Ed Zotti

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Ed Zotti (1951 - )is credited as being the "editor and confidant" of Cecil Adams, the pseudonym of the writer of the nationally syndicated column The Straight Dope. Many readers of Adams's column believe that Zotti is, in fact, Adams, though the latter has (according to addenda in The Straight Dope books) never been photographed and those in his employ are reticent on the situation.

William Poundstone's 1983 book Big Secrets, which exposed a variety of professional, trade, and entertainment secrets, refers to Cecil as "some guy named Ed Zotti." The remark is made only in passing, without any supporting evidence.[1]

Perhaps the strongest piece of evidence in support of the Zotti-is-Adams theory is that Zotti himself penned a book in 1991 entitled Know It All! The marquee device used on the cover is similar to the arched style used on the covers of the Straight Dope books. The book answers a variety of questions, much as Adams's column does, and the writing styles are very similar, albeit that if Zotti truly is Adams's editor, he may have coloured Adams's writing style.

A February 1995 article in American Libraries was accompanied by a photo of an individual captioned “Cecil Adams.”[2] The September 1995 issue of Parenting magazine features a photograph of Ed Zotti holding an infant.[3] One author believes that the adult in each of the photos is clearly the same person.[4]

No concrete evidence has been unearthed, however, and only if Adams ever unveils himself will this matter be put to rest.

Zotti attended high school at Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary,[5] where he served as editor of student newspapers.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Poundstone, William (1983). Big secrets : The Uncensored Truth About All Sorts of Stuff You Are Never Supposed to Know. New York: Morrow. ISBN 9780688022198. OCLC 9392169. 
  2. ^ Piper, Paul S. (February 1995). "What makes Cecil Adams the world's greatest reference librarian?" (photograph captioned “Cecil Adams”). American Libraries 26 (2): p. 147. ISSN 0002-9769. OCLC 854299. 
  3. ^ Zotti, Ed (September 1995). "Book 'Em" (contains photograph of Ed Zotti). Parenting IX (7): p. 15. ISSN 0890-247X. OCLC 14179299. 
  4. ^ White, Thomas H. Cecil Adams vs. Ed Zotti. Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
  5. ^ Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary (2006). Quigley Preparatory Seminary 2006 Alumni Directory. Chicago: University Publishing Corporation.