'I don't feel sorry for him. Do you?': Readers react as Dilbert comic strip dropped by hundreds of newspapers after racist rant
Canadian newspapers including The Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star dropped the comic over misaligned values
The distributor of the "Dilbert" comic strip, a cartoon dating 1989 and satirizes office life, announced Sunday that it's ending their relationship with the cartoon's creator, Scott Adams, as the cartoonist's comments about race "do not align with our core values." The cartoon has also been dumped by many newspapers around the world.
On Twitter, Andrews McMeel Universal (AMU) announced the break up in a statement on behalf of AMU Chairman Hugh Andrews and the company's CEO and president, Andy Sareyan.
— Andrews McMeel (@AndrewsMcMeel) February 27, 2023
"As a media and communications company, AMU values free speech. We are proud to promote and share many different voices and perspectives. But we will never support any commentary rooted in discrimination or hate. Recent comments by Scott Adams regarding race and race relations do not align with our core values as a company," the statement reads.
"Our creator-first approach is foundational to AMU, and we deeply value our relationships with our creators. However, in the case with Adams, our vision and principles are not compatible."
What sparked the 'Dilbert' blacklash?
The Dilbert creator drew backlash after his recent Youtube episode on Feb. 22, where he referred to Black Americans as a "hate group."
On the episode, Adams shared results from a Rasmussen Reports survey that asked respondents if they agreed with the statement: "It's OK to be white." The cartoonist emphasizes that 26 percent of Black people disagreed, which means, to him, that African-Americans result as a "hate group."
"If nearly half of all Blacks are not OK with white people ... that's a hate group," Adams said in the Youtube video. "And I don't want to have anything to do with them."
"I would say, 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 continues. "Just get the fuck away. Wherever you have to go, just get away. Because there's no fixing this. This can't be fixed."
The reaction: Newspapers around the world drop 'Dilbert'
As predicted by the creator, hundreds of newspapers dropped Dilbert. In the U.S., media giants like the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the USA Today, and others will no longer carry the satirical strip.
"In light of Scott Adams's recent statements promoting segregation, the Washington Post has ceased publication of the Dilbert comic strip," the newspaper released in a statement.
Another statement from the Los Angeles Times read, "Cartoonist Scott Adams made racist comments in a YouTube livestream [on Feb. 22], offensive remarks that the Times rejects."
The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star and Postmedia papers in Canada also cut ties with Adams.
"While we respect and encourage free speech, his views do not align with our editorial or business values as an organization," the company tweeted.
Following recent discriminatory comments by Dilbert creator Scott Adams, The Globe and Mail has decided to discontinue publishing his comic. While we respect and encourage free speech, his views do not align with our editorial or business values as an organization.
— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) February 26, 2023
Cartoonist Scott Adams: 'By Monday, I should be mostly cancelled'
"By Monday, I should be mostly cancelled.' So most of my income will be gone by next week," Adams said about his racist remarks. "My reputation for the rest of my life is destroyed. You can't come back from this."
Twitter CEO Elon Musk, Twitter CEO, came to Adams' defence on his platform, claiming that "the media is racist."
"For a *very* long time, U.S. media was racist against non-white people, now they're racist against whites & Asians," he added. "Same thing happened with elite colleges & high schools in America. Maybe they can try not being racist," he tweeted.
Others on social media were not having it.
White people should “get the hell away from Black people”
Dilbert cartoonist, Scott Adams, pulled his Klan mask all the way off. I respect the white supremacy rhetoric he spouted with his whole chest.
Followed that cartoon for decades…I’m such a mug. pic.twitter.com/fqrdSz5D0O— Michael Morgan (@mikewhoatv) February 24, 2023
Can you imagine forcefully making black humans capital, abusing, enslaving and raping them, wonder why they aren’t generally well adjusted in the society you legally kept them from advancing in and referring to those people as the hate group.
Hilarious.— Heliacal Heifer (@LoosCoilz) February 25, 2023
Scott Adams says his career is destroyed and most of his income will be gone by next week after The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and other publications dropped his popular cartoon, #Dilbert
Racism has consequences. I don’t feel sorry for him, do you?— bikerdude (@bikerdude_vet) February 27, 2023
I like the fact that he claimed he would not help black people, as if dilbert ever helped black people ever at any point in history. I don't think most black people even knew it existed until his racist comments 🤣
— Alejandro Perez (@kratosBVLL) February 27, 2023
My local newspaper, The Morning Call, in the Lehigh Valley, PA will no longer carry the Dilbert comic strip. They said specifically division and racism is not acceptable in their publication. Thank you, Morning Call.
— Frank Mitman (@frankdpi) February 27, 2023
Scott Adams described Black people as members of "a hate group" and said white people should "get the hell away" from them.
If only they had that attitude in 1619. It’s very convenient to have it now, wouldn’t you think. https://t.co/A3x77fwP0P— ✭ 🅑🅤🅑🅑🅐 ✭ (@BubbatheOG) February 27, 2023