Ok today is the 44th anniversary of the first straight dope column and I’m figuring cecil’s somewhere between 60-80 … now that’s a bit long in the tooth … and ed’s gotta be up there too
Actually, Cecil is 43 years old, having started the column in utero at age negative 6 months. The first three months post conception were spent perfecting wireless communication, a necessary precursor. As for the future - do you really think the World’s Smartest Human has not figured out a way around mortality? You will have been long since reduced to the inhabitant of multiple Swiffers before The Master begins to contemplate the end of The Dope.
The Perfect Master is eternal, omniscient, and omnivorous. Mere Death quakes in fear of having to encounter him. Cecil once heard that nothing can kill him, so he tracked down nothing and killed it first.
Chicago once named a street in his honor, but the name had to be changed for public safety because nobody crosses Cecil Adams and lives.
Being serious for a moment, I don’t know if the column is important enough to survive the death of its current writer. I mean, maybe someone else on staff can take over (some suspect this has already happened at least on occasion).
And, well, this is basically Ed’s board. So, if he dies, does the board stick around? Due to copyright reasons, I doubt they’d turn the board over to someone not connected with the Reader.
The fact that the name is a inherited pseudonym doesn’t mean it will continue forever.
“Cecil” should have a Twitter account so he can send out snarky tweets and act as an authoritative fact-checker in the era of alternative facts. IOW, Cecil should die or do something to join the 21st century. This slow death is a complete waste of an established icon.
I would hope that should the SDMB lose its sponsor the board would be passed in toto to someone else, much as Eric Noah passed on ENWorld to Morrus. There is much knowledge stored here and for it to pass into the nether would be a shame. The copyright can be sold on.
‘Does Cecil exist?’
‘Of course he exists. The Straight Dope exists. Cecil is the embodiment of the Straight Dope.’
'Does he exist in the same way as I exist?
‘It is of no importance. He exists.’
‘Will Cecil ever die?’
‘Of course not. How could he die? Next question.’
All correct and the question remains. At some point The Reader or its owners may retire The Straight Dope column, perhaps when its current creative force retires. If/when it does they may be reluctant to just give away the IP of the character “Cecil” and the SD name… at that point this board is may not be dead … but it’ll be resting, a remarkable board, just a bit stunned.