Scott Adams, the American cartoonist best known for creating the workplace comic strip Dilbert, has died at the age of 68 after a battle with prostate cancer. His death was confirmed on Tuesday through a livestream on his YouTube channel, Real Coffee with Scott Adams.
The announcement was made by his former wife, Shelly Miles, who shared a final written message from Adams. In the message, Adams said he remained mentally alert but his health had declined rapidly. He reflected on his life, career, and personal relationships, and thanked supporters who followed his work over the years.
Adams publicly revealed in May 2025 that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. At the time, he spoke openly about his condition during online broadcasts and said he planned to continue working as long as possible.
Early Life and Career
Born in 1957 in Windham, New York, Scott Adams developed an interest in drawing at a young age. He later worked in the corporate sector while drawing cartoons in his spare time. His experiences in office environments became the foundation for Dilbert, a comic strip that humorously criticized workplace bureaucracy, management culture, and corporate life.
Dilbert first appeared in 1989 and quickly gained popularity, especially during the 1990s. By the mid-1990s, the strip was syndicated in hundreds of newspapers worldwide and became a defining voice of office satire for a generation of workers.
Adams also found success as an author. His 1996 book, The Dilbert Principle, became a bestseller and helped establish him as a leading commentator on corporate culture. In 1997, he received the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award, one of the highest honors in the profession. Dilbert was later adapted into an animated television series, which received an Emmy nomination.
Shift to Political Commentary
In later years, Adams expanded his online presence through blogs, podcasts, and video content. From around 2015 onward, he became increasingly known for conservative political commentary. His views, shared largely through social media and YouTube, generated strong reactions and controversy.
In 2023, many major newspapers ended their syndication of Dilbert following remarks Adams made during an online livestream that were widely criticized as offensive. After that point, Dilbert largely disappeared from mainstream print media, though Adams continued to publish content independently.
Personal Life and Legacy
Scott Adams was married twice and did not have biological children. Despite controversy later in his career, his early work remains influential, particularly for its sharp and relatable take on modern office life.
Industry observers note that Dilbert reshaped workplace humor and reflected the frustrations of corporate employees during a time of rapid economic and technological change. For many readers, the comic strip captured the everyday realities of office culture in a way few others had done before.
Adams’s family has asked for privacy following his death.
