Andy Dick

Andy Dick (born Andrew Thomlinson) December 21, 1965) is an American Actor and comedian best known for his roles on TV sitcoms, including NewsRadio and Less Than Perfect.

Early life
Dick was born Andrew Thomlinson in Charleston, South Carolina. He was adopted at birth by Allen and Sue Dick.

Dick graduated from Joliet West High School (Joliet, Illinois) in 1984. He was in numerous productions during high school, was well known as the class clown, and was elected homecoming king his senior year in the fall of 1983. Even in high school, Dick tended to use his name as a joke. One day while dressed in the Joliet West gold athletic sweats he pulled on a pair of red shorts over his sweats and used a red towel as a cape matching his shorts. He presented himself at school as "Super Dick." He's good friends with theatre personality Anthony Rapp, who has known him since they were children.

During his high school years, he ran for a student office position against one of the school's more popular athletes. For his campaign ads, he chose to heavily advertise the slogan "Don't vote for a jock, vote for A. Dick!" Because it was his name, the school administration failed to stop him from using this slogan; he won the election.

He attended Columbia College Chicago and is registered as one of the school's "distinguished alumni". According to faculty member David Wooley, during his final for Stage Combat his partner did not show up and, faced with a failing grade, Andy decided to fight himself, earning him an A for the final.

Career
He was a cast member on the sketch comedy program The Ben Stiller Show, which aired on FOX from September 1992 to January 1993.

He also starred as the son of Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 in a Get Smart TV remake.

He was a regular cast member (portraying Matthew, the clumsy and clueless production assistant) on the sitcom Newsradio for the duration of its run on NBC (1995–1999).

In 1998, Dick lent his voice to the character Nuka in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride. He also provided the voice of Boingo Bunny for the 2006 animated movie, "Hoodwinked".

In 2000, Dick had a cameo role in the motion picture Dude, Where's My Car?.

In 2000, Dick had an appearance in the teenage comedy film Road Trip, playing the motel clerk.

In 2001, Andy created his show on MTV called The Andy Dick Show; series ended in 2003 after three seasons. Andy starred in a satirical reality television show on the same channel called The Assistant in 2004. The show spoofed themes and scenes from The Apprentice, The Bachelor, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Survivor, among others.

Dick is also the lead singer of his band Andy Dick and the Bitches of the Century. They have appeared together on television. They released a self-titled album in 2002.

Dick also appeared in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager as the Mark II Emergency Medical Hologram in "Message in a Bottle".

Dick also provides the voice of Maurice from the radio station WCTR's segment "Gardening with Maurice" in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. In 2005, Dick was featured in the documentary The Aristocrats. Dick competed in the eighth season of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown. He finished in last place, behind Robin Tunney, Christopher Meloni, Macy Gray, and Joy Behar. He played for the PETA Animal Emergency Fund.

Recently, Dick wrote and directed his first feature film, Danny Roane: First Time Director. He recently portrayed the character "Owen Kronsky" on the ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect, until its cancellation on June 6, 2006. He also starred in Jessica Simpson's music video for her song "A Public Affair".

In 2005 Dick stirred controversy in Edmonton, Alberta, at Yuk Yuk's comedy club when he dropped his pants and exposed his genitals to the audience. Amidst the uproar he was ushered off the stage and the second night was cancelled.

In 2005 he also was a guest star at the Comedy Central Roast Of Pamela Anderson

As of October 2006, Dick has hosted his own radio program, The Shit Show, on Howard Stern's Sirius channel Howard 101 every Monday night at midnight eastern.

On December 2, 2006, he angered an audience at the Improv Club in Los Angeles by shouting "You're all a bunch of niggers!" following an improvised set with comedian Ian Bagg. This was a direct reference to Michael Richards' use of the same epithet to insult hecklers two weeks earlier. He later issued an apology through his publicist:


 * "I chose to make a joke about a subject that is not funny, in an attempt to make light of a serious subject, I have offended a lot of people, and I am sorry for my insensitivity. I wish to apologize to Ian, to the club and its patrons and to anyone who was hurt or offended by my remark."

On February 2, 2007, he was forcibly removed during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, after repeatedly touching guest Ivanka Trump without her permission. After rubbing Trump's legs and touching her hair, Jimmy Kimmel begged him to behave himself. When Dick asked Trump to "give him a big, fat, sloppy kiss right on the lips" and grabbed her arm, Kimmel called in two security guards. 

Personal life
Dick is openly bisexual. He says both straight and gay people have told him "C'mon, you know you're just gay," however, retorts: "There is such a thing as bisexual. People want black and white. And I enjoy being bisexual." From 1986 to 1990, he was married to Ivone Kowalczyk, with whom he has a son, Lucas (b. 1988). He also has a son, Jacob (b. 1994), and a daughter, Meg (b. 1997), from his previous relationship with Lina Sved.

On May 15, 1999, Dick drove his car into a telephone pole in Hollywood. He was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs and hit-and-run driving. He later pleaded guilty to felony cocaine possession and two other misdemeanor charges: marijuana possession and possession of "a smoking device." After Dick completed an 18-month drug diversion program, a judge dismissed felony and misdemeanor drug charges against him.

In 2006, after a widely-publicized appearance at the Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner where Dick licked the faces of Farrah Fawcett, Carrie Fisher, and Patton Oswalt, Dick groped and bit the hand of New York Post reporter Mandy Stadtmiller backstage. Dick, who holds that Stadtmiller "slanted" the incident, returned to rehab after the roast.

Dick is a supporter of animals rights and PETA. In an interview with Steven Lawson of Beliefnet, Dick described himself as a Christian, and credits prayer with helping him through dark times.