Denis Leary Slams Autism As A Joke

DENIS Leary should brace himself for hate mail from the parents of kids diagnosed with autism.

In his new book, "Why We Suck: A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid," the joke-slinging "Rescue Me" star writes about the brain disorder:

"There is a huge boom in autism right now because inattentive mothers and competitive dads want an explanation for why their dumb-ass kids can't compete academically, so they throw money into the happy laps of shrinks . . . to get back diagnoses that help explain away the deficiencies of their junior morons. I don't give a [bleep] what these crackerjack whack jobs tell you - yer kid is NOT autistic. He's just stupid. Or lazy. Or both."

The Autism Society of America responded: "For Mr. Leary to suggest that families or doctors conspire to falsely diagnose autism is ridiculous . . . [His] remarks reflect the same misconceptions of autism being caused by bad or unemotional parenting that were held over 50 years ago."

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In November's Vanity Fair, in a Q&A, Leary calls it his "favorite chapter":

Another chapter is titled "Autism Shamautism."
Which is my favorite chapter.

I see vigilante autism woman Jenny McCarthy picketing your book tour.
Great. That would be really good for me. It will help sell more books.

Comments

[whiskyworm]

I agree with Denis. Jenny McCarthy has written a book about autism, and I suggest you read it! Do you want to pamper your children your whole life, or have a chance to cure them? The medical community makes a lot more money we they treat symptoms rather than find the solution to problems. People's fear of death and faith in the medical community is hilarious!

[PeterLoffredo]

Parents are always part of the problem.
That's not meant as a judgment on parents. It's an assessment, one that I can make after thirty years of study and practice as a sociologist, psychotherapist and clinical social worker, and as a parent three times over.
It is popular and politically correct to say that any theories connecting autism and parenting have been discredited, but discredited by whom? Medical practitioners who want every disorder to ultimately have a medical cause and therefore, a pharmaceutical cure? Parents who strive to be seen as blameless in their children's problems? This is a great shame, and a missed opportunity for healing.
Peter Loffredo, LCSW
My blog: http://fullpermissionliving.blogspot.com/
For some of my specific posts on autism, go to:
http://fullpermissionliving.blogspot.com/search?q=autism

[luv4jordan]

You have no idea what you are speaking about.

[michaelsmommy]

As a parent of a child with Autism, I was the problem. I listened to my son's pediatrician and allowed him to give my son 5 vaccinations in one day. I allowed my son's pediatrician to inject my son with flu shots containing thimerasol. It was my fault that my son got sick from the vaccines and within a week went from a typically developing, bright and vibrant boy who would sing with me into a child who lost ALL of his language and wouldn't look at me in the eyes. It's my fault that it took 3 different second opinions until I found a doctor that realized there was something seriously wrong with my son. It's my fault that I paid $2000.00 to privately get my son diagnosed with Autism because I couldn't wait the 14 months waiting list for testing. It's my fault that I got my son into Early Intervention; that I spent every waking moment researching and trying many different teaching approaches with my son. It's my fault that I fought for my son to bypass another waiting list to get into a pre-school for autistic children, with Occupational and Physical Therapy support. It's my fault that I have paid thousands for an ABA teacher to work daily with my son at home and thousands more for speech therapy for my son.

[michaelsmommy]

It's my fault that I have made the decision to not have any more children, so I can give 100% of myself to my son with Autism.

It's my fault that after everything I have done for my son, at the age of four he can only verbalize about 100 words and that he has severe sensory, social and sleep issues.

Sociologist? Psychotherapist? Clinical Social Worker? Bullsh*t! And furthermore, what the hell do any of your so-called fields of study have to do with neurology, occupational therapy or speech therapy?

You're an ignorant idiot blowhard who has no business writing anything about autism. I won't give you a hit on your link, but someone really needs to hit you in the head to knock some sense into you, or to at least put you in your place.

Part of the problem? No, the problem is the medical field that is ignorant, the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies that have been injecting our babies with mercury to save pennies per vaccination to give it more shelf life.

The problem is ignorant azzholes like you perpetuating antiquated and ridiculous attitudes towards autism.

Until you walk in the shoes of a parent of a child with autism, your comments mean nothing.

And your blog -- well, if the world gave people like you "less" permission "for" living, it would be a much better place.

[corysadvocate]

I have read Jennys books and I find them extremely helpful and inspiring since I am the mother of a 10 yr. old autistic. Maybe some of you (yourself and mr. leary )need to walk a mile in our shoes before your so quick to judge. May god have mercy on you and mr. leary!!!!!!!

[foxisms]

Nothing is beyond humor when taken in context. Leary wasn't pointing at a kid sitting on the floor in a classroom struggling with the disabilities of autism. He was making a general reference and commentary on our culture and the lax methods of parenthood evident in 21st century America. The term autism could have been replaced with ADHD, ADD, or a dozen different anagrams depicting a variety of attention deficits that have been invented to relieve parents of having the focus, dedication and commitment to place spending quality time with their children first and the ready willingness to have the state and public schools become a ready and free form of day care while the parents misplace their priorities and pursue carreers, pilatte and yoga classes and that hour or so they would rather spend at Starbuck's or the bar with their friends. .

[robotfog]

when I was a kid, my parents would take me to the bar.

[Veganbikerbabe]

I don't know if you're serious or not, but mine did. Not that the bars had any lasting negative effect (at least I was spending time with my parents), but there really are a lot of very bad parents out there which is Leary's whole point, NOT to ridicule autistic children. If people can't understand this, then I guess there's a good reason that I pay such high property taxes: our education system really is in dire need of help. When you have a Vegan like myself, the butt of many Leary jokes, defending the guy... you really need to lighten up and remember he's using his comedic talents to actually try to do a good thing here. I wish all of these people "got it" and would cut Leary some slack.

[Veganbikerbabe]

OMG, another blogger with a brain! You get it! I feel sorry for these kids who really have disabilities whose parents posted negative comments here. Their parents are spitting in the face of one of the guys who actually thinks that parenting is serious business. If they spent as much time taking care of their kids as they did criticizing Leary, that would be great. Thanks for posting!

[sadimast]

First of all I have to ask...do you have a child with autism or any other disability? What he said was disgraceful and I hope he gets his KARMA. Let me tell you I am a mother of a severely autistic child and I care for my child and work a full time job. My husband had to put his proffession on hold in order to care for our child while I am at work! Denis Leary said it himself in his song! I will fight for my child and if it means using what little time I have to relax, replying to stupidity so be it!

[corysadvocate]

Apparently you dont live in my world!! Not that i owe you an explanation or any dmn thing else, but yes I do work full time and the rest of my day is ALWAYS dedicated to my child with autism. Usually my nights (whilke he is asleep) is spent researching how I could help him. My husband and I finally took a vacation without him in 10 yrs. I never have pilatte or yoga or get to go to starbucks because my priorities are straight YOU WICKED WITCH. Why dont you and Veganbikerbabe actually grow some dmn brains and keep your freakin big mouths shut unless you have a CLUE about what the hell your talking about.

[whiskyworm]

One thing I have noticed about the medical community is that is DOES like to drug you for life! Curing, just ain't their game. ADD, tell me that is not a teacher that is boring blaming the child for not holding their attention on them?

Autism? Did not Jenny McCarthy have a child that was diagnosed autistic and she was a bit upset that the CDC did not even care to find out how they eliminated the symptoms by detoxification of the body, attributing the hyper-sensitivity of her child in relation to the environment with increasing wireless communication swirling in the air, and the roughly 42 immunization shots given to children to protect them against diseases that no longer plague the human race to begin with? Those magic potions of immunization shots DO GET PAID FOR!

Autistic children are little control freaks, just like your average PTA MOM!

I agree with Leary, and Tom Cruise for that matter. This nation's faith ain't in no book, it is in the medicine cabinet, and the war chest of weaponry..­.

[robotfog]

my meds helped me a lot. But I'm an adult. I don't think children should be medicated. Maybe that's an old time attitude, though.

[corysadvocate]

Apparently you are not even a mother and if you are ever a mother I feel extremely sorry for the little booger that will be raised by YOU!

[mathme]

I think the big problem is that he doesn't even understand just which spectrum of symptoms "autism" is referencing. I have a feeling, and one that I feel fairly certainly, that he hasn't even bothered to crack a DSM, and if he has, he hasn't looked up the words he doesn't understand. He doesn't understand the mental health community or diagnostic procedures.

Okay, sometimes children ARE intentionally mis-diagnosed when they suffer from something like FASD which isn't officially recognized yet.

[hlawyer]

At least he didn't steal that bit from Bill Hicks.

[TannersDad]

I am so sad that I just found this page. Thank you for making this a big news page topic.
http://www.causecast.org/member/tanners-dad

[Chrisallalone]

I've read many of the responses and I am amazed at how many people have swallowed this line that parents are basically buying diagnoses to get out of parenting their kids. Have you actually met anyone who has done this? I haven't. I've met lots of worried parents who are trying their hardest to help.

When my daughter was 2, we were told by a developmental team at a top hospital that she had an autism spectrum disorder, appeared to be cognitively competent, should someday get some stilted speech and probably be able to have some kind of job -- and that was supposed to be the GOOD news. I have to tell you, nobody in their right mind seeks out news like that. No one wants to hear that their kid has a lifelong neurological disorder. I don't know why people believe this line.

Someone has done a fine job of creating this image of lazy parents with pill bottles. I don't know who. It's like "welfare queens" in the Reagan era -- good for PR if you don't want to help, and sure you could probably find a few examples, but ignorant of the realities of the great majority of people living with these problems.

[bliss0027]

absolutely agreed

for a parent to hear their child has autism can be devestating

and autism is not an "excuse" for anything..­.....if anything it means A TON of extra work, a TON of extra money, lots of time and travelling to specialists, doctors, educators etc. I know many mothers who have quit their jobs in order to take on raising the child 24 hrs a day because they cannot find or afford qualified help or care

leary literally has no idea what he's talking about....i­t's almost as if he's using the criticisms of ADHD and changing the word to autism instead...­..but even in that case he's plain wrong

[robotfog]

good point.

[johnhoreb]

well how nice i hope he enjoys loosing a ton of money and recieving hate mail for the rest of his life. I am a father of an autistic and for one know what it like. I WAS a leary fan but just destroy everything i ever owned of his comedy. I hope he feels real good about the numbers of fans he just lost.

[sadimast]

Look at the foundation he created for firefighters after his long time friend and cousin were killed in the fire in Worcester. Maybe now that he has dug his own grave with Autism, he can put his money where his mouth is and donate to the research.

[Rserp1]

If Denis Leary wants to commit carrer suicide, he sure picked the right topic to poke fun at.
Not that I watched his show Rescue me anytime before but I am sure to not ever watch it now.
I understand Leary's style of humor. In your face and Raunchy. Shock value style of humorism.
A Dice Clay clone. I always figured Mr. Leary was better than that but I guess he is not.
If there was a social court and I was judge I would sentence Mr. Leary to 2 years of confinment in a Home with Parents who have a child with Autism.
Let him feel their pain first hand. Let him realy know what these people go through on a daily baises.
The day the Doctors, Not a shrink as Mr. Leary would say, told me my son was autistic, I cried.
Not for me, but for him.
As a parent and a father, I know that we will not out live our children.
Or at least we shouldn't.
And our biggest fears is leaving this rock and having our children left with people that think and act like Denis Leary has.
Your not a real man if you make a living at picking at kids and their disability.
Sometimes what seems like a good idea at the time, is not. And Mr. Leary crossed the line on this one.
Watch your Back Jack. Because I am comin knockin. You here me?
Richard Tellier

[corysadvocate]

May god bless you Rserp1

[larmstead]

I would like to invite Mr. Leary to spend a day with my family and see if he still thinks his comments on Autism are funny. It is not funny that my 7 year old non-verbal son has Autism. It is not funny that we are in severe debt for caring and providing therapies to my son. It is not funny when a sound from the TV or the world causes him severe pain and upset. It is not funny that numerous therapists spend numerous hours with my son trying to get him to relate to people and our community. It is not funny that a 7 year old boy can't talk. It is not funny that I spend hours fighting for services, insurance coverage, education, therapy and treatments for my son. It is not funny that our family has been turned upside down by Autism. It is not FUNNY Mr. Leary! Spend a day with my family and see if you don't change your opinion.

[sadimast]

I couldnt have said it better....­thankyou

[corysadvocate]

well said thank you as well

[sadimast]

I have written a post once on this subject but apparently I took it to far? It was never posted! Yes I guess I may have used some profanity with Mr Learys comments. He is a FAKE! He portrays the himself as a public servant on Rescue Me. And he endorses the charity for our Firefighters! Thats absurd! I am an Emergency Medical Dispatcher and I am shocked with his ignorance! Every firefighter, EMS and public servant I know is in it...not for the money but because they are truely good, caring people! I care for people of all walks of life! He has made a mockery of all the people he portrays! I too have a child who is autistic..­.and the sweetest child you could ever meet. He does not fake his disability­...there is no way he could fake this! He is a four year old child that cannot speak. But let me tell you he finds a way to communicate with me. He is deep in my heart and I have learned to read him. He has many therapies and doctors appointments that he has to attend, and his father and I are right there beside him for everything he needs! I work very hard to meet his needs. And my husband has had to put his profession on hold and will probably lose it forever so that my son is taken care of. Please....­.I am horrified by this man and his bullshit!!!!

[1099]

"He portrays the himself as a public servant on Rescue Me."

That's what actors do.

[sadimast]

I guess I give people more credit than deserved..­..why endorse what you dont believe in?

[jcause28]

I just read Leary's response. As the brother of a person with SEVERE autism, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. If this comment was in the context of people who are being self physicians and diagnosing themselves or their children, then yes, I agree with Leary. I have worked in the field for many years and have seen of so called "autistic" people without as much as a single outward symptom. We can't tackle this problem by putting everyone underneath an umbrella.

Of course, this is only if that is the context Leary meant his comments.

[maca]

I tend to agree. It didn't seem like he was saying there's no such thing as autism, but rather that the diagnosis is used too much. It's sort of like a discussion I was having with someone a few days ago, in which we observed that almost every parent we know has a kid who's been diagnosed with ADD, and is on medication. Obviously a lot of doctors are attributing normal unruly behavior or learning problems to a medical condition. Of course, things like ADD and autism do exist, and if Leary was saying that no kids are really autistic, he's a fool.

[robsmom]

If any of these so-called celebrities started bashing kids that had a physical handicap there would be an uproar. Because most autistic kids seem to appear normal, somehow society thinks this is acceptable. It's a pretty sick world we live in when people start putting down disabled children and their parents that love them and want nothing more than to help them. Hopefully he doesn't or won't have any typical or A-typical children to pass his ignorance down to.

[corysadvocate]

Amen

[Irksome]

Mr. Leary, in his infinite wisdom, has confused autism confused with Attention Deficit Disorder.

[Talullah]

Don't you think they are both over used as excuses for unsavory behavior in children?

[Shanda]

Autism is often an explanation, not an excuse, for unsavory behavior. It is true that sometimes my son's voice level is too high for an environment or that he lays down in a supermarket. But it is also true that I am CONSTANTLY correcting these behaviors.
From the day he was born, I swore we would not be "those people" who ignored their children's behavior to the detriment of others. While we refuse to keep him locked away at home, we don't take him to fancy restaurants, movies on opening night, or other places where he might be distruptive, out of respect for other's right to enjoy their outing. Couldn't we please have the same level of respect for the job we are trying to do?