Andy Dick has shared that he checked out of rehab and moved into a sober living house after a drug overdose in December.
Less than 50 days after he was admitted into the Palm Springs treatment center following an overdose on the streets of Los Angeles, the 60-year-old comedian said Monday that he will focus on his recovery while living at a facility near Beverly Hills, California.
Dick told TMZ that he plans to take his sobriety journey one step at a time.
The convicted sex offender checked into rehab in early December with the help of his longtime friends Jennifer Gimenez, who was on the show Celebrity Rehab with him, and her husband Tim Ryan. The couple said they secured him a “full ride scholarship offer” for the program, according to TMZ.
Dick has been open about his struggle with addiction throughout the years, and this was not his first intake into a rehabilitation facility. The comedian told Vice in 2016 that he had been to rehab 20 times to deal with drug and alcohol abuse.
Dick’s most recent intake came days after terrifying footage showed him unresponsive on the streets of Hollywood. The disturbing video showed the Ben Stiller Show actor, looking limp and nearly gray, slumped over on a staircase in broad daylight as onlookers tried to wake him.
Eventually, bystanders administered Narcan— a fast-acting drug used to reverse opioid overdoses — as paramedics responded to the scene. Despite first responders offering medical help, Dick reportedly refused to be taken to the hospital.
In the days following the scary scene, Dick did an interview with TMZ where he insisted, while surrounded by his concerned friends, that he would not be going to rehab. During the interview, he admitted that he had overdosed on crack cocaine after meeting a man “going through s***” who offered him the drug out of some tin foil.
He then later told the outlet that he had changed his mind and decided to seek treatment, crediting Gimenez and Ryan with “saving” his life.
Dick rose to fame doing improv comedy and stand-up gigs before landing TV show gigs like NewsRadio and Less Than Perfect. He also briefly appeared in two failed MTV series: sketch comedy series The Andy Dick Show and a reality show called The Assistant.
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.
In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.
