Several newspapers have announced they would no longer publish Scott Adams’ work after the “Dilbert” comic strip creator received backlash for describing Black people as “a hate group” that white people should “get away” from. Adams’ downward spiral began following the Feb. 22 episode of his YouTube show “Real Coffee with Scott Adams.”
During the segment, Adams referenced a Rasmussen Reports survey that asked if people agreed with the statement, “It’s ok to be white.” Although most agreed, Adams pointed out 26 percent of Black respondents disagreed. Adams, who is white, continuously referred to Black people as members of a “hate group” or a “racist hate group” and said he would no longer “help Black Americans.” “Based on the current way things are going, the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people,” Adams stated on his Wednesday show.
Since, “Dilbert’s” distributor and multiple outlets, including The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and The San-Antonio Express-News, have revealed that they dropped Adams. In a joint statement, Andrews McMeel Chairman Hugh Andrews and CEO and President Andy Sareyan said, “We are proud to promote and share many different voices and perspectives. But we will never support any commentary rooted in discrimination or hate.”
“We have decided to no longer publish the ‘Dilbert’ comic strip in our international print edition following racist comments by Scott Adams,” Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokeswoman for The New York Times, said.
The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and other publications of the media company Advance Local also announced they are dropping “Dilbert.” “This is a decision based on the principles of this news organization and the community we serve,” Plain Dealer Editor Chris Quinn wrote. “We are not a home for those who espouse racism. We certainly do not want to provide them with financial support.”
After learning of the news of his long-running comic being dropped from multiple newspapers, Adams took to social media to speak out, saying those against him “hate me and are canceling me.”