Hosed by Denis Leary

Lordy be, sometimes it's exhausting having three children with autism. Oh, I don't mean my actual day to day life with Mia, Gianna and Bella. That's tiring of course, but parenthood wipes most of us mothers out by 9:00pm -- whether you're running to and from soccer practice or speech therapy, motherhood = tired. What's exhausting is this seemingly acceptable anger and bitterness toward parents of kids with autism, as evidenced by Michael Savage a few months ago and now by Denis Leary's rant (does he have another mode of communication?) in his new book titled... Nah, I'm not going to use the name of the book here. You can search Google for the title.

Here's a quote from it: "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."

Whattsamatta, Denis, my fellow Bahstonian, did you get a bad clam at Kelly's? When did we autism parents and our "junior morons" become the punching bag of the week? Or did you just include this particular rant because you know autism is prevalent in the news and it would generate publicity for you? That's what I think. I can see you sitting at your desk, well, maybe pacing anxiously back and forth, ruffling your hand through your thick hair, "I need a hook! I need to piss off people who will write about me. Autism! Those parents aaah crazy, rabid dahgs! I'm a freakin' GEEEN-ius! What a wicked awesome idea! Now, what the hell is autism? Who ce-ahs!"

I care, Denis. I care that your words imply that my three girls aren't seriously disabled like your good friend Michael J. Fox or worthy of respect. I've always enjoyed your brash, in your face humor. I love that you're a Boston Irishman. I think firemen are hot. But Denis, don't turn the hose on me and my kids. Please.

(PS) Click HERE to read the scorching letter just sent to The Leary Firefighter Foundation by a retired FDNY veteran who left his career to stay home and care for his son with autism.

(PS2) You should know that Denis Leary has issued a statement through PR Newswire: HERE.

Comments

[flared0ne]

Oh, and by the way. I just read Denis' statement, issued through PR newswire (hanging off of "PS2" above), and it evokes a comment.

He says "Don't misinterpret a sound-bite chunk of what I'm saying -- read the book before attacking me".

Denis, SOMEbody released a 'sound-bite' of 'promotional' material for your book -- chosen with a certain amount of care, apparently, in order to generate a bit of controversy. Maybe you should reevaluate who and how you let your 'handlers' publicize you, because THEY have just helped you shoot yourself in the foot.

NObody wants to 'read the book' in order to understand what you think is so worth saying in such a way. NObody wants to reward you with one thin dime for this particular insensitive effort. With any karmic justice, this whole supposed-t­o-be-insig­nificant interlude is going to haunt you, and could turn out to be a turning point in your busy life.

You ever watch any nature films? Or how about Jurassic Park, the sequel?? I'm contemplating the overall level of intelligence involved in getting in between Mama Bear and her cubs, realistically multiplied by thousands, although I'm sensing a certain 'vibe' much closer to the very focused and intelligent rage depicted toward someone managing to HURT one of Mama Tyrannosaur's hatchlings. Did you just wake up one day and decide "I'm bored with mumbledy-peg and playing in traffic -- how else can I put myself in harms way??"

[pixiemama]

Nicely done, Kim. I'm too tired and angry to be so eloquent.

[Kim445588]

Attention parents who are "faking" this whole autism thing...

Be sure to contact your local politicians and voice your APPROVAL of the Mental Health Parity Bill!

Those of you out there that think there is some mysterious benefit to getting a diagnosis should know that many of our services are excluded / maxed out by our insurance companies. This means that we not only get to mitigate the blame of having "bratty / lazy" kiddos, but also have the joy of spending what can be massive amounts of money to get these "self indulgent" stimmers some help.

[Kim445588]

Why? I don't get it. Why do these people think we WANT an autism diagnosis (which by the way is not easy to get). Shuffling around to speech therapy, OT, social groups, etc, etc and spending years with younger siblings in waiting rooms is not exactly fun.

The media needs to do a better job of not just putting low function autistics or geniuses on T.V. That is how the public sees autism, as one extreame or the other.

They don't see our kids that look like typicals, but have major social and sensory problems that reside beneath.

And stop confusing autism with ADD / ADHD!

[jwebs94]

Did you ever notice that when someone gets caught bashing autistic kids, they turn around and say, "oh.. not the "real" ones, just the fake ones!"

As if you are supposed to know which is which.
This leaves the public confused and wondering which kids who are dx'd, aren't really autistic.

I actually had an argument about this with someone who I thought was a friend --she kept trying to defend herself by saying, "Oh I know it's not your kids"
--but that is the thing, it's always someone else's kid, but it's not really...

What it really is, is a bunch of ignorant people talking out of the wrong end of their bodies.

[Kim445588]

Right.

Suddenly the autistics they "know" are truly challenged, its the ones they don't know that faking it for some irrational reason.

[Kindheart]

What would cause a decent person to say such hateful things?
Kim, I honor you and what you deal with day in and day out.

[Jmulvaney]

Denis Leary plays a tough guy on television as a firefighter and hockey player. My son Dan has severe autism and is a true tough guy working as a ranch hand and skating with his hockey team for players with disabilities. As a hockey dad and father of a child with autism I'd be glad to explain to Mr. Leary the difference beetween an actor who reads lines off a teleprompter and a true tough guy. Dan, all six foot three, 230 pounds of him, would do the same but he can't speak. Dan generally lets his hands do the talking and I'm sure he'd be glad to meet Leary at a rink and drop the gloves for a discussion about the plight of misunderstood authors. Of course Loudmouth Leary's would likely send a stunt double since that's as close as he gets to real danger.
Like most phonies, the guy is not smart enough to apologize. Loudmouth sends a press release--u­ndoubtedly rewritten by a PR guy from Leary's original crayon scribbles--without saying the words, "I'm sorry." If the character he plays on TV was a real guy drinking beers at a local fisticuffs bar would ensue to elicit apology.
I will: Sorry Loudmouth, didn't read your book--although I doubt you did either--won't read it and will never buy a product from anyone that places ads on your program.
Nice job Kim. I know that you are a true tough guy.

[nhokkanen]

Denis Leary screwed up by writing poorly, and now he wants to blame his audience for "misunderstanding" him. Too bad he didn't have a decent copy editor who could have caught this disaster-i­n-the-maki­ng before publication. It's just plain sh***y to spark controversy at the expense of humans who have autism, whatever the author's intent. If that intent is unclear, then the author has not done his or her job.

[liisb]

Hey Denis Leary. I'm from Woosta (Worcester) and want you know that Autism has effected your firefighters familes. Next time you are in town please consider visiting my sons school, its on Main St. near the Webster Sq. Firestation you support. I would love for you meet some of the junior morons and the inattentive mothers that support them.

Seriously, if you want to learn more about Autism and see how its effecting children right in Worcester, MA let me arrange a visit for you. Perhaps we can get someone from the T&G to cover the event.

Lisa Brown
Very attentive mother to Ben a six year old recovering from severe Autism

[htbenz]

Jenny McCarthy put out a whole chapter from her book on the web:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/story?id=5878229&page=1

Why doesn't Denis Leary put his Autism chapter out on the web so he isn't 'taken out of context'
Now there's the problem, the publisher/publicist wouldn't want to put the most controversial chapter in the book on the web for free, Jenny McCarthy did and her book STILL made the New York Times best seller's list! Man up, Denis ... stop the "I was taken out of context..." crap and put that chapter of the book on the web!

[sleeplessmom]

Kim, thanks much for bringing this to my attention. I was not aware of this latest ignorance. Good grief, I WAS a Denis Leary fan. I am also glad to see the firefighters letter too.
Denis, GET A CLUE! You knew full and well that you were going to get called on this, what in God's name where you thinking?
So we have Michael Savage, Amanda Peet and now Denis Leary in the bullshit crew! Did I leave anyone out? Please let me know!
Yes, my user name is sleeplessmom for a very good reason! Since my son was 1.5 yrs old I have not had a normal amount of sleep, he is 8.5 yrs old now.

[sdtech]

Kim:

We should never underestimate the evil of someone making a name for themselves by the persecution and exploitation of disabled human beings.

See http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/disabled.html

[lhsis1]

Kimbally, you're wicked awesome! Denis Leary messed with the wrong group in his attempt for publicity. Yet another person who was interested in his show who will never watch Rescue Me again...

Lawrer (my Bahston name)

[autism123]

It never ceases to amaze me how these actors destroy their own careers. I stopped watching Leary's tv show after he mocked Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior and Gods only begotten son his show. Now he mocks my only son who suffers from autism !!!!
I truly believe someone needs to rescue Leary from his own ignorance,maybe that is why his show is called rescue me.

[ByrdtheStampede]

Damn.

That is incredibly ignorant.

Denis has been mocking that Jebus fella since about 1990.

Sad sad sad are the happy people.

[RobinSeattle]

Well, Christianity is merely an idea.

However, autism involves real human beings afflicted with something they neither asked for nor can control. Anyone who takes a gratuitous meanspirited shot at the handicapped devalues his own humanity.

Comedians are largely self hating and Leary is projecting that on to autistic children. That says more about his own pathetic self than it does about those he insulted.

[jlu626]

Thanks for saying it Kim.