Scott Adams, ‘Dilbert’ Creator, Dies at 68 After Cancer; Accepted Christianity in Final Days
Scott Adams, creator of 'Dilbert', died at 68 after metastatic prostate cancer; his ex-wife read a final letter saying he accepted Jesus and urged 'be useful'.
Overview
Scott Adams, American cartoonist and commentator, created 'Dilbert.' He died at 68; his ex-wife Shelly Miles announced the Jan. 13 death during a livestream and read his final letter.
Adams disclosed metastatic prostate cancer in May 2025; it spread to bones and spine, causing partial paralysis. He entered hospice after treatments failed and publicized his prognosis.
'Dilbert' launched in 1989, reached roughly 2,000 newspapers globally, inspired books and a TV spinoff; Adams won the Reuben Award and later relaunched the strip online.
After 2023 remarks about Black Americans, many newspapers dropped 'Dilbert' and his distributor cut ties; Adams pivoted to political commentary, building a digital conservative audience.
In his Jan. 1 statement Adams said he accepted Jesus, citing Pascal's Wager, urged readers to 'be useful,' and received public condolences from conservative figures including President Trump.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Adams’ death as the end of a once-celebrated career overshadowed by his later controversies, emphasizing cancellations, racist remarks and political alignment. Editorial choices—loaded verbs ('screeched to a halt'), placement of cancellations and Trump praise—foreground controversy; quoted statements remain source content but are repeatedly highlighted to shape legacy.
Sources (35)
FAQ
Scott Adams died at age 68 from metastatic prostate cancer that had spread to his bones and spine, causing partial paralysis, after treatments failed and he entered hospice.
In 2023, Scott Adams made remarks about Black Americans during a livestream, calling them a 'hate group' and advising white people to avoid them, prompting many newspapers to drop Dilbert and his distributor to cut ties.
In a January 1 statement, Adams announced he accepted Jesus, citing Pascal's Wager, and urged readers to 'be useful'; his ex-wife Shelly Miles read his final letter during a livestream after his death on January 13.
Dilbert launched in 1989, satirizing office life, reached over 2,000 newspapers in 57 countries and 19 languages at its peak, inspired books, calendars, merchandise, a TV series, and earned Adams the 1997 Reuben Award; he relaunched it online after 2023.
Born June 8, 1957, in Windham, NY, Adams worked at Crocker National Bank and Pacific Bell in corporate jobs that inspired Dilbert, drawing cartoons early mornings while employed until going full-time in 1995 after earning degrees in economics and MBA.
History
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