Comedian and actor Andy Dick has entered a rehabilitation facility in the Palm Springs, California area, he confirmed directly to news outlets. The decision comes days after a drug overdose earlier this week that caused significant concern among his friends.

Dick, who was animated and cracking jokes during the call, stated he is ready to commit to recovery. “I’m grateful to be getting help,” he said. He specifically credited his friend, Jennifer Gimenez, and her husband, Tim Ryan, for their intervention. “Jenny Gimenez is my sister who saved me with Tim,” Dick added.

Gimenez and Ryan, both sober themselves, played a crucial role in securing his placement. The couple told outlets they used their connections to get Dick a “full ride scholarship” to the treatment center, meaning he will not bear the financial cost of his stay.

Dick and Gimenez share a long history, having initially met as participants on the VH1 series “Celebrity Rehab” nearly 20 years ago. Their friendship has endured, leading to this latest intervention during a personal crisis.

The comedian has publicly struggled with substance abuse for years, with multiple past arrests and rehab stints. This latest move to seek treatment follows what appears to have been a serious health scare.

Entertainment and Showbiz Correspondent
Date: December 12, 2025

Recent Overdose and Defiant Stance

Comedian and actor Andy Dick, 59, was found unresponsive on a Hollywood street on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, after an apparent crack cocaine overdose. Bystanders administered Narcan, an emergency medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, and paramedics responded to the scene. Despite the life-threatening incident, Dick refused further medical attention and was not transported to a hospital.

In a concerning interview from his Los Angeles home the following day, Dick openly admitted to using crack cocaine with a stranger, stating, “I don’t mind doing a little crack every now and then”. When asked about seeking professional help, his response was defiant: “F— no,” he told TMZ, adding, “I’m not going to be in rehab”.

A Deeper Problem: “More Than a Fifth of Vodka a Day”

While the overdose involved crack cocaine, sources close to the comedian reveal that alcohol is his primary and more consistent substance of abuse.

• Constant Consumption: Multiple sources report that Dick drinks vodka “from the time he wakes up until the time he eventually hits the hay,” easily consuming more than a fifth (750ml) daily.
• Enabled Access: He reportedly never pays for his own alcohol, as people around him continuously provide it, making it easy for him to stay intoxicated.
• Diluted Drinks as “Management”: In a desperate attempt to manage his intake, individuals in his life have resorted to filling only the top of a water bottle with vodka—about a shot’s worth—and diluting it with water. This tactic is intended to “keep him stable” and prevent him from getting “wasted too quickly”.

This pattern was visible weeks before the overdose. A video from November 2025 showed Dick on Hollywood Boulevard, slurring his words while drinking from a cup of clear liquid.

A Decades-Long Public Struggle with Addiction

Andy Dick’s battle with substance abuse is long-standing and has played out alongside his career in the public eye.

• History of Treatment: Dick has been candid about his addiction, having undergone drug rehabilitation programs at least 20 times. In a 2016 interview, he stated, “I had to stop drinking, or I was going to die… I was bleeding out of my ass”.
• Cycle of Relapse: He has described his journey as a “long, rough, up and down, winding, inside-out, tumbly rocky road”. After achieving 15 months of sobriety around 2016, he has clearly suffered significant relapses.
• Impact on Family: His struggles have deeply affected his family. His ex-wife, Lena Sved, had a restraining order against him until 2023 following incidents where he was intoxicated. Dick has also spoken about his son’s concurrent addiction battles, which served as a painful mirror for his own problems.

Legal Consequences Tied to Substance Abuse

Dick’s intoxication has frequently led to serious legal issues and allegations over the past two decades:

Career Context: From “NewsRadio” to Notoriety

Andy Dick first gained fame in the 1990s on shows like “The Ben Stiller Show” and NBC’s “NewsRadio,” where he played reporter Matthew Brock for five seasons. He later starred in his own MTV program, “The Andy Dick Show,” and appeared on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2013.

However, his professional reputation has been severely damaged by his addiction-fueled behavior. He was pulled off the set of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in 2007 after inappropriately touching Ivanka Trump and was fired from movie roles in 2017 over allegations of misconduct on set.

A Critical Junction and Resources for Help

The recent overdose marks another critical point in Dick’s life. Friends present during his post-overdose interview expressed their helplessness, with one stating, “We’ve both brought him to rehab so many times, and I think we would love to see him in rehab”. They appealed to the public, asking for people who know him to “look out for him and check up on him because he goes through hard times”.

For those struggling with similar issues, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) offers free, confidential treatment referral and information service.

Andy Dick’s current situation underscores the severe and chronic nature of addiction, demonstrating how it can persist despite multiple intervention attempts and continue to impact every facet of an individual’s life, health, and relationships.

Ali Hughes: The Ten-Year Journey to BAFTA Success with Dreaming Whilst Black

Ali Hughes, the British co-creator, writer, and executive producer behind the award-winning comedy Dreaming Whilst Black, embodies the power of creative perseverance. What began as a student idea has transformed into a BAFTA-nominated, internationally celebrated BBC series—a testament to Hughes’s vision and resilience in the competitive world of television.

This is the story of how Ali Hughes turned real-life struggles into critically acclaimed art, navigating a decade of odd jobs, short films, and collaboration before stepping into the spotlight.

From Film School to Warehouse Floors: The Early Grind

After completing his MA in Screenwriting at London’s MetFilm School in 2014, Ali Hughes faced the reality familiar to many emerging creatives: financial instability. To support his writing ambitions, he worked in warehouses, delivered wine, and served as a 1:1 support assistant for pupils with autism.

This period of “grafting” didn’t halt his creative output—it fueled it. Hughes wrote and produced award-nominated short films such as The Job (2015) and A Fistful of Candy (2016). His feature script Mignonette also earned him a finalist place at the 2017 London Film Awards, building momentum behind the scenes.

The Collaborative Breakthrough: Creating Dreaming Whilst Black

The pivotal turn in Ali Hughes’s career came through partnership. While at MetFilm School, he teamed up with creator Adjani Salmon to develop Dreaming Whilst Black—a sharply observed, heartfelt comedy following an aspiring filmmaker battling industry hurdles and everyday life.

First launched as a web series in 2018, the show quickly resonated with audiences and critics alike, earning over 20 international award nominations and winning six. This independent success demonstrated the series’ potent mix of humour and authenticity, catching the eye of major broadcasters.

Mainstream Recognition: BBC, A24, and Critical Acclaim

The buzz around the web series led to a BBC commission for a pilot in 2019. By 2023, the full series—co-produced by indie powerhouse A24 (known for Euphoria, The Bear) and Big Deal Films—premiered on BBC Three to widespread praise.

Ali Hughes served as co-writer and executive producer across the series, expanding his role to include directing, editing, and producing key episodes. He even appears on-screen in a recurring cameo as a barman. A well-received second series followed in 2024, cementing the show’s place in the UK comedy landscape.

Award Success and Industry Validation

2024 has been a landmark year for recognition. Dreaming Whilst Black has been on an impressive awards run, including:

• Winning International Programme at the Broadcast Awards 2024
• A nomination for Scripted Comedy at the BAFTA Television Awards 2024
• A nomination for Best Comedy at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards 2024

These accolades highlight the show’s quality and cultural impact, bringing Hughes’s long journey full circle—from MetFilm School classrooms to the BAFTA red carpet.

Ali Hughes’s path mirrors the authentic, resilient spirit of Dreaming Whilst Black itself. Through a decade of dedication across multiple roles—writer, director, producer, editor—he has honed a unique and compelling voice. Today, Hughes stands as a proven creative force, whose passion project not only achieved mainstream success but also inspired a generation of aspiring creators.

With the show’s legacy growing and Hughes’s multifaceted talent firmly established, the industry eagerly anticipates what he will do next.