Q & A
with Dilbert creator Scott Adams
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Why create a virtual house
for Dilbert? "Dilbert is single and needs all
the help he can get," says
Adams.
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HGTV.com: I can't tell you how excited
HGTV.com is to host the exterior of Dilbert's
Ultimate House. I understand that this project has
been years in the making - can you tell me how it
first came about? How did it move from concept to
reality?
Scott Adams: It started
with frustration over my own house. I don't
remember which annoyance was the final straw. It
might have been the smell of the cat's litter box
in the master bathroom, or it might have been my
$800 energy bill for one month. But it dawned on
me that modern houses aren't designed for the way
people live.
I thought that an engineer like Dilbert could
design a much more practical, healthy and
energy-efficient house. Since Dilbert can't speak
for himself, I decided to let Dilbert readers
suggest what they'd like to see in Dilbert's
Ultimate House. I collected all the suggestions
and put them together for this
project.
HGTV.com: Now that
Dilbert's Ultimate House is about to become a
"virtual" reality, what has been your contribution
and involvement - you've been pretty hands-on,
right?
SA: I served as Dilbert's
point of view and came up with the high-level
requirements for the house. I wanted it to be as
environmentally friendly as practical, easy to
maintain, suited to Dilbert's lifestyle, and great
to look at. It also had to serve as "wife bait" in
the sense that some woman might want to marry
Dilbert and overlook his personality just for a
chance to live in his great house. I solicited
suggestions with my Dilbert Newsletter and then
sorted out the best ones. Since then I've been
working with Heartwood of Danville, to turn it
into a virtual reality on the
net.
HGTV.com: Tell me a little bit
about the house - what sets it apart from
someone's basic concept of a dream house or
ultimate house?
SA: First, we got
rid of all the "museum rooms" like the formal
dining room, fancy foyer, and the front room where
no one ever goes. We used the extra space for the
things that almost everyone wants these days: a
roomy home office, a home theater, exercise areas,
a craft room, and yes -- a special room just for
the cat's litter box. Then we made sure we used
the best thinking in energy conservation and
environmental practices.
Convenience was a huge consideration, too. So
everything from the plumbing to the wiring is
designed for easy changes later. Then we added
some fun ideas that make you scratch your head and
wonder why no one already thougth of it. For
example, the house has a special closet off of the
Great Room for storing a fully-decorated
artificial Christmas tree all year. It's on
wheels, so you just have to push it out and plug
it in.
HGTV.com: Two documents featured on
Dilbert.com are the source work outline and home
suggestions from Dilbert Newsletter subscribers.
What are some of your favorite features of
Dilbert's Ultimate House (and why)? How about the
suggestions from readers - did some stand out to
you?
SA: The most common suggestion from
readers was that the kids' bathroom be completely
tiled and waterproof, with a drain in the center
and a hose, so you can just spray some chemicals
and hose the whole thing down. Apparently that
design is already used in some places.
We also have a soundproof Quiet Room with a
window to the kitchen. You can put the kids in
there and let them go wild without spoiling adult
conversation. Or if you have a family member who
insists on learning to play the drums, it doubles
as a practice studio.
The funniest suggestion was microwave ovens
with no shielding, so you can warm the residents
of the house from the inside out. But I don't
think we'll use that one. Another suggestion was
round picture frames so they never need
straightening.
HGTV.com: In the time that Dilbert has
become adored by millions of fans, I'm sure you've
had some adventures or maybe even misadventures in
home remodeling, decorating and the like - do you
have an experience or two you'd like to share with
us?
SA: Anyone who has had a contractor work
on the house understands that the phrase "I'll be
there on Monday at 8 AM" really means "I'll call
you on Tuesday and tell you that my truck broke
down. Then I'll make another ridiculous promise
that you'll believe because you want to." I
recommend that if you ever need major work done on
your house, sell the house to someone you don't
like.
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