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

Molly McPherson on Patreon
 

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

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.

Follow & Connect with Molly:

• https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
• https://www.tiktok.com/@mollybmcpherson
• https://www.instagram.com/molly.mcpherson/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mollymcpherson/
  
  

© 2025 The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson