The Real Reasons Andy Dick Disappeared From Hollywood

After making a name for himself with attention-getting early turns on The Ben Stiller Show and NewsRadio, Andy Dick has largely fallen off the radar in recent years, picking up more attention for his comedy roast appearances and tabloid-worthy bad behavior than his film or TV work. Here's a rundown of the series of events that tanked his once-promising career.

Andy Dick's string of legal problems stretches back to 1999, when he drove into a utility pole while intoxicated. A search of his car produced cocaine and marijuana as well as paraphernalia, and he was charged with possession, hit and run driving, and driving under the influence. Dick entered a treatment program and had the felony charges dropped, but judging from the number of subsequent arrests and public incidents he's been involved in, it appears the treatment didn't leave a lasting impression. Presumably, no one was laughing when Dick was sued by hosts of a party at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2011 after urinating on a backdrop, tearing it down, and reportedly incurring several thousand dollars in damages.

Andy Dick made a name for himself by going to physical extremes to get a laugh. Unfortunately, his antics don't always end up being terribly funny—sometimes they're just extreme. In 2008, Dick was charged with sexual battery after pulling down the bra and tank top of a 17-year-old, publicly exposing her. He was also charged with drug possession and sentenced to three years probation. In 2010, he was charged with sexual abuse after groping a bartender and patron at a Huntington, West Virginia bar. In 2006, Dick famously licked Farah Fawcett, Carrie Fisher and Patton Oswalt during Comedy Central's Roast of William Shatner. While the channel's roasts are known for being over the top, he went too far when he groped and bit New York Post writer Mandy Stadtmiller. Dick wisely returned to rehab after the incident, but made another outrageous TV appearance the following year when he was dragged off the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after refusing to stop touching fellow guest Ivanka Trump. Kimmel himself aided in escorting Dick offstage, dragging him by his feet while he was kicking and screaming.

The actor who charmed us with his portrayal of the sweet, naively optimistic Matthew on NewsRadio has far less benevolent appeal off-camera. If his lack of tact regarding personal space weren't enough, his big mouth has landed him in hot water a few times too. Two weeks after Michael Richards' infamous racist tirade, Andy Dick was booed during his own stand-up set. During a horribly unfunny send-up, he mimicked Richards' racial slurs, directing them at the audience. He later made a public apology. Having not learned his lesson, however, he was forced to make another apology to Howard Stern after repeatedly calling him a "shallow, money-grubbing Jew" during a 2011 radio show appearance. One might think it difficult to offend the legendarily controversial radio host, but Stern took Dick to task for the anti-semitic remarks, telling him to "get his act together."

When Jon Lovitz joined the cast of NewsRadio following original cast member Phil Hartman's tragic death, Dick was reportedly very unkind to him. Dick's bullying sparked an infamous stand-off with Lovitz which has become the stuff of Hollywood legend. Lovitz fired back, accusing Dick of giving Hartman's wife, a recovering addict, the cocaine that led to her relapse—ultimately leading to the shocking murder-suicide that ended the couple's lives. Though Lovitz later rescinded the remark, Dick further provoked him, telling Lovitz that he "put the Phil Hartman hex on him" and saying he'd be the next to die. The incident ended with Lovitz slamming Dick's head into the bar of the Laugh Factory. Their feud has lasted for years.

Somewhere along the line, Andy Dick seems to have unduly taken upon himself to live up to his surname, and his "streak" of poor public conduct has landed him in heaps of trouble. Aside from groping, the comedian has been known to expose himself at random: in 2004, Dick was arrested for showing his buttocks at a McDonald's, and kicked offstage at a comedy festival a year later for exposing himself. In 2011, he was sued for emotional damages by an audience member after reportedly rubbing his genitals on the man's face during a comedy routine.

Andy Dick famously appeared on VH1's Sober House in 2009, and appeared to have an honest desire to get clean. He publicly expressed remorse for the way drinking and drug use had affected his personal relationships, and came out as bisexual during a particularly heartfelt session with Dr. Drew. He entered rehab for the 13th time in early 2015, after which he spoke optimistically about recovery and lined up roles in Zoolander 2 and the Judd Apatow Netflix series Love—the latter of which found Dick playing a version of himself who has an earnest desire for redemption and change. Clearly a talent, and one who will go great ends to get a laugh, Andy Dick still has a lot of friends in the comedy world, but whether he still has enough unburned bridges to keep him working and out of trouble always remains to be seen.

In September of 2016, Andy Dick posted a 20-minute long video filmed by his dying brother's bedside, which was subsequently shared by Perez Hilton. The harrowing footage offers a one-sided conversation that helps to give a better understanding of Dick's life outside of the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.

Andy and his brother Jeff were both adopted and, judging by the Andy's tearful words in the video, both men have battled substance abuse and indulged in risky behavior. You can feel the love, connection, and adoration Andy had for his brother, and while it's speculative to say Jeff Dick was Andy's anchor, the video offers a glimpse into the actor's mental state—and may be a hint as to why he's had a hard time staying sober.

It seems every day we're being hit with a new bombshell story exposing any number of male celebrities practicing predatory behavior, and Andy Dick is unfortunately no exception. In October of 2017, the actor was dropped from two separate movies: Raising Buchanan and Vampire Dad.

His removal was provoked by a variety of complaints alleging Dick inappropriately groped members of the production—though no members of the crew have formally come forward. "I didn't grope anybody. I might have kissed somebody on the cheek to say goodbye and then licked them," Dick told The Hollywood Reporter following his removal from the film. "That's my thing—I licked Carrie Fisher at a roast. It's me being funny. I'm not trying to sexually harass people."

Given Andy Dick's own history with inappropriate behavior, it's only natural that TMZ might seek him out for comment regarding the sexual harassment and abuse scandals that rocked Hollywood in late 2017. Unfortunately, the gossip network seemed to catch him at a low moment.

Dick, who seems inebriated during the interview, tried making light of the allegations against former Weinstein Company chair Harvey Weinstein and actor Kevin Spacey, quipping that they were probably "just trying to get a date." At another point in the unsettling interview, Dick threatens to grope the cameraman—and tearfully admits to contemplating suicide every day.

Cathy Carlson is a filmmaker and close personal friend to Andy Dick—both of which helped lead to Carlson directing the documentary Everybody Has an Andy Dick Story. The title speaks volumes: if you live in Hollywood, there's a strong likelihood that you have one of those stories—or at the very least, you know someone who does. 

Over 120 actors and comedians got together to speak about Dick's polarizing reputation in the business. Ben Stiller, Kathy Griffin, Margaret Cho, Steve-O, Sherri Shepherd, and Dana Gould are just a few of the personalities who appear in the film's trailer. According to The Chicago Reader, the movie has been pulled from the Chicago Comedy Film Festival's lineup due to the allegations against the actor, setting up yet another speed bump in Andy Dick's career.