Denis Leary Explains His Autism-Slamming Remarks

Wednesday excerpts of Denis Leary's book were published in which the comedian mocks the diagnosis of autism. "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."

Since the release he has tried to explain.

Leary suggests that those critics obviously haven't read the book. "Or if they have," the Emmy-nominated actor said in a statement, "they missed the sections I thought made my feelings about autism very clear: that I not only support the current rational approaches to the diagnoses and treatment of real autism but have witnessed it firsthand while watching very dear old friends raise a functioning autistic child."...

"The point of the chapter is not that autism doesn't exist--it obviously does--and I have nothing but admiration and respect for parents dealing with the issue, including the ones I know," Leary continued in the statement he released today.

"The bulk of the chapter deals with grown men who are either self-diagnosing themselves with low-level offshoots of the disease or wishing they could as a way to explain their failed careers and troublesome progeny.

The book is called "Why We Suck: A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid"