Ed Zotti

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. [cite book | title = Big secrets : The Uncensored Truth About All Sorts of Stuff You Are Never Supposed to Know | first = William | last = Poundstone | authorlink = William Poundstone | location = New York | publisher = Morrow | year = 1983 | isbn = 9780688022198 | oclc = 9392169 ]

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.

A February 1995 article in "American Libraries" was accompanied by a photo of an individual captioned “Cecil Adams.” [cite journal | last = Piper | first = Paul S. | year = 1995 | month = February | title = What makes Cecil Adams the world's greatest reference librarian? | journal = American Libraries | volume = 26 | issue = 2 | pages = p. 147 | issn = 0002-9769 | id = oclc| 854299 | format = photograph captioned “Cecil Adams” ] The September 1995 issue of "Parenting" magazine features a photograph of Ed Zotti holding an infant. [cite journal | last = Zotti | first = Ed | year = 1995 | month = September | title = Book 'Em | journal = Parenting | volume = IX | issue = 7 | pages = p. 15 | issn = 0890-247X | id = oclc|14179299 | format = contains photograph of Ed Zotti ] One author believes that the adult in each of the photos is clearly the same person. [cite web | url = http://www.ipass.net/whitetho/edcecil.htm | title = Cecil Adams vs. Ed Zotti | first = Thomas H | last = White | accessdate = 2007-04-19 ]

Zotti attended high school at Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary,cite book | author = Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary | title = Quigley Preparatory Seminary 2006 Alumni Directory | publisher = University Publishing Corporation | location = Chicago | year = 2006] where he served as editor of student newspapers.

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