Hoax letter writers: Henry Root, Ed Broth, Ted L. Nancy, Lazlo Toth, etc

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Hoax letter writers: Henry Root, Ed Broth, Ted L. Nancy, Lazlo Toth, etc

1gregtmills
Jul 4, 2007, 1:30 pm

I have a minor obsession with the collections of hoax letters, in which the author takes on the role of an obnoxious and/or witless character and writes actual letters to the powers-that-be. The ultimate goal is to be taken seriously and get a letter in response.

Jerry Seinfeld has corresponded Ted L. Nancy and Ed Broth, and Don "Father Guido Sarducci" Novello has several collections of featuring the correspondence of Lazlo Toth. The Henry Root Letters are a minor institution in the UK, and some other titles in the genre are PS My Bush Pig's Name Is Boris and Outrageously Yours (pick up this one if you can, it's particularly hilarious).

Are there any other Ted L. Nancy or Lazlo Toth fans out there?

2LaPopessaOregana First Message
Dec 28, 2007, 2:54 pm

I bought Novello's book (Lazlo Toth) several years ago - really enjoyed it. But haven't looked at much since then. Not for lack of interest, just lack of time.

3Sodapop
Jun 21, 2008, 2:45 am

The Morello letters are a collection of hoax letters and their responses. The letters are written to various British companies, celebrities, M.P.s etc by the fictional R.M. Morello, an Italian immigrant with a wife (Rosetta), 3 kids (Tosti, Amphora and Rizzo) and a menagerie of animals.
The letters themselves are quite funny but some of the responses are priceless.

4adpaton
Jul 29, 2010, 8:36 am

Ben Trovato wrote a wonderful series of hoax letters which appeared first in The Cape Times and were later collected in book form - vide Hits and Missive: the worst of Ben Trovato, The Ben Trovato Fies and Stirred not Shaken.