Mr. Dithers

Julius C. Dithers is Dagwood Bumstead's boss in the comic strip Blondie. His wife is Cora Dithers. Mr. Dithers has a very harsh personality and is portrayed as a difficult and controlling employer. He continuously denies Dagwood's requests for a raise and frequently threatens to fire him. He always addresses Dagwood somewhat disrespectfully by using only his last name "Bumstead"

Despite the frequent disputes at work, Julius and Cora are frequent dinner guests at Dagwood's home after work. On these occasions, the relationship is more cordial, with Mr. Dithers addressing Dagwood by his first name.

Other references

• In 2005, the The Economist reported that Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin was being called "Mr. Dithers" by political commentators . This nickname was attributed to Martin's perceived habit of being indecisive and "dithering." In an extension of this theme, the Liberal Party of Canada has been labeled "The Ditherals."
• John Ashbery's poem "I Asked Mr. Dithers Whether It Was Time Yet He Said No to Wait" appears in his collection Chinese Whispers (2002).