch him die. But inquiring minds want to know, when you hear that wistle blowing, do you hang your head and cry? ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/8 "2005-10-25T22:24:12Z")
Crap! I meant\*\* whistle\*\*! ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/9 "2005-10-25T22:57:55Z")
The Poet dying A mystery to be solved Oracle no more. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/10 "2005-10-25T23:46:46Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > He might be the man I shot in Reno, just to watch him die. I really wish people would quit doing this. It’s dangerous just walking down the street here now. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/11 "2005-10-26T03:07:26Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > I really wish people would quit doing this. It’s dangerous just walking down the street here now. It seems like Vegas would be a much better choice; what happens there, stays there. ---
**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/12 "2005-10-26T04:55:00Z")
Ahaha! I’m seeing google ads for “The Peace Company!” ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/13 "2005-10-26T07:45:43Z")
The yellow oak leaves dying before me, falling… into a new life. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/14 "2005-10-26T07:56:48Z")
I am a barn, creaking, creaking. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/15 "2005-10-26T13:39:56Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > Is a link possible, or would it set off a board war? I’m afraid it’s not very linkable. Most of the action is happening in email, and the rest on private boards. The internet is a strange, strange place. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/16 "2005-10-26T14:10:21Z")
So the author of inspirational (to some) works has passed, and others are vehemently denying his existence completely? Especially since his bona fides have to be accepted on faith alone? Sounds like the SDMB! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/17 "2005-10-26T14:24:53Z")
Was it Keyser Sosa? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/18 "2005-10-26T14:29:02Z")
As I was going up the stair I met a man who wasn’t there! He wasn’t there again today! I wish, I wish he’d go away! ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/19 "2005-10-26T15:19:01Z")
It was Captain Tuttle, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-he-exist-and-if-so-did-he-die/327851/20 "2005-10-27T04:14:41Z")
Cause of death? Illness? Suicide? Crushed like a can of pineapples?