US papers drop 'Dilbert' after creator's racist remarks

AFP

February 26, 2023

Dilbert, the comic strip character struggling to make his way up the corporate ladder, is joined by William Burleigh (R), President and Chief Executive Officer of the E.W. Scripps Company, Douglas Stern (2nd from L), Pres. and CEO of United Media, and Richard Grasso (L), Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, in giving a thumbs-up after ringing the opening bell as part of the activities to promote the launch of Dilberts new television show 25 January.— AFP/file — Dilbert, the comic strip character struggling to make his way up the corporate ladder, is joined by William Burleigh (R), President and Chief Executive Officer of the E.W. Scripps Company, Douglas Stern (2nd from L), Pres. and CEO of United Media, and Richard Grasso (L), Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, in giving a thumbs-up after ringing the opening bell as part of the activities to promote the launch of Dilbert's new television show 25 January.— AFP/file

Many US newspapers have decided to no longer publish the popular "Dilbert" comic strip, after its creator posted a racist video earlier this week calling Black people a "hate group".

Scott Adams, who rose to fame in the 1990s with his satirical take on white-collar office life, has increasingly stoked controversy with his views on social issues.

But in a video posted on Wednesday, Adams took issue with a recent poll conducted by conservative-leaning Rasmussen Reports, whose results show that a small majority of Black respondents agreed with the statement, "It's okay to be white".

"That's a hate group and I don't want anything to do with it," he said.

"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."

The USA TODAY Network, which operates hundreds of papers across the United State, said Friday evening that it "will no longer publish the Dilbert comic due to recent discriminatory comments by its creator."

Chris Quinn, the editor of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio, said Friday it "was not a difficult decision" for his paper to drop the comic strip.

"We are not a home for those who espouse racism," Quinn added.

The Washington Post also said Saturday it was dropping the cartoon from its pages, though it was too late to stop the strip from publishing in the weekend's print editions.

"In light of Scott Adams's recent statements promoting segregation, The Washington Post has ceased publication of the Dilbert comic strip," a spokesperson for the newspaper said.