Tim Allen has been known as one of the funniest stars in Hollywood for decades. Indeed, he’s been making fans laugh for years with his iconic sitcoms Home Improvement and Last Man Standing. These days, Allen is still going strong with his sitcom Shifting Gears, which airs on Wednesday nights on ABC.
Anyone who is familiar with Allen’s work knows that he exudes joy, positivity, and humor. That’s why it’s come as a sad shock to fans that Allen has revealed that he’s considered suicide in the past.
Many fans may not be aware that Allen, 72, spent two years in prison for serious drug charges nearly 45 years ago. While being interviewed on Howie Mandel’s “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast last week, Allen opened up about his time behind bars.
Allen’s Arrest
Allen began their conversation by talking about the devastating impact his father’s death had on his life as a child. He was only 11 years-old when his beloved father Gerald Dick was killed by a drunk driver back in 1964. This led to Allen acting out throughout his teenage years, culminating in his arrest for drug trafficking when he was in his 20s.
“I was just a kid. [I was busted for] picking it up. It was just like in a freaking movie [where it was] in a locker,” Allen recalled. “If you want to get into the details of it, I was treated just as badly as people of color. I was pigeonholed because I was a light-skinned guy from an upper-middle-class family.”
“I didn’t have a pre-sentence report,” the Toy Story star continued. “Most of the situation – as I look at it – was a setup. I wouldn’t have any idea where to sell this amount [of drugs]. It was predetermined what was going to happen to me way before I was in there.”
In 1978, Allen was arrested at an airport in Michigan for having more than one pound of cocaine in his possession. He was then sentenced to two years in federal prison after he plead guilty to felony drug trafficking charges.
Allen Contemplates Suicide
Allen went on to say that during his time in prison, he contemplated suicide. Even during this low-point in his life, Allen still approached the situation with a sense of humor, albeit a dark one.
“I was going, ‘I’m going to kill myself,’” Allen remembered. “So I was going to kill myself, and the comedy part of me goes, ‘OK, how are we going to do this?’ My comedy part is always funny at the weirdest times.”
When Mandel asked if suicide was a “serious consideration” for him at the time, Allen immediately admitted that it was.
“Yes,” he stated. “Because at that point, it was called the Rockefeller Act, where any [drug charges] over a certain amount was life in prison. They wanted to stop drugs like they’re trying to do now by increasing the sentence or putting people in prison. It didn’t work then.”
“Of course,” Allen added when Mandel asked him once again if he truly considered taking his own life. “Then I get one old guy who was on the prison bus with me. He goes, ‘Just shut up, grow a beard and stop asking questions.’”
Allen Turns His Life Around
Thankfully, Allen was able to overcome these suicidal thoughts to serve out his sentence. He was paroled on June 12, 1981 after serving two years and four months in federal prison.
After his release, Allen turned his life around and spent the rest of the 1980s building his career as a standup comedian. This led to him scoring his own sitcom Home Improvement, which premiered in 1991.
The rest, as they say, is history. Indeed, Allen remains one of the most beloved comedians in Hollywood to this day. Be sure to check him out on Shifting Gears if you haven’t already!
Allen’s story serves as a reminder that even in the darkest times, it’s important to never give up. Just keep going, because you never know what blessings can come in your life if you just stick around.
God bless you, Tim Allen!
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for free and confidential crisis counseling.