The long-running comic strip Dilbert has been canceled by numerous media outlets and publisher Andrews McMeel Universal following creator Scott Adams' racist rant online.As announced in a letter published by the editor on Cleveland.com, Dilbert has been pulled by multiple major newspapers across the United States. The move occurred in reaction to a video Adams posted to YouTube on Feb. 22 in which he called black Americans "a hate group." Adams also urged white people to "just get away" from black people. Dilbert was officially pulled from Cleveland's The Plain Dealer, as well as others owned by parent company Advance Local.RELATED: Black Panther Gets an Epic New Costume for Upcoming Reboot Series

On Feb. 26, 2023, Dilbert publisher Andrews McMeel Universal announced it would be officially severing its relationship with Adams. "The process of this termination will extend to all areas of our business with Adams and the Dilbert comic strip," Andrews McMeel Universal chairman Hugh Andrews and CEO and president Andy Sareyan said in a statement. "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. 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."

Why Was Dilbert Dropped?

Plain Dealer/Cleveland.com Vice President of Content Chris Quinn explained the action in a statement made Feb. 24, saying, "This is not a difficult decision. We are not a home for those who espouse racism. We certainly do not want to provide them with financial support." Quinn also noted that "Until we decide what to replace Dilbert with, you'll likely see a gray box where it has been appearing."

This is the latest in a string of statements that have seen Adams lambasted on social media and his strip dropped from various outlets. In the fall of 2022, publisher Lee Enterprises dropped Dilbert from 77 of its newspapers. Adams has previously claimed that his works were being canceled because of his ethnicity as a white American, including that of the Dilbert animated series, which ran on the now-defunct UPN for two seasons from 1999 to 2000. Of the series' cancelation, Adams stated, "That was the third job I lost for being white."

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In July 2020, Adams declined a charity drawing challenge offered by Birds of Prey and Punisher writer Gail Simone on behalf of Bill Sienkewicz. The challenge, which would have raised money for the Black Lives Matter movement, with Adams noting that "I wouldn't give to a violent, racist group like BLM, but more importantly not the least in interacting with you."

Dilbert debuted in 1989 after being picked up for syndication by United Feature Syndicate. The series follows the titular character as he navigates social situations in a corporate office setting. The series made a name for itself by relying on technical, frequently obscure and absurdist comedic themes. The series has also become famous for its various Dilbert-esque characters, including the overtly callous and coldly calculating Dogbert.

Source: Cleveland.com via Variety