Scott Adams, the creator of the comic strip Dilbert , has been in the news for several controversial comments over the past few years, most notably a 2023 livestream in which he made remarks widely condemned as racist. He also recently made stark, emotional statements about his terminal cancer and chances of recovery.

Key controversial remarks

  • In a 2023 online livestream, Adams reacted to a poll about the phrase “It’s OK to be white” and told white people to “get the f*** away” from Black people, a comment that led major newspaper chains to drop Dilbert from their comics pages.
  • He later described those remarks as hyperbole and argued that he was drawing attention to racial tensions, but the backlash was intense and lasting.

Other notable statements

  • In past commentary, Adams said that women are treated by society in a way he compared to children and mentally disabled people, claiming “it’s just easier this way for everyone,” a remark that drew strong criticism.
  • He also made personal comments about then–2016 GOP candidate Carly Fiorina, saying she had an “angry wife face,” which was cited as another example of his provocative style.

Recent health-related comments

  • In 2025–2026, Adams publicly discussed his battle with metastatic prostate cancer, saying the odds of his recovery were “essentially zero” and that his health updates were “all bad news.”
  • He spoke about being paralyzed from the waist down and described himself as “declining fast,” while continuing to talk to his audience about his situation and asking that any benefit people got from his work be “paid forward” as the legacy he wanted.

Why “what did he say?” keeps trending

  • The phrase “Scott Adams what did he say” often refers back to that 2023 livestream racial rant, which triggered the widespread cancellation of Dilbert in newspapers.
  • It also resurfaces when people discuss his pattern of shock-style comments on race, gender, and politics, alongside his more recent blunt statements about his illness and mortality.

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