Man Fired for Posting 'Dilbert' Comic at Work

Feb. 21, 2008 — -- An Iowa man fired for posting a "Dilbert" comic strip at work that made fun of bosses is getting the last laugh — with the help of "Dilbert's" creator.

In the fall, Dave Steward posted the comic strip on an office bulletin board at the Catfish Bend Casino in Iowa. In the comic, Dilbert asks, "Why does it seem as if most of the decisions in my workplace are made by drunken lemurs?"

"I wanted to try to boost the morale for the employees," Steward said.

His bosses, however, didn't find the joke so funny. They didn't like the implication that they were the drunken lemurs in this scenario.

Using surveillance video, his bosses identified Steward as the comic culprit and fired him.

Scott Adams, "Dilbert's" creator, got wind of Steward's predicament, and this week Adams launched a plotline for the strip that is very similar to Steward's plight.

In one panel, the boss asks: "Do you think drunken lemurs are like managers?"

"No," the character Wally replies. "Some lemurs can hold their liquor."

In today's strip, the boss says, "Wally, I have to fire you for posting a comic comparing managers to drunken lemurs."

While Adams is clearly defending Steward, he has some advice: "Stick with 'Garfield.' No one ever got fired for loving lasagna."

And Steward, who is still searching for a new job, has this advice for all the bosses out there: "You need to have a sense of humor."