Denis Leary Says He’s Sorry
October 28, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
From the October 28th Boston Herald:
“I have nothing but admiration and sympathy for the people I know who are raising children with autism. In fact, they were the inspiration for the chapter I wrote about the subject,” the Worcester native and author of the provocative forthcoming book “Why We Suck” said in a statement to the Herald.
“To them – and to all parents of children with autism – I apologize for any pain the out-of-context quotes from my book may have caused.”
Not a complete recantment—-the Boston Herald notes that Leary still said that “‘“taking one or two sentences out of context” from the book’s chapter “Autism Shmautism” is “unfair and misleading.’”
Well, Mr. Leary, to throw around even “one or two” phrases like “dumb-ass kids” and “junior morons” about autistic children, about children like my son—that’s equally “unfair and misleading.”
And not at all funny.
Well, nice to know he’s not foolishly wasting his admiration and/or sympathy on the autistics themselves. I mean that would be silly, wouldn’t it, seeing as they’re not really people. Until and unless all those heroic parents and professionals find a way to fix them.
The shallowness of pop-benevolence is so nauseating.
I’d find this more credible if Mr. Leary had taken that mom up on her offer just to show that he can walk the talk. A tough and frisky outrage-humor comedian should be able handle actually spending up-close-and-personal-time with a 6 year old.
I’m guessing that Mr. Leary is more forthcoming with his public contrition than the somewhat self-serving “apology” of a few days ago, since he’s now also in some hot water with the gay community over some other, I presume, “out of context” quotations from the book, and with fellow alums from his alma mater who are ticked off about the quotes on autism.
(Edgy is good as long as it brings in the bucks, but you don’t want to jeopardize future commercial prospects and sit-com opportunities by pissing off too many people. )
I’m not sure that it’s okay to throw around “junior morons” or “dumb ass kids” about any child, special needs or not.
Oh… *sniff* what a beautiful apology. I’m, like, feeling the warmth and genuine emotion behind it, aren’t you??
Hands Mrs. C a tissue, as he tip toes around Leary’s alligator tear donors. (I certainly hope these things have had all their shots, would hate to get something like Parvo from them.)
Dennis can bite me.
“Well, nice to know he’s not foolishly wasting his admiration and/or sympathy on the autistics themselves. I mean that would be silly, wouldn’t it, seeing as they’re not really people. Until and unless all those heroic parents and professionals find a way to fix them.”
This at least puts him in the realm of typical ignorance, rather than something more profound. I have a feeling that may be all we want to ask for out of this particular guy, if care at all…
Cliff
I don’t believe him. It isn’t sincere. Apology not accepted.
Funny, your ads on the right side say “Get Dennis Leary Ringtones” right now. That must be a coincidence?
He’s certainly figured out how to get some attention for his book.
At least chez-nous, attention is all the man is getting–we certainly won’t be throwing a dime in his direction either now or in the future.
Piffle. To put it very mildly.
Of course he is going to apologize now. He would hate for the book sales to go down. Even taking the sentences out of the chapter, they are disgusting.
And changing the chapter title!