The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

230: Dilbert Done: Creator Scott Adams Dropped After Racist Rant


Listen Later

Context is everything. 

February 22nd, 2023, cartoonist Scott Adams aired an episode of his nightly podcast that would turn his career on its head. The creator of the beloved character, Dilbert Done, surprised us all with the heavily racist remarks he made in the video entitled, “It’s Okay to Be White,” which very quickly went viral. 

As a result, Scott Adams has been canceled, not only figuratively by society, but also literally through the loss of his newspaper contracts. Nobody is immune to the risk of losing their reputation or their livelihood through something that they post online, so let this episode be a lesson that you can use to protect yourself against being canceled like Scott Adams. 

 

Key Points From This Episode: 

 

  • Who is Scott Adams?
  • The Rasmussen poll that formed the basis of the video leading to Scott being canceled.
  • Why Scott’s video, “It’s Okay to Be White,” went viral. 
  • The controversial nature of Rasmussen polls. 
  • How Scott has responded to the uproar around his video. 
  • Scott’s self-proclaimed political views. 
  • The problem with Scott’s approach to airing his opinion. 
  • Why context is everything. 
  • Indestructible PR® tip: know your audience and know your medium. 



 
Keywords/Tags:



Canceled, cancel culture, racism, Rasmussen poll, human behavior, context



Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:



Dilbert by Scott Adams

Scott Adams Interview - It’s Okay to Be White

Tap water connoisseur on Twitter

Molly McPherson

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis

Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis - AudioBook Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media
Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events.

Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.


Follow & Connect with Molly:

  • https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
  • ...
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The PR Breakdown with Molly McPhersonBy www.mollymcpherson.com

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

205 ratings


More shows like The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

View all
No Filter With Zack Peter by Zack Peter

No Filter With Zack Peter

65 Listeners

Ringer Dish by The Ringer

Ringer Dish

1,640 Listeners

The Emily Show by Baker Media, LLC.

The Emily Show

1,945 Listeners

Pop Apologists by PodcastOne

Pop Apologists

3,159 Listeners

SmartLess by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett

SmartLess

57,458 Listeners

Celebrity Memoir Book Club by Vox Media Podcast Network

Celebrity Memoir Book Club

6,360 Listeners

Glamorous Trash: A Celebrity Memoir Podcast by Chelsea Devantez

Glamorous Trash: A Celebrity Memoir Podcast

2,173 Listeners

Beyond The Blinds by Cloud10

Beyond The Blinds

3,216 Listeners

FluentlyForward by CAKE MEDIA

FluentlyForward

2,199 Listeners

Deux U by Deuxmoi & Audacy

Deux U

2,071 Listeners

The Official Gilded Age Podcast by HBO

The Official Gilded Age Podcast

1,589 Listeners

Daily Dose of Dana by Dana Bowling

Daily Dose of Dana

1,922 Listeners

Fixing Famous People with Chris DeRosa & Dominick Pupa by Chris DeRosa & Dominick Pupa

Fixing Famous People with Chris DeRosa & Dominick Pupa

530 Listeners

Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce by Wave Originals

Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce

10,022 Listeners

Good Hang with Amy Poehler by The Ringer

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

7,870 Listeners