Denis Leary: Autism...

[ChefChiTown]

I normally don't find Denis Leary to be all that entertaining, as I find him to be completely hit or miss. Anyway, I found this quote to be somewhat offensive, but at the same, really funny and to a certain degree...probably true.

"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."

http://thesuperficial.com/2008/10/denis_leary_says_some_horrible.php

 

[Sicario]

It's called scapegoat.

 

[Evil]

This is just complete assery,

 

[cocklover]

I didn't find it offensive and I didn't find it funny.

What do I win?

 

[Evil]

Hell

 

[Will E Worm]

What does Denis Leary know? He stole most of his routine from Bill Hicks.

 

[senob44]

I always thought Denis Leary had ADHD.

 

[meesterperfect]

there is definitly a rise in autism in the last 20 years.
thats for sure.

I think leary missed the boat.
Autism is not often mis diagnosed, but often not completely understood however attention deficit disorder is.
Mostly that is due to hyperactivity combined with lack of parental authority and discipline.

 

[Torre82]

Good stuff. I love angry comedians and preachy-common-sense comics. Give me Denis Leary or Henry Rollins anytime. It's not always funny, but it's memorable and true to what many people would love to say but dont.

 

[BlueBalls]

What does Denis Leary know? He stole most of his routine from Bill Hicks.

Exactly :thumbsup:

Its still a funny line though :rofl:

 

[ChefChiTown]

Good stuff. I love angry comedians and preachy-common-sense comics. Give me Denis Leary or Henry Rollins anytime. It's not always funny, but it's memorable and true to what many people would love to say but dont.

Yup. :thumbsup: It's funny when people will hear a comment like this and immediately respond with "What the fuck does he know? He's just a comedian!!!" People completely ignore the truth to what he said, just because he's not wearing a white lab coat and doesn't go by Dr. Leary.

Also, if somebody like, oooooh, let's say George Carlin said that exact same quote, a lot of the immediate nay-sayers would probably be laughing. But, since it's "only" Denis Leary, they find his comment to be stupid, uneducated and unfunny.

FYI - I do agree with what he said. A lot of people don't go to a psychologist, psychiatrist, doctor (etc) because they already have a problem...they go because they're looking for one.

 

[mrtrebus]

What is funny about this quote?!? Its not really offensive either just an ill-thought out opinion without an amusing punchline. I know people who have autistic kids, so it does exist.

 

[yaheem]

Well he is an asshole, which was a pretty good song.

 

[Manalishi]

Well he is an asshole, which was a pretty good song.

Yah good stuff! :tongue:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/im-an-asshole-lyrics-dennis-leary.html

 

[senob44]

Leary is funny, for sure. Like a lot of comics, he taps in to what people are thinking but wouldn't dare say. (I think someone mentioned that.) So if it was ever in the back of your mind that autism was a sham or If you've ever seen an autistic kid who didn't seem too abnormal to you (or even if you have a little bit of a mean streak, we all do) you might find this joke funny. For Leary and others, very few things are off-limits and that's just the way they are.

For the record, I chuckled a bit at the joke, but felt guilty about doing so. :1orglaugh

 

[calpoon]

People completely ignore the truth to what he said, just because he's not wearing a white lab coat and doesn't go by Dr. Leary.

Now that's funny, because the real lab coat wearing Dr. Leary that spoke the truth, most people didn't listen to him either.

 

[lost1dc]

I like Dr Dennis Leary. "Shut the f**k up. Next!"

 

[Dootifull]

Yup. :thumbsup: It's funny when people will hear a comment like this and immediately respond with "What the fuck does he know? He's just a comedian!!!" People completely ignore the truth to what he said, just because he's not wearing a white lab coat and doesn't go by Dr. Leary.

How do we know if there's truth to what he said? I don't know anyone with autistic kids, so I don't know if their kids are dumb or autistic. I also don't know any doctors. There could actually be a rise in autism. Or maybe a rise in parents throwing money at doctors for an excuse for stupidity in children. I have no idea.

The joke may or may not be funny when it's said, but I don't really think it's funny written down. I also have no problem with people making fun of autistic people in a general sense. If he was making fun of a particular person for being autistic, I'd have a big problem with DL.

 

[meesterperfect]

I'd like to hear someone making fun of an autistic kid, then strangle him just long enough to cause some serious brain damage, then make fun of him.

Leary I know didn't directly make fun of autistic people. To me its not funny mostly because it ain't true.
Attention deficit disorder I believe is a made up affliction......autism isn't.

 

[Ravenholm]

Leary is about as funny as being on the receiving end of a kick to the face.