Born in Highland Park, Michigan, and raised in Detroit, Meadows studied television and radio broadcasting at Wayne State University before performing improvisational comedy at the Soup Kitchen Saloon. In 1985, Meadows relocated to Chicago where he first joined ImprovOlympic, and then the legendary comedy troupe, Second City. During his three-years at Second City, he wrote and starred in productions of "The Gods Must Be Lazy" with Chris Farley, "It Was Thirty Years Ago Today" and "Flag Smoking Permitted in Lobby Only," gaining a loyal following with his sharp comedic talent. In 1991, Meadows achieved the dreams of comics nationwide when SNL producer Lorne Michaels asked him to join SNL as a featured player. Nominated for an Emmy as part of SNL's writing team that same month, he later made the transition to cast member status two years afterward.

Several years after appearing in a string of films based on "Saturday Night Live" sketches including "Coneheads" and "Wayne's World 2" (both 1993), Meadows was offered his own chance at features. The 2000 release of Paramount's "The Ladies' Man" gave the eponymous hero Leon Phelps the opportunity to bring his Courvoisier-drinking romantic adviser to the big screen. That same year he left SNL to join NBC's primetime lineup as a regular cast member on "The Michael Richards Show." Here Meadows played one of the workmates of P.I. Vic Nardozza (Richards). In 2002, he joined the cast of the NBC sitcom "Leap of Faith," written by Jenny Bicks, writer-producer for "Sex and the City."

Meadows recently co-starred in the big-screen comedy "Benchwarmers," with David Spade and Rob Schneider. Additional film credits include "Mean Girls," starring Lindsay Lohan, and "The Cookout," starring Queen Latifah and Danny Glover.

Tim currently lives in Venice, California.