# Who knows Cecil's Secret Identity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2000, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887 "2000-08-18T18:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/1 "2000-08-18T18:42:34Z")
So we’ve established that Cecil Adams the human being does exist. ([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32147](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32147)) I’m curious, though–who, aside from Ed, has actually met the man? Who knows Cecil’s secret? The members of the SDSAB (I thought some were in far-flung locales)? Is this one of the perks of becoming a moderator? Is he dashing and handsome? Does he have a long white beard and flowing robes and a halo of light behind his head? ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/2 "2000-08-18T19:43:34Z")
_I_ am Cecil. God, I feel better now. Seriously, he’s about 55 years old, married, at least 3 kids, Catholic, left-handed, possibly African-American. No different from a sizable chunk of the population. Look, he’s behind you right now. Missed him, again, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/3 "2000-08-18T19:46:00Z")
If they told you, then it wouldn’t be a secret. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/4 "2000-08-18T19:59:28Z")
I do! Long, long ago I used to work at Barbara’s bookstore on Broadway in Chicago, and he was a regular customer. (And to preempt the inevitable, Wild horses, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/5 "2000-08-18T20:44:29Z")
Remember, over time Cecil has had three different editors – Mike Lenehan, Dave Kehr, and Ed Zotti – all of whom presumably have met Unca Cece in the flesh. The following information about Mike Lenehan’s experiences comes from the Introduction to _The Straight Dope_ (1984): “Lenehan found working with Cecil a bizarre experience. It was a full year before the two met face-to-face, Cecil prefering to conduct his business via phone and anonymous phone drops. … Cecil eventually… consented to show up from time to time in the paper’s editorial offices–usually about three minutes before deadline, and invariably with copy that looked like it had been sitting under a canary all night. He would stroll around in Bermuda shorts, sandals, and shirts with the sleeves cut out, muttering non sequiturs to himself. No one ever actually saw him at work, but Lenehan reported after a visit to Cecil’s house that tottering mounds of mildewed newsprint were piled everywhere, the rugs were worn as thought from incessant nervous pacing, and dirty coffee cups were scattered all over the place. Cecil himself sat at his battered desk in the middle of the room rummaging through the heaps of papers, mumbling ‘Wait a second, I know I’ve got it here somewhere’.” In the “About the Author” section, the book adds: “All Cecil’s dealings with the public are handled through his editor and confidant, Ed Zotti, who has been sworn to secrecy. Consequently, little is known about Cecil’s private life. Even Zotti says he doesn’t know where Cecil managed to learn so much stuff”. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/6 "2000-08-18T20:47:48Z")
He’s _Batman_. ---
**Author:** ![sleepee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@sleepee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleepee)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/7 "2000-08-18T21:02:50Z")
I think he was sent from God to answer our questions and make us smarter. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/8 "2000-08-18T21:04:15Z")
He’s actually John Cleese. Besides the same personality, humor, intelligence, etc., _look at the career timing_. Sua ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/9 "2000-08-18T21:28:32Z")
_Ssa tac lemac a nis id_ ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/10 "2000-08-18T22:23:56Z")
Off to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/11 "2000-08-18T22:52:08Z")
His mother. His mothers obgyn. ---
**Author:** ![Sith\_Sheriff\_Brody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@Sith\_Sheriff\_Brody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sith_Sheriff_Brody)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/12 "2000-08-19T04:14:56Z")
…His identity was revealed in **Biggest Secrets** by William Poundstone. And since I own it, I know. -SSB ---
**Author:** ![Gatsby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@Gatsby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatsby)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/13 "2000-08-19T12:35:41Z")
The first rule of The Straight Dope is: you do not talk about Cecil Adams. The second rule of The Straight Dope is: you do not talk about Cecil Adams… ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/14 "2000-08-19T12:45:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Heresy originally posted by Sith Sheriff Brody \* > \*\*…His identity was revealed in **Biggest Secrets** by William Poundstone. > > And since I own it, I know. > > -SSB \*\* On page 21 of _Biggest Secrets_, Poundstone claims that “[Katherine] Hepburn was born… on November 8.” Wrong. She was actually born on May 12th, while November 8th was her _brother’s_ birthday. This is the kind of glaring mistake that Unca Cece would never make. So, “whose your messiah now?” ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/15 "2000-08-19T15:05:25Z")
Cecil was a trademark, just like Betty Crocker. Still, I wonder if Mathew Alice is the same mark ownership? ---
**Author:** ![oldscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@oldscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oldscratch)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2000, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/16 "2000-08-19T18:26:04Z")
Jeeesh. Everyone already knows that Cecil is actually Jimmy Hoffa Sr. That’s why he doesn’t like being seen. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/17 "2000-08-21T16:29:03Z")
whitetho: So what you’re saying is that one error means everything is to be questioned in something? You hang out with Biblical literalists for kicks, I assume… :rolleyes: * * * Yer pal, Satan [sub]I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR: Four months, one week, five days, 14 hours, 28 minutes and 15 seconds. 5384 cigarettes not smoked, saving $673.01. Life saved: 2 weeks, 4 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes.[/sub] **_"Satan is not an unattractive person."_-Drain Bead** [sub]Thanks for the ringing endorsement, honey![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/18 "2000-08-21T17:53:19Z")
Cecil was actually born in a small fishing villiage in Greece, in 1947. He made some money off the fisherman in trivia games, which he won with some regularity. As a young person (gender puposely withheld), Cecil enjoyed learning but, not school. In 1963 Cecil immigrated to the U.S., and worked in several Chinese restaurants before finding his first ‘real’ job, for the Chicago Reader - mail room. After three years in the mail room, Cecil had a chance to demonstrate his knack for trivia and fact finding. The then editor hired him on the spot for the Straight Dope Column (originally titled ‘No Dope’). Any questions? ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/19 "2000-08-21T17:57:34Z")
> [@](#): > > The then editor hired _him_ on the spot… Well, I guess I let that one slip… ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2000, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887/20 "2000-08-21T18:32:59Z")
_The **Shadow** knows…_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knows-cecils-secret-identity/29887.md?page=2)