Joybubbles ((1949-05-25)May 25, 1949 – (2007-08-08)August 8, 2007), born Josef Carl Engressia Jr. in Richmond, Virginia, was an early phone phreak. Born blind, he became interested in telephones at age four.[1] He had absolute pitch, and was able to whistle 2600 hertz into a telephone, an operator tone also used by blue box phreaking devices. Joybubbles said that he had an IQ of "172 or something".[2] Joybubbles died at his Minneapolis home on August 8, 2007(2007-08-08) (aged 58). According to his death certificate,[3] he died of natural causes with congestive heart failure as a contributing condition.
– A Radiolab program about Joybubbles, phreaking, and telephony; featuring historian and author Phil Lapsley. (Archived from the original)
"A Call From Joybubbles" – BBC Radio 4 program about Joybubbles and phreaking. Includes extensive telephonic soundscapes. Featuring documentarian Rachael Morrison, historian Phil Lapsely, John Draper, various phone phreaks, and acquaintances of Joybubbles.
As a five-year-old, Joybubbles discovered he could dial phone numbers by clicking the hang-up switch rapidly ("tapping"), and at the age of 7 he accidentally discovered that whistling at certain frequencies could activate phone switches.[4][citation needed]
A student at the University of South Florida in the late 1960s, he was given the nickname "Whistler" due to his ability to place free long-distance phone calls by whistling the proper tones with his mouth. After a Canadian operator reported him for selling such calls for $1 at the university, he was suspended and fined $25[5] but soon reinstated.[citation needed] He later graduated with a degree in philosophy and moved to Tennessee.
In 1982, he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. He lived on his Social Security disability pension and a job as a test subject for scent-intensity research. He was an ordained minister of his own Church of Eternal Childhood, and ran a one-man nonprofit support organization for people rediscovering and re-experiencing childhood, called "We Won't Grow Up".[6] He tried to remain an active member of the children's community around his home, giving readings at the local library and setting up phone calls to terminally ill children around the world. He often contributed to the Bulletin Board section of the St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper.
Sexually abused as a child by one of his teachers, Joybubbles "reverted to his childhood" in May 1988 and remained there until his death, claiming that he was five years old. He legally changed his name to Joybubbles in 1991, stating that he wanted to put his past, specifically the abuse, behind him.[6] He was listed in the local phone directory as "Joybubbles, I Am".
An active amateur radio operator with the call sign WB0RPA, he held an amateur extra class license, the highest grade issued.[8] As shown in the Federal Communications Commission database, he also earned both a General radiotelephone operator license and a commercial radiotelegraph operator's license, as well as a ship radar endorsement on these certificates. He was one of the few to qualify for the now-obsolete aircraft radiotelegraph endorsement on the latter license.[9]
Presence in the mediaedit
In 1971, just after his arrest, Joybubbles was featured in an Esquire article by Ron Rosenbaum (Secrets of the Little Blue Box) which exposed the phone phreak scene to a general public and led to further media coverage of Joybubbles, who became a cultural icon.[10]
The 1992 movie Sneakers had a character called "Whistler", who seemed to combine traits of both Joybubbles and John Draper. The character is played by David Strathairn.[11]
On February 21, 2012, WNYC's Radiolab aired a segment on Joybubbles in an episode titled "Escape!"
Chapter 9 of the book Exploding the Phone by Phil Lapsley details his successful plan to get a job by purposely getting arrested for phreaking.[6]
Phonefreaking and specifically Joybubbles were the subject of "A Call from Joybubbles", broadcast on BBC Radio 4, on March 13, 2017[12] and March 17, 2018.
Phone servicesedit
Joybubbles ran a weekly telephone story line called "Stories and Stuff", which was usually updated at the weekend.
In the early and mid-1980s, he ran a phone line called the "Zzzzyzzerrific Funline", which had the distinction of being the very last entry in the phone book.[6][13][14] During the Zzzzyzzerrific Funline days, calling himself Highrise Joe,[9] he would go on various rants about how much he loved Valleyfair amusement park and would also regularly play and discuss Up with People.
Referencesedit
^"Joe Engressia, Expert 'Phone Phreak,' Dies". All Things Considered. National Public Radio. 20 August 2007.
^, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 25, 1998, archived from the original on February 18, 2010, retrieved June 10, 2014
^"The History of Phone Phreaking Blog: August 27, 2008".
^Elizabeth McCracken (30 December 2007). "Dial-Tone Phreak". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
^Times Bureau (December 12, 1968). "USF 'Whistler' Stays In School". St. Petersburg Times. p. B-1 (p. 16).
^ abcdeLapsley, Phil (2013). Exploding the Phone: The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws Who Hacked Ma Bell. Grove Press. pp. 316–317. ISBN978-0-8021-9375-9. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
^Junod, Tom (November 1998). "Can You Say...Hero?". Esquire.
^ abK.C. Mason (8 August 1982). "'High-Rise Joe' Phones Moscow And Has Ma Bell Whistlin' Dixie". The Buffalo News; p. G-10 (p.90). United Press International (UPI).
^Mark McHarry (8 Dec 1971). "The First Phone Freak Genius". Honolulu Star-Bulletin; pp. F-3, F-5 (pp. 67, 69). Retrieved 3 June 2023.
A video of Joybubbles making a phone call by whistling on YouTube
A conversation with Joybubbles from 1998
Secrets of the Little Blue Box
January 01, 1970
joybubbles, 1949, 1949, 2007, august, 2007, born, josef, carl, engressia, richmond, virginia, early, phone, phreak, born, blind, became, interested, telephones, four, absolute, pitch, able, whistle, 2600, hertz, into, telephone, operator, tone, also, used, blu. Joybubbles 1949 05 25 May 25 1949 2007 08 08 August 8 2007 born Josef Carl Engressia Jr in Richmond Virginia was an early phone phreak Born blind he became interested in telephones at age four 1 He had absolute pitch and was able to whistle 2600 hertz into a telephone an operator tone also used by blue box phreaking devices Joybubbles said that he had an IQ of 172 or something 2 Joybubbles died at his Minneapolis home on August 8 2007 2007 08 08 aged 58 According to his death certificate 3 he died of natural causes with congestive heart failure as a contributing condition Joybubbles in 2005 Contents 1 Whistler 2 Later life 3 Presence in the media 4 Phone services 5 References 6 External linksWhistler editExternal audio nbsp Long Distance A Radiolab program about Joybubbles phreaking and telephony featuring historian and author Phil Lapsley Archived from the original nbsp A Call From Joybubbles BBC Radio 4 program about Joybubbles and phreaking Includes extensive telephonic soundscapes Featuring documentarian Rachael Morrison historian Phil Lapsely John Draper various phone phreaks and acquaintances of Joybubbles As a five year old Joybubbles discovered he could dial phone numbers by clicking the hang up switch rapidly tapping and at the age of 7 he accidentally discovered that whistling at certain frequencies could activate phone switches 4 citation needed A student at the University of South Florida in the late 1960s he was given the nickname Whistler due to his ability to place free long distance phone calls by whistling the proper tones with his mouth After a Canadian operator reported him for selling such calls for 1 at the university he was suspended and fined 25 5 but soon reinstated citation needed He later graduated with a degree in philosophy and moved to Tennessee Later life editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed May 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message In 1982 he moved to Minneapolis Minnesota He lived on his Social Security disability pension and a job as a test subject for scent intensity research He was an ordained minister of his own Church of Eternal Childhood and ran a one man nonprofit support organization for people rediscovering and re experiencing childhood called We Won t Grow Up 6 He tried to remain an active member of the children s community around his home giving readings at the local library and setting up phone calls to terminally ill children around the world He often contributed to the Bulletin Board section of the St Paul Pioneer Press newspaper Sexually abused as a child by one of his teachers Joybubbles reverted to his childhood in May 1988 and remained there until his death claiming that he was five years old He legally changed his name to Joybubbles in 1991 stating that he wanted to put his past specifically the abuse behind him 6 He was listed in the local phone directory as Joybubbles I Am An avid fan of Mister Rogers Joybubbles was mentioned in a November 1998 Esquire magazine article about children s television host Fred Rogers In the summer of 1998 Joybubbles traveled to the University of Pittsburgh s Mister Rogers Neighborhood Archives and watched several hundred episodes over a span of six weeks 6 7 An active amateur radio operator with the call sign WB0RPA he held an amateur extra class license the highest grade issued 8 As shown in the Federal Communications Commission database he also earned both a General radiotelephone operator license and a commercial radiotelegraph operator s license as well as a ship radar endorsement on these certificates He was one of the few to qualify for the now obsolete aircraft radiotelegraph endorsement on the latter license 9 Presence in the media editIn 1971 just after his arrest Joybubbles was featured in an Esquire article by Ron Rosenbaum Secrets of the Little Blue Box which exposed the phone phreak scene to a general public and led to further media coverage of Joybubbles who became a cultural icon 10 The 1992 movie Sneakers had a character called Whistler who seemed to combine traits of both Joybubbles and John Draper The character is played by David Strathairn 11 The 2001 documentary film The Secret History of Hacking features archive footage of Joybubbles In Steve Wozniak s book iWoz From Computer Geek to Cult Icon How I Invented the Personal Computer Co Founded Apple and Had Fun Doing It the Apple co founder mentions Joybubbles as an early inspiration during his college years On February 21 2012 WNYC s Radiolab aired a segment on Joybubbles in an episode titled Escape Chapter 9 of the book Exploding the Phone by Phil Lapsley details his successful plan to get a job by purposely getting arrested for phreaking 6 Phonefreaking and specifically Joybubbles were the subject of A Call from Joybubbles broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on March 13 2017 12 and March 17 2018 Phone services editJoybubbles ran a weekly telephone story line called Stories and Stuff which was usually updated at the weekend In the early and mid 1980s he ran a phone line called the Zzzzyzzerrific Funline which had the distinction of being the very last entry in the phone book 6 13 14 During the Zzzzyzzerrific Funline days calling himself Highrise Joe 9 he would go on various rants about how much he loved Valleyfair amusement park and would also regularly play and discuss Up with People References edit Joe Engressia Expert Phone Phreak Dies All Things Considered National Public Radio 20 August 2007 A Conversation with Joybubbles Pittsburgh Post Gazette June 25 1998 archived from the original on February 18 2010 retrieved June 10 2014 The History of Phone Phreaking Blog August 27 2008 Elizabeth McCracken 30 December 2007 Dial Tone Phreak The New York Times Magazine Retrieved 4 June 2023 Times Bureau December 12 1968 USF Whistler Stays In School St Petersburg Times p B 1 p 16 a b c d e Lapsley Phil 2013 Exploding the Phone The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws Who Hacked Ma Bell Grove Press pp 316 317 ISBN 978 0 8021 9375 9 Retrieved 10 July 2014 Junod Tom November 1998 Can You Say Hero Esquire Joybubbles S K Archived 2015 03 15 at archive today a b K C Mason 8 August 1982 High Rise Joe Phones Moscow And Has Ma Bell Whistlin Dixie The Buffalo News p G 10 p 90 United Press International UPI Mark McHarry 8 Dec 1971 The First Phone Freak Genius Honolulu Star Bulletin pp F 3 F 5 pp 67 69 Retrieved 3 June 2023 Sneakers Trivia IMDb Retrieved 10 July 2014 A Call from Joybubbles BBC Radio 4 BBC Retrieved 2018 03 17 Northwestern Bell Minneapolis White Pages 1987 p 1812 Andy Sturdevant 7 December 2016 A friend in the phone From dial an atheist to Prince s New Funk to the Zzzzyzzerrific Funline Archived from the original 6 Dec 2018 External links editNew York Times Obituary New York Times Magazine memorial profile Pittsburgh Post Gazette profile 2003 Find Exploding the Phone The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws Who Hacked Ma Bell in a library 11 20 91 Off the Hook interview Summary of the Off The Hook interview An archive of Stories and Stuff A Haxor Radio interview with Joybubbles April 22 2004 Radiolab audio segment describing Joybubbles background Feb 2012 A video of Joybubbles making a phone call by whistling on YouTube A conversation with Joybubbles from 1998 Secrets of the Little Blue Box Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Joybubbles amp oldid 1204138836, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
