Renowned Cartoonist Scott Adams Dies at 68 Amid Ongoing Controversy
Scott Adams, the creator of the iconic comic strip "Dilbert," has passed away at the age of 68. His death comes after a long battle with prostate cancer, which he had been waging for several years.
In a pre-written statement, Adams expressed his satisfaction with life, saying, "I gave it everything I had." The statement was read out by his ex-wife Shelly during a livestream, providing insight into the final moments of his extraordinary career.
"Dilbert," which debuted in 1989, catapulted to fame after Adams drew inspiration from his experience as a bank teller and phone company manager at Pacific Bell, lampooning corporate jargon and middle management. Over time, it evolved into a media empire with accompanying books, an animated show, and even a failed burrito line. The comic strip reached the peak of its syndication in 2013, with more than 2,000 newspapers carrying it.
However, Adams' later career was marred by controversy. In 2023, he faced widespread backlash after making racist remarks on his podcast. Discussing a Rasmussen Reports poll, which reported that 53% of Black Americans agreed with the statement, "It's OK to be white," Adams referred to Black Americans as a "hate group" and advised white people to "get away from them." He later described these comments as "hyperbole."
These remarks were not an isolated incident. In 2006, Adams questioned the accuracy of Holocaust death tolls on his blog, while in 2011, he wrote that women are treated differently by society for reasons similar to how children and those with mental disabilities are treated – a claim many have deemed disturbing.
Adams' vocal conservatism drew criticism from some quarters. He was an avid supporter of Donald Trump, often discussing the fallout from expressing his views on his podcast. Adams reflected on sacrificing aspects of his life for his convictions, including his social life, career, and reputation. Trump praised Adams as a "fantastic guy" who would be "truly missed," calling him brave for fighting against prostate cancer.
Adams' demise marks an end to a remarkable career that sparked laughter, controversy, and debate over the years.
Scott Adams, the creator of the iconic comic strip "Dilbert," has passed away at the age of 68. His death comes after a long battle with prostate cancer, which he had been waging for several years.
In a pre-written statement, Adams expressed his satisfaction with life, saying, "I gave it everything I had." The statement was read out by his ex-wife Shelly during a livestream, providing insight into the final moments of his extraordinary career.
"Dilbert," which debuted in 1989, catapulted to fame after Adams drew inspiration from his experience as a bank teller and phone company manager at Pacific Bell, lampooning corporate jargon and middle management. Over time, it evolved into a media empire with accompanying books, an animated show, and even a failed burrito line. The comic strip reached the peak of its syndication in 2013, with more than 2,000 newspapers carrying it.
However, Adams' later career was marred by controversy. In 2023, he faced widespread backlash after making racist remarks on his podcast. Discussing a Rasmussen Reports poll, which reported that 53% of Black Americans agreed with the statement, "It's OK to be white," Adams referred to Black Americans as a "hate group" and advised white people to "get away from them." He later described these comments as "hyperbole."
These remarks were not an isolated incident. In 2006, Adams questioned the accuracy of Holocaust death tolls on his blog, while in 2011, he wrote that women are treated differently by society for reasons similar to how children and those with mental disabilities are treated – a claim many have deemed disturbing.
Adams' vocal conservatism drew criticism from some quarters. He was an avid supporter of Donald Trump, often discussing the fallout from expressing his views on his podcast. Adams reflected on sacrificing aspects of his life for his convictions, including his social life, career, and reputation. Trump praised Adams as a "fantastic guy" who would be "truly missed," calling him brave for fighting against prostate cancer.
Adams' demise marks an end to a remarkable career that sparked laughter, controversy, and debate over the years.
, i remember reading dilbert daily back in school it was always hilarious but also kinda annoying at the same time lol, he had a way of making you laugh then also make you feel uncomfortable all at once... i mean i wasn't a huge fan of him esp with those racist comments on his podcast but u can't deny the impact he had on comics and pop culture overall 
. I mean, come on, 53% of Black Americans agreeing that "It's OK to be white" is still a pretty big number, and using a hate group label is just wrong 
.
. It's not like he was asking for proof or anything; he just went ahead and made some pretty inflammatory claims.
. I love how Adams poked fun at corporate culture and middle management – it was relatable back in the day (and still is, tbh). Maybe we can remember him as the guy who brought laughter and commentary to our lives, rather than just his more... questionable moments 
.
i mean dont get me wrong scott adams was a genius and all but some of his views were super off putting especially those racist comments he made on his podcast i thought that was a low point for him unfortunately hes had a lot of fans who defended him over the years but at the end of the day its hard to ignore the harm his words caused 
68 YEARS OLD IS STILL YOUNG FOR SUCH A LEGENDARY CAREER! i ALWAYS LOVED HIS COMIC STRIP DILBERT, IT WAS LIKE BEING INSIDE MY DAD'S OFFICE EVERY DAY 
. HE REALLY KNEW HOW TO MAKE FUN OF CORPORATE JARGON AND MIDDLE MANAGEMENT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M SO SAD HE FELL INTO THOSE CONTROVERSIAL HOLE WITH RACIST REMARKS ON HIS PODCAST 
Dilbert became more than just a comic strip for some ppl it changed the game, and even tho his later stuff got cringeworthy Adams left an indelible mark on modern workplace humor 
his legacy is def gonna be a wild ride i think it's crazy how ppl can look back on something u created and say "oh yeah that's some good stuff" but also "ugh what were u thinking with those racist comments" 
Adams may be gone but his art and his humor are still gonna bring people together in all sorts of ways 
. It's interesting that his ex-wife Shelly chose to share this final statement, providing a glimpse into the complexities of his personality 
. Despite the controversy surrounding him, Adams' willingness to speak his mind – even if it meant facing backlash – is admirable 
. His passing marks an end to an era, but one that will continue to be debated and discussed in the realms of comics and satire 
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. Can't separate the art from the artist sometimes? 
. And that stuff about Holocaust death tolls? No way to explain that one... I guess it just shows how hard it can be for people to say what's true when they're passionate about something 
. His last statement was pretty cool too - giving life everything you had is pretty profound 
. Anyway, I don't know if it's right or wrong to say this, but I'm kinda gonna miss him 
he had this crazy ability to tap into the frustrations of everyday office workers & middle managers... but yeah those last few years were super dark for him 
all that controversy surrounding those racist comments? yikes 
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just another reminder of how our platform is all about clickbait headlines and sensationalized news. can't help but feel like we're being fed the same old controversies over and over again... remember when scott adams used to be a respected figure in comics? now it's all about the drama and the hate speech. i miss the good ol' days of just enjoying some well-crafted satire 
I'm sad to hear about Scott Adams passing away at 68. He was a talented guy who gave it his all, but his later years were pretty problematic 
Those are some heavy issues he brought up without thinking them through.
and it was actually kinda beautiful. anyway, scott adams may be gone but his legacy is still out there in dilbert land 
. I mean, who else could make a entire empire out of mocking corporate jargon? 
It's crazy to think that "Dilbert" was once syndicated in over 2k newspapers 
.
. You can't just say stuff like that and expect people to forgive you after a while. I'm glad he was open about his battle with prostate cancer, but it's sad that more people aren't more open about their struggles with mental health 
. I mean, on one hand, you gotta respect the guy for being unapologetically himself and creating something as iconic as "Dilbert"