# whats the reader (and us) gona do when unca cecil well passes on .....
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [February 3, 2017, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882 "2017-02-03T05:08:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/1 "2017-02-03T05:08:44Z")
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
So is there a c team for us ? and would they keep the website up ?
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19972577#post19972577](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19972577#post19972577)
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/2 "2017-02-03T09:52:04Z")
Why are you so sure he’s still alive? Have you seen him recently?
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/3 "2017-02-03T09:58:21Z")
I understand that Cecil is not the first Cecil, but had been man named Cummerbund. The original Cecil has been retired in Patagonia for years.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/4 "2017-02-03T14:36:57Z")
[Moderating]
Moving from CS to About This Message Board
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### Author:  [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/5 "2017-02-03T14:51:13Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#):
>
> I understand that Cecil is not the first Cecil, but had been man named Cummerbund. The original Cecil has been retired in Patagonia for years.
I’ve heard that the original Cecil is currently keeping bees in Sussex.
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### Author:  [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/6 "2017-02-03T15:23:50Z")
The man behind the curtain…
[Uncovering Cecil Adams](https://vimeo.com/133916143p://)
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### Author:  [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/7 "2017-02-03T15:43:01Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/8 "2017-02-03T15:44:03Z")
> [@Sparky812](#):
>
> The man behind the curtain…
Whatever curtain he was behind, he’s still behind it. I got a “video not found” response when I clicked on that link.
I blame the Illuminati.
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### Author:  [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/9 "2017-02-03T15:53:24Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/10 "2017-02-03T16:06:32Z")
> [@sevenwood](#):
>
> Whatever curtain he was behind, he’s still behind it. I got a “video not found” response when I clicked on that link.
>
> I blame the Illuminati.
Weird… try [this](https://vimeo.com/133916143)
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### Author:  [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/11 "2017-02-03T17:35:54Z")
That one worked for me. Thanks!
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### Author:  [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/12 "2017-02-03T18:04:13Z")
I had not heard any of that. Fascinating.
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### Author:  [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/13 "2017-02-03T18:23:05Z")
My understanding is that there is a daughter, Licec Adams, who has been groomed from birth to take over.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/14 "2017-02-03T18:37:54Z")
I heard that Licec sent her saliva off to [Ancestry.com](http://Ancestry.com) but the DoD confiscated it. Kinda weird, that.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/15 "2017-02-03T19:24:00Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/16 "2017-02-03T20:06:47Z")
“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.
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/17 "2017-02-03T20:14:45Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/18 "2017-02-03T20:40:38Z")
‘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.’
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### Author:  [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2017, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/19 "2017-02-04T12:55:44Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#):
>
> ‘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.
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### Author:  [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)
#### Post date: [February 4, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-reader-and-us-gona-do-when-unca-cecil-well-passes-on/778882/20 "2017-02-04T15:31:33Z")
[quote=“DSeid, post:19, topic:778882”]
it’ll be resting, a remarkable board, just a bit stunned./QUOTE]
Pining for the Fiords, you might say…
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