Newspapers across the United States dropped the long-running cartoon strip Dilbert after its creator went on a racist tirade, describing Black people as members of “a racist hate group” and encouraging white people “to get the hell away from black people”.
Scott Adams, creator of the cartoon that lampoons office culture, made the comments last week during his YouTube show Read Coffee with Scott Adams.
Adams was commenting on a report by conservative pollsters Rasmussen Reports, that 26 per cent of Black respondents said they disagreed with the statement: “It’s OK to be white.”
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the expression “it’s OK to be white” gained popularity in 2017 as a trolling effort by participants of the discussion forum 4chan. The phrase was later adopted by white supremacists.
Adams, who is white, was outraged by the poll results and said he would no longer “help Black Americans”.
Swift backlash
Andrews McMeel Syndication, which distributes Dilbert, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The media backlash was swift and decisive.
Dilbert at the New York Stock Exchange to ring the opening bell in 1999. Photo: Getty
The Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and USA Today were among the newspapers that cancelled the cartoon, denouncing Adams’ comments as racist, hateful and discriminatory.
The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and other publications that are part of Advance Local media also dropped Dilbert.
“This is a decision based on the principles of this news organisation and the community we serve,” wrote Chris Quinn, editor of The Plain Dealer.
“We are not a home for those who espouse racism. We certainly do not want to provide them with financial support.”
Christopher Kelly, vice-president of content for NJ Advance Media, wrote that the news organisation believes in “the free and fair exchange of ideas”.
“But when those ideas cross into hate speech, a line must be drawn,” Kelly wrote.
Musk backs cartoonist
Adams has supporters. On Sunday, billionaire Elon Musk accused the media of being racist against whites and Asians.
In replies to tweets about the controversy, Musk said the media had long been racist against non-white people but are now “racist against whites & Asians”.
“Maybe they can try not being racist,” Musk tweeted.
In a later post, Musk agreed with a tweet that said: “Adams’ comments weren’t good” but there’s “an element of truth” to them.
In response to an account that said white victims of police violence get a fraction of media coverage compared to Black victims, Musk said the coverage is “very disproportionate to promote a false narrative”.
Adams took to Twitter proclaiming that he had been unfairly cancelled by the media and his comments were taken out of context.
Tweet from @ScottAdamsSaysTweet from @ScottAdamsSays
On Sunday, Reuters reported that Adams confirmed his cartoon had been dropped – and said he had expected that to happen.
“By Monday, I should be mostly cancelled. So most of my income will be gone by next week,” he said.
“My reputation for the rest of my life is destroyed. You can’t come back from this.”
-with AAP
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