Dick was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He was adopted at birth by Allen and Sue Dick. His surname at birth was Thomlinson.

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."

Andy Dick's high school senior yearbook picture.He currently portrays the character "Owen Kronsky" on the ABC sitcom Less Than Perfect.

His sexuality is debated in gossip circles. He was once quoted on an E! television special in which he said, "I'm tri-sexual; I'm willing to try anything." David Bowie initially made that comment in 1972.

Always one to make a joke out of everything and everyone he could, Dick--while introducing singer Deborah Cox at a music awards show he was hosting--cracked, "Andy Dick, Deborah Cox, I wonder if we're related".

On May 15, 1999, Andy Dick drove his car into a telephone pole. 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 plead guilty to felony cocaine possession and two other misdemeanor charges--marijuana possession and possession of a smoking device--following a car crash in Hollywood. After completing an 18-month drug diversion program, a judge dismissed felony and misdemeanor drug charges against him.

In 2004 Andy had a show on MTV called The Assistant. The show spoofed themes and scenes from The Apprentice, The Bachelor, and Survivor.

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

Dick is the only actor to appear in most of MTV Movie Awards' movie parodies, skits and fake interviews.

Recently Dick wrote and directed his first feature film, "Danny Roane: First Time Director".

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 .

At the 2005 Comedy Central roast of Pamela Anderson, the speakers continually called Dick gay, to which he eventually simulated performing fellatio on Tommy Lee.