Scott Adams, Creator of ‘Dilbert,’ Dies at 68 Following Battle with Cancer

Scott Adams, the cartoonist who achieved worldwide fame for his satirical comic strip Dilbert before becoming a lightning rod for political and social controversy in his later years, has died at the age of 68.

Adams passed away on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, after a protracted battle with metastatic prostate cancer. His death was announced by his first ex-wife, Shelly Miles, during a tearful livestream on his YouTube channel, Real Coffee with Scott Adams.

A Final Message of Reflection and Faith

During the livestream, Miles read a pre-prepared “final message” that Adams had written on New Year’s Day. In the letter, Adams reflected on his life, stating, “I had an amazing life. I gave it everything I had”.

Notably, the message also addressed a late-life spiritual shift. Adams, long a self-described non-believer, revealed that he had accepted Jesus Christ as his “Lord and Savior” just before his death. He described the decision as a “risk-reward calculation” that seemed “so attractive” in his final days, adding, “The part about me not being a believer should be quickly resolved if I wake up in heaven”.

The Rise of Dilbert

Born in 1957 in Windham, New York, Adams spent years working in corporate environments at Pacific Bell and Crocker National Bank—experiences that provided the cynical fuel for Dilbert. Launched in 1989, the strip became a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s, capturing the absurdity of cubicle life and incompetent management for readers in over 2,000 newspapers worldwide.

A Legacy of Controversy

In his later years, Adams’ legacy became increasingly complex. He moved away from pure satire toward political commentary, becoming a vocal supporter of Donald Trump during the 2016 election.

His career faced a major reckoning in February 2023, when he made racist remarks during a YouTube livestream, describing Black Americans as a “hate group” and advising white people to “get the hell away” from them. These comments led to the immediate cancellation of Dilbert by major newspaper chains and his distributor, Andrews McMeel Syndication. Adams subsequently moved the strip to his own subscription platform, Locals, under the title Dilbert Reborn.

Political Tributes

Following the news of his passing, high-profile figures offered their condolences. Donald Trump praised Adams on Truth Social as a “fantastic guy” and a “Great Influencer” who “bravely fought a long battle against a terrible disease”. Vice President JD Vance also paid tribute, describing Adams as a “true American original”.

Adams’ battle with cancer became public in May 2025, a diagnosis he revealed shortly after President Joe Biden announced his own struggle with the disease. Despite declining health that eventually made drawing difficult, Adams continued to host his daily podcast and engage with his audience until the very end.