Scott Adams, the creator of the widely syndicated comic strip Dilbert, has died at age 68 after a battle with cancer.
The news of his death was announced Tuesday by his ex-wife, Shelly Miles, during a livestream of his podcast, Real Coffee with Scott Adams. Adams’s satirical comic, launched in 1989, found a home in over 2,000 newspapers across 65 countries, lampooning the absurdities of office life through the eyes of a cynical engineer.
A Comic Strip Canceled Amid Controversy
The popular comic strip faced widespread cancellation in 2023 following racially charged remarks made by its creator.
- Adams’s Dilbert comic strip debuted in 1989 and achieved international success.
- The strip was canceled by numerous newspapers in 2023 after Adams made controversial statements.
- Adams later authored several self-help books, drawing on his background in hypnotism.
- Former President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged Adams’s passing.
- Adams shared a posthumous message emphasizing the importance of “being useful.”
What led to the cancellation of Dilbert? In February 2023, newspapers, including The Washington Post, dropped the comic after Adams made comments widely condemned as racist. He referred to Black Americans as a “hate group” and suggested that white Americans should “get the hell away from Black people” in response to a poll regarding perceptions of racial bias.
Adams subsequently defended his remarks, claiming he was using hyperbole and that media coverage lacked context. He stated he disavowed racism.
The creator’s work extended beyond the newspaper pages, encompassing books, an animated television series, and a video game. In later years, Adams explored self-help writing, publishing titles such as How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, Win Bigly, Loserthink, and Reframe Your Brain. He was also a trained hypnotist.
Former President Donald Trump paid tribute to Adams on his social media platform, Truth Social, calling him a “fantastic guy” who had shown him respect “when it wasn’t fashionable to do so.” Trump also acknowledged Adams’s “long battle against a terrible disease.”
Getty ImagesDuring Tuesday’s podcast livestream, a tearful Miles announced, “He’s not with us anymore.” She then read a posthumous message from Adams: “I had an amazing life, I gave it everything I had. If I got any benefits from my work, I’m asking that you pay it forward as best as you can. That’s the legacy I want. Be useful, and please know I loved you all to the very end.”
Adams had been receiving end-of-life care at his home after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in May 2025, which later spread to his bones. On January 1, he informed listeners that a recovery was unlikely, noting a loss of feeling in his legs and ongoing heart failure. He suggested January would likely mark a significant transition.
