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What happened
Scott Adams, the US cartoonist who wrote and illustrated Dilbert, died of cancer at age 68. His ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced his death on Tuesday during a live stream of his podcast, Real Coffee with Scott Adams, and read a posthumous message from him. Dilbert began publication in 1989 and ran in more than 2,000 newspapers in 65 countries, with adaptations including books, an animated TV series, and a video game. In 2023, newspapers including the Washington Post cancelled the strip after Adams was accused of making racist comments about black people, which he later defended as hyperbole and said media reports ignored context.
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Key insights
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Adams asked supporters to continue his legacy through practical help: In a posthumous message read on his podcast, Adams asked that any benefits from his work be paid forward and said, "Be useful."
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Adams said he used hyperbole and disavowed racists: Adams defended his 2023 remarks by saying he used hyperbole to make a point, disavowed racists, and said media reports ignored the context of his comments.
Takeaways
Scott Adams died at 68 while Dilbert’s legacy included both major global reach and a 2023 wave of cancellations tied to his comments about black Americans.