# Is Cecil Adams A Sock Puppet? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 3, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143 "2006-10-03T19:23:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Firebringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@Firebringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Firebringer)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/41 "2006-10-05T09:18:21Z")
If he is just a sock puppet that get’s used by various writers I hope they practise safe socks. Instead of ‘Fighting Ignorance’ it could be changed to ‘Socking it to them’ Seriously though I think he must be a real person. It made reference to his having a wife. From experience I find that if I have two socks one always goes missing. If he’s part of a pair after this length of time it would suggest he’s no sock. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/42 "2006-10-05T20:06:56Z")
a) If **Chez Guevara** does exist as a specific entity I can’t see a problem. All he has to do is come to this thread and state without equivocation that such is the case. A link to a photo would be nice. In fact, if **Chez Guevara** can be shown naked with a copy of a recent ISP contract concealing his private parts, that would be even better. b) If **Chez Guevara** is a myth perpetuated by unknown pranksters, we have a problem. The SD member **Chez Guevara** must be a sock puppet. Furthermore, if a single prankster alone is not **Chez Guevara** this means that **Chez Guevara** is a multi-sock in use by more than one other member of the prankster group. I have not yet ruled out the possibility that **Chez Guevara** is a legitimate member of the SD because I prefer to let legitimate posters retain their anonymity unless they begin violating rules. (Certainly, the name Chez Guevara seems rather less likely to be that of a real person than does Cecil Adams.) Hint: You have created a false dilemma. As long as Cecil Adams is one human other than Ed Zotti, he is not a sock puppet. Barring evidence, your speculation appears to be simply a futile exercise in playing “gotcha ya.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/43 "2006-10-05T20:39:31Z")
[QUOTE=Carnac the Magnificent!] If Cecil Adams is such a recluse, why not assume his identity and start milking the lecture circuit at $85,000 a pop? [/QUOTE] Hmmm. If the Chi Reader needs money, why don’t they trot the real Cecil out for just that purpose (although the conspiracy theorists won’t believe he is the real one)? Didn’t the guy who wrote the Playboy Advisor column for many years hop on the lecture circuit once? Seems to me that the Reader has an underutilized asset. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/44 "2006-10-05T20:45:43Z")
[QUOTE=Uvula Donor] He’s real, all right. I saw him playing cards with Betty Crocker, Johnny Walker, and Mr. Clean. Poppin’ Fresh was in the kitchen making snacks. Pretty bizarre, I tell ya. [/QUOTE] **Damn** it, you’re telling me I left before Poppin’ Fresh showed up?! ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/45 "2006-10-05T21:09:47Z")
[QUOTE=fluiddruid] **Damn** it, you’re telling me I left before Poppin’ Fresh showed up?! [/QUOTE] Don’t worry. He didn’t stick around for long once someone gave him the finger. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/46 "2006-10-05T21:31:35Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] You have created a false dilemma. As long as Cecil Adams is one human other than Ed Zotti, he is not a sock puppet. [/QUOTE] Well, the OP does state: > [@](#): > > If Adams does exist as a specific entity I can’t see a problem. This is surely another way of saying that if he is one human other than Ed Zotti (he is not a sock puppet). If I am wrong, a circumstance which is by no means unusual, please avoid the use of logic in any future posts to this thread. I regard such tactics as unfair, opportunist and totally deplorable. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/47 "2006-10-05T22:37:32Z")
I’m a Mod. I don’t have to fight fair. Logic just happens to be one of my preferred weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/48 "2006-10-07T00:50:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Hint: You have created a false dilemma. As long as Cecil Adams is one human other than Ed Zotti, he is not a sock puppet. Barring evidence, your speculation appears to be simply a futile exercise in playing “gotcha ya.” Isn’t this also a false dilemma? If, say, it were the case that Cecil Adams were Dex, he would be one human other than Ed Zotti, but he would also be a sock puppet. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/49 "2006-10-07T12:33:04Z")
For the record: I am me, myself, I am not now and never have been Cecil. I deny the accusation with both hands.\* Cecil is Cecil. And Ed Zotti isn’t old enough, Cecil was doing columns back when Ed was a mere child. Cecil’s had several editors, but Ed has put up with him the longest by far. Besides, Ed’s nowhere near perfect enough to be Cecil Adams. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/50 "2006-10-07T15:52:51Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] I’m a Mod. I don’t have to fight fair. Logic just happens to be one of my preferred weapons. [/QUOTE] So when you going to use it? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/51 "2006-10-07T15:56:38Z")
[QUOTE=rayh] So when you going to use it? [/QUOTE] When I get back to **GD**. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/52 "2006-10-07T17:54:56Z")
Hmmm. I don’t normally get all hepped up about this debate. I did notice, however, that the Wiki blurb refers to the “unknown author **s** of The Straight Dope”, making it seem as if there is no one Cecil Adams, but a group working together as Cecil. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/53 "2006-10-07T18:11:48Z")
[QUOTE=lorene] Hmmm. I don’t normally get all hepped up about this debate. I did notice, however, that the Wiki blurb refers to the “unknown author **s** of The Straight Dope”, making it seem as if there is no one Cecil Adams, but a group working together as Cecil. [/QUOTE] I don’t interpret that wording quite so rigidly. If you include the Staff Reports, which are not credited to Cecil, and if you assume that Cecil has research help and is not a lone wolf, then The Straight Dope indeed has author **s.** ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143/54 "2006-10-07T19:01:23Z")
Ed Zotti once posted that only one person uses the cecil account. Unfortunately its not here anymore. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cecil-adams-a-sock-puppet/375143.md?page=2)