USA TODAY Network, newspapers and distributor drop Dilbert comic after creator's racist comments

Corrections and clarifications: USA TODAY did not publish the Dilbert comic strip. A previous version of this article was incorrect.

Numerous newspapers, including the USA TODAY Network, and a major comic distributor announced they will stop running the widely syndicated comic strip Dilbert after the creator described people who are Black as part of a "hate group" that white people should "get away" from.

Scott Adams, the creator of the strip that debuted in 1989 that pokes fun at office culture, received backlash from comments he made Wednesday on his YouTube channel "Real Coffee with Scott Adams."

As news organizations announced they were pulling the comic strip because of Adams' remarks, the comic strip creator continued to defend his remarks.

What did Scott Adams say?

The backlash against Adams began Wednesday when he referenced a Rasmussen Reports survey that had asked whether people agreed with the statement “It's OK to be white."

Most agreed, but Adams noted that 26% of Black respondents disagreed and others weren't sure.

The Anti-Defamation League says the phrase was popularized in 2017 as a trolling campaign by members of the discussion forum 4chan but then began being used by some white supremacists.

Adams, who is white, repeatedly referred to people who are Black as members of a "hate group" or a "racist hate group" and said he would no longer "help Black Americans."

“Based on the current way things are going, the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people,” Adams said.

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Newspapers pull Dilbert, condemn Adams' comments

The USA TODAY Network, which includes USA TODAY and other newspapers owned by Gannett, such as The Arizona Republic and Detroit Free Press, announced Friday it would stop publishing Dilbert "due to recent discriminatory comments by its creator."

Other news organizations also did the same:

• Andrews McMeel Universal Chairman Hugh Andrews and CEO and President Andy Sareyan said in a joint statement Sunday that the syndication company was “severing our relationship” with Adams.

• The Los Angeles Times said Saturday it would discontinue Dilbert Monday "in most editions", as it will last appear on March 12 since Sunday Comics are printed in advance.

• The New York Times said Sunday it would no longer be publishing the comic strip. Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokeswoman for The New York Times, said the comic appeared only in the international print edition and not in the outlet's U.S. edition or online.

• The Washington Post said Saturday it had “ceased publication" of Dilbert. A spokesperson said it was too late to stop the strip from running in upcoming print editions, including Sunday.

• The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and other publications that are part of Advance Local media announced they were pulling Dilbert. Chris Quinn, editor of The Plain Dealer, said it was "not a difficult decision" as the outlet is "not a home for those who espouse racism. "

• The San Antonio Express-News, part of Hearst Newspapers, said Saturday it will drop the Dilbert comic strip, effective Monday, “because of hateful and discriminatory public comments by its creator.”

Distributor drops Dilbert

Major comics syndicator Andrews McMeel Universal said in a statement that the syndication company was “severing" their relationship with Adams.

By Monday morning, Adams no longer appeared in searches on GoComics and “Dilbert” comics were gone from the website, which also features many top comic strips like “Peanuts” and “Calvin and Hobbes,” as well as political cartoons.

"As a media and communications company, AMU values free speech," the statement said. "But we will never support any commentary rooted in discrimination or hate."

Scott Adams defends comments

In another episode of his online show Saturday, Adams said he had been making a point that “everyone should be treated as an individual” without discrimination and "you should absolutely be racist whenever it’s to your advantage."

"But you should also avoid any group that doesn’t respect you, even if there are people within the group who are fine,” Adams said.

Adams has also continued to defend his remarks on Twitter, noting that he was getting "canceled."

While Adams' strips are no longer on GoComics, he maintains an extensive archive on his own website.

In a YouTube episode released Monday, Scott Adams said that new “Dilbert” strips will only be available on his subscription service on the Locals platform.

“They made a business decision, which I don’t consider anything like censorship,” he said of Andrews McMeel Universal, adding that his comments about Black people were hyperbole.

Elon Musk tweets support for Adams

Meanwhile, Tesla, Twitter and Space X CEO tweeted support for Adams.

"For a *very* long time, US media was racist against non-white people, now they’re racist against whites & Asians," Musk tweeted. "Same thing happened with elite colleges & high schools in America. Maybe they can try not being racist."

Musk later agreed with a tweet saying Adams’ comments “weren’t good” but had an “element of truth” to them.

Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY; Associated Press 

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Newspapers drop Dilbert after racist comments from creator Scott Adams