Scott Adams, the creator of the iconic workplace comic strip Dilbert, died on January 13, 2026, at the age of 68 in Pleasanton, California, after a prolonged battle with metastatic prostate cancer. His passing was confirmed by his ex-wife, Shelly Miles, during a livestream on the "Real Coffee with Scott Adams" channel, a platform Adams had used to connect with fans in recent years. "Unfortunately, this isn't good news. Of course, he waited till just before the show started, but he's not with us anymore," Miles told viewers, her voice heavy with emotion as she read from a letter Adams had prepared for this moment.
Adams’ diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer, which had spread to his bones, was first made public in May 2025. On a New Year's Day broadcast in 2026, Adams revealed that his prognosis was grim, telling his audience that his chances of recovery were "essentially zero." He shared candidly about his daily struggle with pain, saying, "Every day is a nightmare, and evening is even worse." According to The Associated Press, Adams compared his illness to that of former President Joe Biden, remarking, "I have the same cancer that Joe Biden has. So, I also have prostate cancer that has also spread to my bones."
In the final message read by Miles, Adams reflected on his life, faith, and legacy. He wrote, "If you are reading this, things did not go well for me. I have a few things to say before I go. My body failed before my brain, I am of sound mind as I write this, Jan. 1, 2026." In a moment of characteristic wit and vulnerability, Adams addressed his spiritual journey: "Many of my Christian friends have asked me to find Jesus before I go. I'm not a believer, but I have to admit, the risk-reward calculation for doing so looks so attractive to me. So here I go. I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and look forward to spending an eternity with Him. The part about me not being a believer should be quite quickly resolved; if I wake up in heaven, I won’t need any more convincing than that. I hope I’m still qualified for entry." He concluded, "I had an amazing life. I gave it everything I had. If you 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."
Dilbert debuted in April 1989, inspired by Adams’ years working in banking and telecommunications in the Bay Area. The comic quickly became a touchstone for office workers, particularly in California’s burgeoning tech sector. Its humor—skewering clueless managers, endless meetings, and the absurdities of corporate life—struck a nerve, and at its peak, Dilbert was syndicated in more than 2,000 newspapers across 70 countries and translated into 25 languages. The strip spawned bestselling books, desk calendars, and even a short-lived animated TV series. In 1997, Adams received the National Cartoonist Society’s Reuben Award and saw Dilbert become the first fictional character to make Time magazine’s list of the most influential Americans.
Sarah Gillespie, who helped discover Dilbert at United Media, told The Washington Post, "The take on office life was new and on target and insightful." The strip’s dry, minimalist art style became part of its charm, as did its cast of characters: the hapless Dilbert, his megalomaniac pet Dogbert, the pointy-haired boss, and a rotating crew of cynical coworkers. Adams’ creation even gave rise to the "Dilbert Principle," the tongue-in-cheek notion that the least competent employees are promoted to management to minimize the damage they can do.
But Adams’ career took a dramatic turn in 2023, when he made a series of racist remarks about Black Americans on his YouTube show. According to USA TODAY Network, Adams described Black people as a "hate group" and said he would no longer "help Black Americans." The backlash was swift and severe: newspapers across the country, including USA TODAY, dropped Dilbert, and his distributor, Andrews McMeel Universal, severed ties. The Sun Chronicle in Massachusetts left the space once reserved for Dilbert blank, calling it a reminder of the racism that persists in society. A planned book was scrapped, and Adams’ reputation was irreparably damaged in mainstream media.
Adams, for his part, insisted his comments were hyperbolic, but he continued to defend his stance on social media. As The Associated Press reported, Adams tweeted in 2023, "Only the dying leftist Fake News industry canceled me (for out-of-context news of course). Social media and banking unaffected. Personal life improved. Never been more popular in my life. Zero pushback in person. Black and White conservatives solidly supporting me." He relaunched his comic as Dilbert Reborn on Rumble, a video platform popular with conservatives and far-right groups, and continued to host his podcast, "Real Coffee with Scott Adams."
Adams’ fall from grace was not entirely sudden. Over the years, his work and public statements grew increasingly controversial, touching on topics of misogyny, anti-immigration, and conspiracy theories. In one infamous 2022 strip, Adams lampooned performance reviews with a "wokeness score," a move that critics saw as part of a broader turn toward reactionary politics. Yet, for many fans, Dilbert remained a sharp, relatable satire of the modern workplace—a kind of cultural shorthand for cubicle frustration and office absurdity.
President Donald Trump was among those who paid tribute to Adams after his death. In a statement on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Sadly, the Great Influencer, Scott Adams, has passed away. He was a fantastic guy, who liked and respected me when it wasn’t fashionable to do so. He bravely fought a long battle against a terrible disease. My condolences go out to his family, and all of his many friends and listeners. He will be truly missed. God bless you Scott!"
Adams’ influence on American office culture and the world of comics cannot be overstated. Dilbert was more than just a comic strip—it became part of the language of the workplace, a mirror for the frustrations and foibles of corporate life. Whether pinned to cubicle walls, quoted in business school classrooms, or shared in viral memes, Adams’ creation left an indelible mark.
In the end, Adams asked only that those who benefited from his work "pay it forward." His legacy, complicated though it may be, is one that will continue to provoke laughter, debate, and reflection in offices—and living rooms—around the world.
