Joybubbles, Whistler
IRL Name:
Josef Carl Engressia, Jr.
Biography:
Joybubbles, aka Josef Carl Engressia, Jr., was born in Richmond, Virginia on May 25, 1949 and died August 8, 2007 from natural causes. He was an early phone phreaker, and at five years old, discovered he could dial phone numbers by clicking the hang-up switch, also known as "tapping". At the age of 7, he accidentally discovered that whistling at certain frequencies could activate phone switches, and 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.
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.
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