In one of the threads I was following a Doper mentioned in passing that no more columns would be forthcoming from the Master, Cecil Adams himself.
My precious copy of “The Straight Dope” was Copyrighted in 1984 by Chicago Reader Inc. So, on the tenious assumption that Cecil didn’t spring forth as it were, from the forehead of Zeus, as the best-informed human being ever! And based on the fact that people die, I’m guessing that Cecil is no longer gaining life experience.
This same book somewhat tellingly lists, " Know it all!" as being “Also by Ed Zotti”. So I would feel some regret if Mr. Zotti has passed from this veil of tears.
In case you still have some gaps, here’s the fill in. The* Chicago Reader*, which owned “The Straight Dope” was sold last year. The Reader’s new owners wanted to change the focus of the publication, and they chose not to continue the column. While the column’s continued existence was in limbo, Cecil chose to retire.
Meanwhile, Ed Zotti was an employee of the Reader, but his job had become pretty much full-time [DEL]writing[/Del] editing Cecil’s column and being the Master’s right-hand human on this Board, so he chose to retire, as well, turning things over to TubaDiva, and life goes on.
And it goes without saying that the rumors about Cecil running off with Mrs Zotti to São Paulo, losing their passports, and then stowing away on a tramp freighter to the Azores just ahead of the Federales are totally unfounded.
And bite your tongue, lest the All-Wise Cecil hear of your scurrilous attack on him, and smite you. If Cecil were to “run off” with some woman, as you so crudely put it, he would most assuredly plan far enough ahead that he would stay at least 10 steps ahead of the local constabulary. Getting out of town in the nick of time is something that mortals do, not Cecil.
So does this mean the Teeming Millions are now all orphans? A ship without a captain? A movement without a wise leader? Minions left to squabble among themselves and no direction?
My understanding was that Cecil and Little Ed had headed East on horseback, carrying twenty Martini-Henry rifles, with the object of becomings kings of Kafiristan.
Oh, no. Y’all are so wrong. He’s lurking and reading.(there’s WI-FI in Wisconsin). You just wait something will just rip at his sensibilities and he’ll speak out.
I just know he wants to meet me (:))
Cause, why wouldn’t he?
(A girl can hold hope in her heart, can’t she?)
So, question: Does Cecil’s retirement from The Straight Dope column also mean he is retired from any involvement in this message board, or is he still involved with this?
Was his work with the board part of his job, or something he just did on the side as a sort of hobby? If the latter, does he still?
Will The Straight Dope column ever be resurrected … somewhere? Will there be a new Cecil?
The Straight Dope is owned by Sun-Times Media. They alone have the power to revive the column, or, for that matter, open a chain of Straight Dope Fashions For Men clothing stores if they want.
