"The merch, collected editions, and tie-in products were a regular presence at every nearby bookstore, and after YouTube took off, I began tuning in to the animated shorts uploaded to Dilbert's official channel, drawing endless amusement from Dogbert's lush bass voice and Wally's nasal whine. It was a time when creator Scott Adams wasn't just a recognizable name but something of an aspirational one, when "the Dilbert guy" was more an affectionate nickname than a derisive shorthand."
"On Tuesday, when Adams died, at the age of 68, from an aggressive form of prostate cancer, the online reactions to his demise appeared befitting less of a famed syndicated cartoonist than of another garden-variety MAGA culture warrior. President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post featuring a photo of Adams at the Oval Office, merely referred to this "Great Influencer" as "a fantastic guy, who liked and respected me when it wasn't fashionable to do so," with no mention of the comic that made Adams so famous."
Childhood fandom of Dilbert included reading the comics, collecting merch, and enjoying YouTube animated shorts, with creator Scott Adams once an aspirational figure known as "the Dilbert guy." Adams died at 68 from an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Online reactions framed his death through political lenses, portraying him as a MAGA-aligned culture warrior rather than emphasizing his comic. President Donald Trump called him a "Great Influencer" and praised him as "a fantastic guy" without mentioning the comic, while far-right figures highlighted his reported final statement accepting Jesus and circulated images and claims linking him to Trump's 2016 victory.
Read at Slate Magazine
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