Andy Dick says 2012 will 'be big' for him

NEW YORK, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. comedian Andy Dick says he has been sober for nine months and hopes to get his career back on track this year.

The former "News Radio" and "Less Than Perfect" star, who now lives in a shed on a Los Angeles property owned by ex-girlfriend Lena Sved, admitted to TV's "Inside Edition" he has no one to blame for his current situation but himself.

"It's never good when I drink. No good comes from it. Ever," he said.

The actor said he hopes his new film, "Division Three Football's Finest," will remind people how funny he can be.

"I have a long nice stretch of sobriety and I think 2012 will be big," Dick said.

He went on to say he was sober before, during and after filming "Finest," and plans to get tested for drugs and alcohol twice a week to convince producers to hire him for future projects.

"I can scream, 'I'm sober!' till the cows come home, but the proof is in the pudding," he told "Inside Edition. "I've had some hardcore bottoms … . The darkest place I've been is to have had suicidal thoughts. I am not a suicidal guy. I'm a happy, upbeat, loving guy."

Dick added he wants the public to forget about his past drug abuse and brushes with the law and remember he's an actor.

"I'm here to make people laugh," he said.

Dick has three children -- a son Lucas with his ex-wife Ivone Kowalczyk, and a son Jacob and daughter Meg with Sved.