Andrew Roane Dick (born Andrew Thomlinson; December 21, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, musician, and television and film producer. Known professionally as a comic, his first regular television role was on the short-lived but influential '' Ben Stiller Show''. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

's ''

NewsRadio ''NewsRadio'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from March 21, 1995 to May 4, 1999, focusing on the work lives of the staff of a New York City AM news radio station. It had an ensemble cast featuring Dave Foley, Stephen ...

'' and was a supporting character on ''

Less than Perfect ''Less than Perfect'' is an American television sitcom created by Terri Minsky and starring Sara Rue and Sherri Shepherd which originally aired on ABC from October 1, 2002, to June 20, 2006. It follows Claude (Rue), who works at a television netw ...

''. He briefly had his own program, ''

The Andy Dick Show ''The Andy Dick Show'' is an American sketch comedy series that aired on MTV from February 2001 to May 2002. The series was created by and starred comedian Andy Dick. Synopsis Every episode of the series was written and directed by Andy, also pop ...

'', on

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

. He is noted for his outlandish behavior on a number of ''

Comedy Central Roast ''Comedy Central Roast'' is a series of celebrity roast specials that air on the American television channel Comedy Central. The first official ''Comedy Central Roast'' premiered on August 10, 2003. On average one or two roasts air every year. T ...

s'' and other appearances. He is also known for his eccentric behavior, struggles with

drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use of ...

, and numerous

sexual misconduct Sexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature which exists on a spectrum that may include a broad range of sexual behaviors considered unwelcome. This includes conduct considered inappropriate on an individual or societal basis of morality, se ...

allegations and arrests.

Early life and education

Dick was born on December 21, 1965, in

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

, as Andrew Thomlinson. He was adopted at birth by Allen and Sue Dick, and named Andrew Roane Dick. He was brought up Presbyterian. His father was in the Navy. As a child, he spent time living with his family in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, and

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

before moving to Chicago in 1979. He attended

Lassiter High School Lassiter High School is a public high school located north of Atlanta in Marietta, Georgia, United States, in the Cobb County School District. The school was founded in 1981. The school colors are gold and maroon, and the school mascot is the Face ...

, which was being temporarily housed at

George Walton Comprehensive High School George Walton Comprehensive High School, also known as Walton High School, is a public high school located in Marietta, Georgia, United States. It is in eastern Cobb County and is a charter school in the Cobb County School District. It is a Sch ...

Cobb County, Georgia Cobb County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia, located in the Atlanta metropolitan area in the north central portion of the state. As of 2020 Census, the population was 766,149. Its county seat and largest city is Marietta. Along with ...

. Dick appeared in numerous theater productions during his high school year. He was elected homecoming king his senior year in 1983. He graduated from

Joliet West High School Joliet West High School, along with Joliet Central, comprises district 204 Joliet Township High School district in Joliet, Illinois. West's mascot is the Tiger. Construction and expansion The school was originally constructed in 1964, one ye ...

Joliet, Illinois Joliet ( ) is a city in Will County, Illinois, Will and Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the cit ...

in 1984. While in high school, he tended to use his surname as a joke; and one day, he dressed in a homemade

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

costume and presented himself at school as "Super Dick". Dick has been a friend of actor

Anthony Rapp Anthony Deane Rapp (born October 26, 1971) is an American actor and singer who originated the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of ''Rent''. Following his original performance of the role in 1996, Rapp reprised it in the film version ...

since childhood. After high school, Dick joined Chicago's Second City, attended

Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockford ...

for a semester before attending

Columbia College Chicago Columbia College Chicago is a Private college, private art college in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1890, it has 5,928https://about.colum.edu/effectiveness/pdf/spring-2021-student-profile.pdf students pursuing degrees in more than 60 undergra ...

, where he performed most of his university studies, and took improv comedy classes at

iO Theater iO, or iO Chicago, (formerly known as "ImprovOlympic") is an improv theater and training center in central Chicago, with a former branch in Los Angeles, called iO West and in Raleigh, North Carolina called iO South. The theater taught and hosted p ...

Career

Television

Dick started his TV comedy career as a cast member on the

sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and is ...

program ''

The Ben Stiller Show ''The Ben Stiller Show'' is an American sketch comedy series that aired on MTV from 1990 to 1991, and then on Fox from September 27, 1992, to January 17, 1993. The Fox program starred Ben Stiller, Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo and Bob Odenkirk. ...

'', which aired on the

Fox Network The Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly known simply as Fox and stylized in all caps as FOX, is an American commercial broadcast television network owned by Fox Corporation and headquartered in New York City, with master control operations an ...

from September 1992 to January 1993. In 1993, on the third night of

David Letterman David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982 debut of ''Late Night with David Letterman' ...

's new

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

show, Dick appeared as "Donnie the CBS Page Who Likes to Suck Up", during which he gave a watch to Letterman. The host then handed him a pencil, prompting Dick to cry and then walk backstage to much applause. In 1994, Dick played the part of Pepé the stylist in the episode "Maggie the Model" on ''

The Nanny ''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three chi ...

''. He also starred as Zachary Smart, the son of

Maxwell Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...

and

Agent 99 ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...

, in the ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...

'' Fox television remake (a role he reportedly tried to escape in order to go into work with ''

''). In 2001, Dick starred along with

Kieran Culkin Kieran Kyle Culkin (born September 30, 1982) is an American actor. The brother of actors Macaulay and Rory, he began his career as a child actor in the films ''Home Alone'' (1990), ''Father of the Bride'' (1991)'', The Mighty'' (1998), and ''Th ...

on the short lived NBC summer television series ''Go Fish''. Dick has been a series regular on several sitcoms for their entire duration, including ''NewsRadio'' on

(1995–1999), portraying accident-prone reporter Matthew Brock, and on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

sitcom ''

'' as Owen Kronsky. In 2001, he, along with colleagues and producers, developed a show on MTV called ''

''. The series ended in 2003 after three seasons. In 2004, he starred in a

satirical Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming or e ...

reality television show, also on MTV, called '' The Assistant''. The show spoofed themes and scenes from ''

The Apprentice ''The Apprentice'' is a Reality competition, reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States. Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with variou ...

'', '' The Bachelor'', '' Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'', and '' Survivor'', among others. Dick had also had a guest shot on '' Star Trek: Voyager'' as the

Emergency Medical Hologram The Doctor, an Emergency Medical Hologram (or EMH for short), is a fictional character portrayed by actor Robert Picardo on the television series '' Star Trek: Voyager'', which aired on UPN between 1995 and 2001. He is an artificial intelligenc ...

Mark II in "Message in a Bottle". He competed in the eighth season of ''

Celebrity Poker Showdown ''Celebrity Poker Showdown'' is an American celebrity game show that aired on the cable network Bravo (US TV channel), Bravo. It was a limited-run series in which celebrities played poker, with eight Poker tournament, tournaments during its five-s ...

''. He finished in last place, behind

Robin Tunney Robin Tunney (born June 19, 1972) is an American actress. Tunney made her film debut in the comedy ''Encino Man'' (1992) and rose to prominence with leading roles in the cult films ''Empire Records'' (1995) and '' The Craft'' (1996). Her perform ...

Christopher Meloni Christopher Peter Meloni (; born April 2, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC legal drama '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' for its first 12 seasons and its spin-off ' ...

Macy Gray Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known by her stage name Macy Gray, is an American R&B and soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday. Gray ha ...

, and Joy Behar. On May 16, 2007, Dick was

roasted Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelization ...

on ''

The Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The show has aired on Howard 100 a ...

'' by

Artie Lange Artie is a masculine given name, usually a diminutive of Arthur. Notable people with the given name include: People * Artie Bettles (1891–1971), Australian rules footballer * Artie Butler (born 1942), American popular music arranger, songwrite ...

Lisa Lampanelli Lisa Lampanelli (born Lisa Marie Lampugnale; July 19, 1961) is an American former stand-up comedian, actress and insult comic. Early life and journalism career Lampanelli was born in Trumbull, Connecticut, to a middle-class family. Three of her ...

Reverend Bob Levy Bob Levy (born August 12, 1962) is an American stand-up comedian, radio personality, writer, actor, and former semi-professional wrestler. He is the host of ''#The Bob Levy Show (2015-present), The Bob Levy Show '' and the '' Out of the Coffin'' po ...

Sal Governale Throughout its run spanning four decades and multiple media, ''The Howard Stern Show'' has been home to a number of staff members and contributors. Current staff These staffers currently work for and appear on the show on a regular, if not ...

Shuli Throughout its run spanning four decades and multiple media, ''The Howard Stern Show'' has been home to a number of staff members and contributors. Current staff These staffers currently work for and appear on the show on a regular, if not ...

Colin Quinn Colin Edward Quinn (born June 6, 1959) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. Quinn first gained widespread attention for his work as a cast member and writer for the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1995 to 20 ...

, Benjy Bronk,

Dave Attell David Attell (born January 18, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer best known as the host of Comedy Central's ''Insomniac with Dave Attell'', which earned him a cult following. His work has drawn admiration from many comedi ...

Greg Fitzsimmons Gregory Sebastian Fitzsimmons (born April 5, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, writer, producer and radio host. He hosted ''The Greg Fitzsimmons Show'' on Howard 101 until December 2018. Life and early career Fitzsimmons was born in New ...

, and

Yucko the Clown Roger Black is an American insult comedian, actor, voice actor, animator, writer and producer known for his character Yucko the Clown.The Real World: Hollywood'' to tell cast members that they would be taking improv classes. Dick was a contestant on Season 16 of ''Dancing With the Stars'' in 2013. He was partnered with former troupe member,

Sharna Burgess Sharna May Burgess (born 21 June 1985) is an Australian ballroom dancer who is best known for being a professional partner and troupe member on the ABC series '' Dancing with the Stars''. She is the winner of season 27 of American televisio ...

, and placed seventh in the competition. Dick was on ABC's ''

Celebrity Wife Swap ''Wife Swap'' is an American reality television program that was first broadcast on ABC in 2004 based on the British show with the same name. In the program, two families, usually from different social classes and lifestyles, swap wives/mothers ...

'' on July 14, 2013.

Films

One of his earliest film roles was a fictional version of himself in the film adaptation of video game ''

Double Dragon is a beat 'em up video game series initially developed by Technōs Japan and released as an arcade game in 1987. The series features twin martial artists, Billy and Jimmy Lee, as they fight against various adversaries and rivals. The original ...

''. In 1993, Dick played himself in the mockumentary ''The Making of... And God Spoke''. He also starred alongside MTV comedian

Pauly Shore Paul Montgomery Shore (born February 1, 1968) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker best known for his roles in 1990s comedy films. Shore began as a stand-up comedian at the age of 17, before becoming an MTV VJ in 1989. This led to a sta ...

in the 1994 war comedy film '' In the Army Now''. In 1997, Dick had a supporting role alongside

Luke Wilson Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor known for his roles in films such as '' Bottle Rocket'' (1996), '' Rushmore'' (1998), ''My Dog Skip'' (2000), ''Legally Blonde'' (2001), ''The Royal Tenenbaums'' (2001), ''Id ...

and

Jack Black Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for his acting roles in the films '' High Fidelity'' (2000), ''Shallow Hal'' (2001), ''Orange County'' (2002), '' School of Rock'' (2003), ''E ...

in '' Bongwater'', as Luke Wilson's gay friend who gives him a place to stay after his house burns to the ground. In 1999, Dick played one of

Dr. Claw ''Inspector Gadget'' is an animated science fiction comedy series from the mid–1980s co-created by Andy Heyward, Jean Chalopin and Bruno Bianchi, and was originally syndicated by DIC Audiovisuel and Lexington Broadcast Services Company. Th ...

's henchmen in the movie ''

Inspector Gadget ''Inspector Gadget'' is a media franchise that began in 1983 with the DIC Entertainment animated television series ''Inspector Gadget''. Since the original series, there have been many spin-offs based on the show, including additional animated s ...

''. In 2000, he made a cameo role in the motion picture ''

Dude, Where's My Car? ''Dude, Where's My Car?'' is a 2000 American stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. The film stars Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two best friends who find themselves unable to remember where they parked their vehicle after a nig ...

''. That same year, he also appeared in the teenage comedy film ''

Road Trip A road trip, sometimes spelled roadtrip, is a long-distance journey on the road. Typically, road trips are long distances travelled by automobile. History First road trips by automobile The world's first recorded long-distance road trip by t ...

'', playing a motel clerk. In 2001, Dick made a cameo in

Ben Stiller Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller (born November 30, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is the son of the comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. Stiller was a member of a group of comedic actors colloquially known as ...

's comedy ''

Zoolander ''Zoolander'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by and starring Ben Stiller. The film contains elements from a pair of short films directed by Russell Bates and written by Drake Sather and Stiller for the '' VH1 Fashion Awards'' television ...

'' as Olga the Masseuse (Dick also made a cameo in Stiller's directorial debut, ''

Reality Bites ''Reality Bites'' is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Helen Childress and directed by Ben Stiller, in his directorial debut. It stars Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Stiller, with supporting roles by Janeane Garofalo and Steve ...

'', in 1994). In 2002, he was featured in the band

Ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

's music video "Envy" as a

taxi cab A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...

driver. In 2003, he appeared in

Will Ferrell John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 200 ...

's '' Old School'' as a gay

sex education Sex education, also known as sexual education, sexuality education or sex ed, is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, Human sexual activity, sexual acti ...

teacher, and as a villainous Santa in the movie ''

The Hebrew Hammer ''The Hebrew Hammer'' is a 2003 American comedy film written and directed by Jonathan Kesselman. It stars Adam Goldberg, Judy Greer, Andy Dick, Mario Van Peebles, and Peter Coyote. The plot concerns a Jewish blaxploitation crime fighter known a ...

''. In 2005, Dick was featured in the documentary '' The Aristocrats''. In 2006, he appeared in the film '' Employee of the Month'' as Lon, a

nearsighted Near-sightedness, also known as myopia and short-sightedness, is an eye disease where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurry while close objects appear normal. Other symptoms may include ...

optician. He also provided the voice of Mombo in 2007's ''

Happily N'Ever After ''Happily N'Ever After'' is a 2006 computer-animated family comedy film directed by Paul J. Bolger, produced by John H. Williams, and written by Rob Moreland. It is inspired by fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen and is ...

'' and the voice of Boingo in ''

Hoodwinked! ''Hoodwinked!'' is a 2005 computer-animated musical comedy mystery film. It retells the folktale ''Little Red Riding Hood'' as a police procedural, using backstories to show multiple characters' points of view. It was produced independently by ...

''. His feature film directing debut was the 2006 film '' Danny Roane: First Time Director''. In late December 2008, Dick announced on his official website that he had finished writing a script for a film starring his alter-ego Daphne Aguilera titled, ''Daphne Aguilera: Get into It''.

Voiceover work

In 1998, he lent his voice to the villain Nuka in the Disney direct-to-video animated film '' The Lion King II: Simba's Pride'' and provided the voice of Boingo for the ''

'' movies. In November 2016, Dick reprised his role as Nuka for ''

The Lion Guard ''The Lion Guard'' is an American animated television series developed by Ford Riley and based on Disney's 1994 film ''The Lion King''. The series was first broadcast with a television film titled ''The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar'' on Disney C ...

'' TV series. In 1999, he featured as the voice of

Dilbert ''Dilbert'' is an American comic strip written and illustrated by Scott Adams, first published on April 16, 1989. It is known for its satirical office humor about a white-collar, micromanaged office with engineer Dilbert as the title characte ...

's assistant in the ''

'' animated series. He also was the voice of recurring character "Monkey Man" on the

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...

TV series ''

Hey Arnold! ''Hey Arnold!'' is an American animated comedy television series created by Craig Bartlett. It originally aired on Nickelodeon from October 7, 1996, to June 8, 2004. The show centers on fourth grader Arnold Shortman, who lives with his grandpare ...

''. In 2002, Dick provided the voice of Mr. Sheepman and various other characters in the short-lived animated series ''

Clone High ''Clone High'' (occasionally referred to in the United States as ''Clone High USA'') is an adult animated science fiction sitcom created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Bill Lawrence. The show centers on a high school populated by the clo ...

''. Dick provides the voice of Maurice from the radio station WCTR's segment "Gardening with Maurice" in the video game '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' and he provided the voice of Aunt Beth in the 2006 video game '' Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure''. He also was the voice of Dylan in 'The Reef'. As of October 2006, Dick has hosted his own radio program, ''The Shit Show'', on

Howard Stern Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American radio and television personality, comedian, and author. He is best known for his radio show, ''The Howard Stern Show'', which gained popularity when it was nationally syndicated on terre ...

Sirius Sirius is the list of brightest stars, brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Ancient Greek language, Greek word , or , meaning 'glowing' or 'scorching'. The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinisation ...

channel

Howard 101 Howard 100 and Howard 101 are two uncensored channels on Sirius XM, a satellite radio service that broadcasts programming affiliated with Howard Stern and ''The Howard Stern Show''. Though the channels were first broadcast on September 29, 200 ...

every Thursday night at midnight eastern. On August 19, 2009, Dick became a downloadable character in the

PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...

's video game ''

Pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...

''. In 2010, Dick voiced Jesus Christ in an episode of ''

Mary Shelley's Frankenhole ''Mary Shelley's Frankenhole'' is an American adult stop-motion animated television series created by Dino Stamatopoulos. The series premiered on June 27, 2010 on Cartoon Network's late night programming block Adult Swim. It ended on March 25 ...

'' on

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...

Adult Swim Adult Swim (AS; stylized as

dult swim Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representati ...

and often abbreviated as s is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television Television channel, channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programme ...

Web series

While under house arrest in 2009, Dick created and starred in the five-episode

web series A web series (also known as a web show) is a series of scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet, which first emerged in the late 1990s and became more prominent in the early 2000s. A single i ...

'' House Arrest with Andy Dick''. The series features Dick's interviews with celebrity guests including

Greg Grunberg Gregory Phillip Grunberg (born July 11, 1966) is an American film and television actor best known for starring as Eric Weiss in the ABC series ''Alias'', Matt Parkman in the NBC series ''Heroes'', Temmin "Snap" Wexley in '' Star Wars: The Forc ...

Drew Pinsky David Drew Pinsky (born September 4, 1958), commonly known as Dr. Drew, is an American media personality, internist, and addiction medicine specialist. He hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show ''Loveline'' from the show's inceptio ...

Mo Collins Maureen Ann Collins (born July 7, 1965) is an American actress and comedian who was a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series '' Mad TV''. Collins became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show. She was ...

, Joey Greco, and

Jennifer Coolidge Jennifer Audrey Coolidge (born August 28, 1961) is an American actress known for her roles in comedic film and television particularly in American Pie (series), ''American Pie'' film series (1999–2012), Legally Blonde (franchise), ''Legally Bl ...

. In 2012, Dick hosted ''

Andy Dick Live! Andy may refer to: People *Andy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Horace Andy (born 1951), Jamaican roots reggae songwriter and singer born Horace Hinds *Katja Andy (1907–2013), German-American pianist and piano ...

''. Dick and

discussed the possibility of a sequel to '' In the Army Now'' during his appearance on the show. On September 19, 2013, Dick appeared in the first episode of the web series ''All Growz Up'' with Melinda Hill to talk about his early career and give advice to aspiring performers.

Personal life

Family

Dick was married to Ivone Kowalczyk from 1986 to 1990, with whom he has a son born in 1988. He also has a son and a daughter with Lena Sved. In a 2006 interview with ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'', he said he is

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

Drug and alcohol use disorders

Dick states that he has struggled with

drug A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...

and

alcohol use disorder Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...

s over the years and has entered into rehab programs 20 times in an effort to become

sober In cryptography, SOBER is a family of stream ciphers initially designed by Greg Rose of QUALCOMM Australia starting in 1997. The name is a contrived acronym for ''S''eventeen ''O''ctet ''B''yte ''E''nabled ''R''egister. Initially the cipher wa ...

Legal issues and controversies

Arrests and legal actions

In 1999, Dick was questioned in the suicide of actor

David Strickland David Gordon Strickland, Jr. (October 14, 1969 – March 22, 1999) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as the boyish rock music reporter Todd Stites in the NBC sitcom ''Suddenly Susan''. Life David Gordon Strickland, Jr., was b ...

and identified his body. On Saturday, March 20, the pair flew from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and spent three days partying in strip clubs. Strickland hanged himself with a bed sheet over the ceiling beam, and died during the morning hours of March 22, 1999. He was 29 years old. On May 15, 1999, Dick drove his car into a

utility pole A utility pole is a column or post typically made out of wood used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, optical fiber, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as Distribution transfor ...

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. He was charged with the possession of

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...

, and drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and hit-and-run driving. He later pleaded guilty to the felony of cocaine possession and two other misdemeanor charges: cannabis possession and possession of a "smoking device". After Dick completed an 18-month drug diversion program, a judge dismissed the felony and misdemeanor drug charges against him. On December 4, 2004, Dick was arrested for indecent exposure after he exposed his buttocks at a local McDonald's. On July 16, 2008, Dick was arrested in

Murrieta, California Murrieta is a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, United States. The population of Murrieta was 110,949 as of the 2020 census. Murrieta experienced a 133.7% population increase between 2000 and 2010, making Murrieta one of the f ...

, on suspicion of drug possession and

sexual battery Battery is a criminal Offence (law), offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the act of creating apprehension of such contact. Battery is a specific common law offense, although the term is used more general ...

. He exposed the breasts of a 17-year-old girl when he allegedly grabbed and pulled down her tank top and brassiere. During a search of his person, police reported finding a small quantity of

and one

alprazolam Alprazolam, sold under the brand name Xanax, among others, is a fast-acting, potent tranquilizer of medium duration in the triazolobenzodiazepine (TBZD) class, which are benzodiazepines (BZDs) fused with a triazole ring. It is most commonly u ...

(Xanax) tablet for which Dick did not have a prescription. He was released from jail after posting $5,000 bail. Dick eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and marijuana possession. He was sentenced to three years probation, had to pay about $700 in fines, and was ordered to wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet for one year. On January 23, 2010, Dick was arrested about 4 a.m. at a bar in

Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and the largest city in the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A h ...

, on charges of sexual abuse after reportedly groping a bartender and a patron.''

E! News ''E! News'', previously known as ''E! News Daily'' and ''E! News Live'', is the entertainment news operation for the cable network E! in the United States. Its former on-air weekday newscast debuted on September 1, 1991, and primarily reports ...

'' article:
Andy Dick Arrested for Sexual Abuse
. He was released from jail after pleading not guilty and posting $60,000 bail. On June 29, 2011, Dick was formally indicted by a Cabell County

Grand Jury A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a pe ...

for two counts of first degree sexual abuse. Dick pleaded not guilty during a formal

arraignment Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal charging document in the presence of the defendant, to inform them of the charges against them. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea. Acceptable pleas vary among jurisd ...

in Cabell County Circuit Court in Huntington on July 29, 2011. After receiving the not guilty plea, Judge Paul Ferrell set a trial date of January 17, 2012. After several delays, on May 21, 2012, Dick was given a six-month pre-trial diversion. An assistant prosecutor said that the agreement stated that if Dick would stay out of legal trouble for six months, the criminal charges would be dismissed. Criminal charges were dismissed after Dick completed the pretrial diversion program. In January 2012, the two alleged victims filed a civil suit against Dick for unspecified damages. In March 2018, Lena Sved obtained a restraining order against Dick requiring him to stay at least 100 yards from Sved and the couple's children, Jacob and Meg, the order remaining in effect until March 13, 2023. In June 2018, he was charged with

misdemeanor A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than adm ...

sexual battery and

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

charges for allegedly groping a woman in April that year. Dick pleaded not guilty in October 2019 to charges he grabbed an

Uber Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber), based in San Francisco, provides mobility as a service, ride-hailing (allowing users to book a car and driver to transport them in a way similar to a taxi), food delivery (Uber Eats and Postmates), package ...

driver by the genitals. In November 2022, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail as well as 12 months on summary probation. He was additionally ordered to attend 52 sexual compulsion anonymous sessions, 52

Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship of alcoholics dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA is non-professi ...

sessions, 12 mental health counseling sessions, and pay restitution to the victim. On June 29, 2021, Dick was arrested for

felony A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...

assault with a deadly weapon. His fiancée,

Elisa Jordana Elisa Ann Schwartz, mostly known by her stage name Elisa Jordana, is an American radio and TV personality, musician, writer, and online talk-show host. She is best known for her appearances on ''The Howard Stern Show'' and as a former member of ...

, spoke about the events leading up to it on her YouTube show, ''Kermit and Friends'', saying that Dick assaulted his lover Lucas with a metal chair. "He could have killed him," she said. She also stated "It was just the worst week with him. It was getting worse and worse and worse, and just every day there was some kind of problem. And there were signs that this was gonna happen." Dick was released from jail on June 30, 2021, after posting the $50,000 bond. On May 10, 2022, Dick was arrested for

sexual battery of a man in Orange County, California. However, the case was later dropped when the accuser refused to cooperate with the local police. In October 2022, Dick was arrested for felony

burglary Burglary, also called breaking and entering and sometimes housebreaking, is the act of entering a building or other areas without permission, with the intention of committing a criminal offence. Usually that offence is theft, robbery or murder ...

, allegedly of

power tool A power tool is a tool that is actuated by an additional power source and mechanism other than the solely manual labor used with hand tools. The most common types of power tools use electric motors. Internal combustion engines and compressed ...

Other behavior

In 2005, Dick dropped his pants and exposed his genitals to the audience at

Yuk Yuk's Yuk Yuk's is a national comedy club chain in Canada, founded by former stand-up comedian Mark Breslin and established in 1976 by Breslin and long-time friend Joel Axler. The company is currently run by Breslin and his long-time partner and presi ...

comedy club in

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

, Alberta. He was ushered off the stage, and the second night was cancelled. Dick groped

Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...

during her 2005 Comedy Central roast. He joked that he was her plastic surgeon and used the premise to repeatedly grab her breasts. During the roast, Dick also attempted to grope

Courtney Love Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as t ...

, who proceeded to slap him across the face. Dick also mimed performing oral sex on Anderson's husband at the time,

Tommy Lee Thomas Lee Bass (born October 3, 1962) is an American musician and founding member of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap metal band Methods of Mayhem and has pursued solo musical ...

. In December 2006, Dick upset an audience at

The Improv The Improv is a comedy club franchise. It was founded as a single venue in the Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City in 1963, and expanded into a chain of venues in the late 1970s. History Originally, it was a ...

in Los Angeles by shouting "You're all a bunch of niggers!" following an improvised set with comedian

Ian Bagg Ian Bagg is a Canadian comedian, actor, and writer. He is known for bantering with audience members. He was a finalist on the ninth season of ''Last Comic Standing'' in 2015. Bagg has been a regular on Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club show in Las Vegas u ...

. This was a direct reference to

Michael Richards Michael Anthony Richards (born July 24, 1949) is an American actor, writer, television producer, and comedian best known for playing Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom '' Seinfeld''. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, first enterin ...

' use of the same epithet to insult hecklers two weeks earlier. He later issued an apology via his publicist: In February 2007, Dick was forcibly removed from the stage during an appearance on ''

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...

'', after repeatedly touching guest

Ivanka Trump Ivana Marie "Ivanka" Trump (; born October 30, 1981) is an American businesswoman and the first daughter of Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. She was a senior advisor in his administration, and also was the ...

Jimmy Kimmel James Christian Kimmel (born November 13, 1967) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the host and executive producer of ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC on January 26, 2003, ...

called in his security guards, Uncle Frank and

Veatrice Rice Veatrice Rice (October 1, 1949 – January 21, 2009) was a nurse turned security guard and television personality, best known for her appearances on ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', where she served as a sidekick for comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Born in Atlan ...

, who assisted as Kimmel dragged Dick off by his legs. Kimmel later said "Andy did a segment, he was a little out of it.

hen Ivanka Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman. Hen or Hens may also refer to: Places Norway *Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...

came out, he wanted a big, wet kiss. It was time for Andy to go, so I escorted him out by his feet." Kimmel added, "He always makes me a little uncomfortable, you have no idea what he's going to do next." Kimmel also said he had spoken to Dick afterwards and that Dick was not upset about the incident. In October 2010, Dick was seen exposing himself and making a commotion at Café Audrey in Hollywood. In January 2011, Dick was thrown out of the

AVN Awards The AVN Awards are film awards sponsored and presented by the American adult video industry trade magazine '' AVN'' (''Adult Video News'') to recognize achievement in various aspects of the creation and marketing of American pornographic fi ...

, a pornographic movie awards ceremony, after repeatedly groping and

stalking Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The ter ...

adult film actress

Tera Patrick Tera Patrick (born Linda Ann Hopkins; July 25, 1976) is an American former pornographic actress and model who was the '' Penthouse'' Pet of the Month for February 2000 and is an inductee of the NightMoves, AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame. She is ...

and

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...

Chi Chi LaRue Larry David Paciotti (born November 8, 1959) is an American director of pornographic films. He appears as the drag-diva persona Chi Chi LaRue (), and has been credited as director under the names "Lawrence David" and "Taylor Hudson". Career ...

. In April 2011, Dick was at a party connected with the

Newport Beach Film Festival The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) is an annual film festival in Newport Beach, California, typically held in late April. In 2022, it was announced that the festival have permanently changed its date to be held in October, as the festival beg ...

. He appeared intoxicated, exposed himself, urinated on a backdrop and afterwards destroyed it by pulling it down. The organizers claimed that this caused thousands of dollars of damage and considered suing Dick over the incident. In August 2011, Dick was a guest on

' radio show and made

antisemitic Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...

statements about

. Dick said Stern was a " money-grubbing Jew" and repeatedly called him a " hook-nosed Jew". In October 2017, Dick was fired from a role in the independent film ''

Raising Buchanan ''Raising Buchanan'' is a 2019 American comedy film produced by Amanda Melby, Joe Gruberman, Chadwick Struck and Cathy Shim, written and directed by Bruce Dellis. The film stars René Auberjonois in the role of the title character, James Buchana ...

'' due to allegations of inappropriate behavior that, according to ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'', "included groping people's genitals, unwanted kissing/licking and sexual propositions of at least four members of the production". While he denied most of the allegations, he said "I might have kissed somebody on the cheek to say goodbye and then licked them. That's my thing – I licked

Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the ''Star Wars'' films (1977–1983). She reprised the role in'' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), ''The Last ...

at a roast. It's me being funny." It would later be revealed that in the same month he had also been fired and escorted off the set from another film, ''Vampire Dad'', due to what was referred to as "multiple, flagrant acts of improper conduct and inappropriate contact with several crew members". He later said "I overtook my medication and took too many Xanax and I was a bit loopy". He said "I won't do it anymore. I won't lick anyone's face anymore. We have an agreement." In 2019, a man knocked Dick out with a punch to the head, which caused Dick to be sent to the hospital to be monitored for brain bleed. The man accused Dick of groping him, and punched Dick in retaliation. In April 2022, Dick alleged he was mugged in Las Vegas, presenting severe facial injuries.

Feud with Jon Lovitz

Dick has had a long rivalry with former ''NewsRadio'' costar

Jon Lovitz Jonathan Michael Lovitz (; born July 21, 1957) is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1985 to 1990. Lovitz starred as Jay Sherman in '' The Critic'' and played a baseball scout in '' A League of ...

concerning the death of their mutual friend

Phil Hartman Philip Edward Hartman (; September 24, 1948 – May 28, 1998) was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter and graphic designer. Hartman was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, and his family moved to the United States w ...

. According to Lovitz, Dick had given Hartman's wife Brynn

at a Christmas party at Hartman's house in 1997; Brynn, a recovering addict, began using drugs again, culminating in her killing Hartman and herself on May 28, 1998. When Lovitz joined the cast of ''NewsRadio'' as Hartman's replacement, he and Dick got into a heated argument in which Lovitz reportedly shouted "I wouldn't be here if you hadn't given Brynn coke in the first place." Lovitz later apologized to Dick for the remark. In early 2007, Dick approached Lovitz at a restaurant and said "I put the Phil Hartman hex on you—you're the next to die." On July 10, 2007, Dick got into a physical altercation with Lovitz at the

Laugh Factory Laugh Factory is a chain of comedy clubs in the United States. The chain is owned by Laugh Factory Inc., and the founder and current chief executive is Jamie Masada. Endurance record The Laugh Factory keeps track of an endurance record fo ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. Lovitz demanded an apology from Dick, who refused and accused Lovitz of blaming him for Hartman's death. Lovitz then grabbed Dick by his shirt and slammed him backwards into the bar, after which the doorman separated the two.

Discography

Albums

* ''Andy Dick & The Bitches of the Century'' (2002) * ''Do Your Shows Always Suck?'' (2007) * ''The Darkest Day of the Year'' (2009)

Singles

* ''Happy B-Day JC'' (w/ Willie Wisely) (2006) * ''Addiction: Andy Dick Counsels the Dark Bob'' (w/ The Dark Bob) (2012)

Collaborations

* The Dark Bob: ''Stoked!'' (2006) – song: ''Father''

Compilation appearances

* ''

'' (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2004) * '' The Aristocrats'' (Original Soundtrack) (2005) * ''Live Nude Comedy Vol. 2'' (2010) * '' The Adam Carolla Show 2009, Vol. 1'' (2014) * ''The Adam Carolla Show 2009, Vol. 2'' (2014) * ''The Adam Carolla Show 2009, Vol. 3'' (2014) * ''The Adam Carolla Show 2010, Vol.1'' (2014) * ''The Un & Only'' (2015) * ''The Good, The Bad, And the Drugly'' (2015)

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Music video appearances

References

External links

*
Q&A With Andy Dick
– AllYourTV.com * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dick, Andy 1965 births Male actors from South Carolina American adoptees American sketch comedians American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors Bisexual male actors Bisexual comedians Bisexual musicians Living people American people convicted of drug offenses Male actors from Charleston, South Carolina Participants in American reality television series LGBT people from South Carolina American LGBT musicians Comedians from South Carolina 21st-century American comedians 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people American bisexual actors