Why We Suck
I’ve often wondered. Here comes Denis Leary with the answers. Sounds like it’s already an interesting book. Boston Herald:
The long-suffering mother of an autistic 6-year-old Saugus boy livid over Denis Leary’s published remarks that children like her son are “just stupid. Or lazy. Or both,” is challenging the actor to spend one hour in her sensible shoes.
“He’ll never last,” Jessica George, 41, predicted, throwing down the gauntlet to have the Worcester native and TV star of “Rescue Me” experience son Maximilian’s autism firsthand from the vantage point of her couch.
Or at least help out with the late-night loads of laundry.
The caustic comic’s controversial new book, “Why We Suck,” authored by “Dr. Denis Leary,” isn’t due out until Nov. 18. But observations such as, “There is a huge boom in autism right now because inattentive mothers and competitive dads want an explanation for why their dumb-(expletive) kids can’t compete academically,” have infuriated parents of autistic children across the country.
Last year, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1 in every 150 American children have been diagnosed with autism, a neurological disorder that dramatically impacts a person’s verbal and social skills.
“I was an admirer of what he did for firefighters and the heroes of 9/11,” George said. “How would he feel if I said, ‘What a bunch of whiny, loser firemen. Get over it!’
“If I’m lazy, I’d really like to see how many times he’s had to wrestle his kid to the floor of Target.”
That sounds like “Why Denis Leary sucks.” Two big thumbs down from an autism mom. I’ve wondered why there are so many kids get diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger’s, autism and end up medicated. Vaccines, TV, other environmental factors are some of the theories. If Leary’s slamming parents, I hope he doesn’t let educators, psychologists and psychiatrists off the hook. But I’ll be amazed if ”Dr. Denis Leary” has much to offer in the way meaningful answers.
George said Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will have her vote next week because, as the mother of a special needs baby, “She not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. She says she’s going to help us.
Well, that’s kind of interesting, when the GOP is seen as the party most responsive to special needs. OK, here’s Leary defending himself. WSJ’s Market Watch:
The people who are criticizing the “Autism Schmautism” chapter in my new book “Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid” clearly have not read it.Or if they have, 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.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.Of course, this entire misunderstanding can be easily avoided simply by doing one thing — reading the book.
Sorry, Denis, the attention span’s too short. Too bad, because the “grown men self-diagnosing” angle is a new one on me, though now that I think of it, it sounds like a handy explanation for a lot of cluelessness, obtuseness, etc., that I encounter or maybe … uh … exhibit … on a regular basis. Looking around for a review that has the context Leary desires, not finding it. Let me know if you do. A lot of angry reax like the above, and celeb wars stuff about Jenny McCarthy’s jihad on Leary re the above, plus Michael Savage and Amanda Peet. The Iraq war must really and truly be over, if the hot celeb debate is shifting from “Why They Hate Us” to “Why We Suck.”
Then there’s these psycho-jihadis:
I’m a little unimpressed that a comic who likes to shock is shocked that people are shocked, though. Especially given his eagerness for an eyeball-grabbing dustup. Vanity Fair:
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.
Hate to judge by a quick and pretty dirty interview, but I get the impression the book is basically a string of one-liners designed to piss people off and … sell books.
That late? I thought I was the only one. And was your favorite nun, Sister Rosemary, the star of your first wet dream?
No, but that is an interesting story. Sister Rosemary is actually the one who turned me into an actor. She forced me into a play. She was great but kind of dykey. The hot nun was Sister Sharon. She looked like Michelle Pfeiffer.
I was spewing my latte all over this new book of yours?
Yeah? What’re your favorite parts?
My favorite quips include “I’m here to explain that we need to take Rush Limbaugh’s head and make a bong out of it” and “Most heterosexual men do not find Renée Zellweger attractive.”
It’s true. Nice girl, and I have met Renée. She is the kind of girl who bakes really good muffins, you go out to dinner with her, but that’s it.
OK, dittoheads, Catholics and girls next door, you’re up.
Here’s another Herald trashing of Leary. You can call it, “When Celebrities Suck.”
You know, I’m thinking now that I didn’t really give Jenny McCarthy a chance to state her celeb case in a meaningful way.
No, that really doesn’t advance anyone’s understanding of this issue.
OK, that’s better.
All right, I’m starting to understand. There’s a lot more out there to help you really understand, but you’ll have go there yourself because some of it is … how to put this … more informative than I care to post. Sorry, I know I should take what celebs think about anything more seriously. A couple of links re Jenny McCarthy, autism, vaccines as the thief of souls and her righteous jihad with Amanda Peet here and here.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 7:07 am on Monday, October 27, 2008
One Response to “Why We Suck”
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October 27th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Jules, you want some animosity towards Jenny McCarthy, head on over to Respectful Insolence. Orac (nom-de-blog) is a cancer surgeon and researcher, and a strong supporter of evidence based medicine.
Leary’s stance re our nanny state fascination with autism is understandable. But, not every grown man who learns he might be autistic is looking for sympathy or even spare change. Some of them may actually be autistic, and a few of those severely autistic.
It’s a condition that has a wide range of expressions, from effectively non-functioning individuals to highly functioning individuals who have learned to fake normality real well.
What I hate is the belief that autism renders a person utterly unable to cope in society. For some cases, but not all. The belief that it is caused by vaccines endangers the public. The belief it can be cured somehow, someway endangers the autistic and the autistic’s family and friends. Any responsible physician who has used chelation on a patient will tell you the process is very dangerous, and only to be done in extremis. As I understand it, our bodies are self-chelating and do a pretty good job of it. To chelate a young child who does not need it is medically irresponsible, and potentially fatal.
I understand the despair, and the urge to find something to help an autistic child, but I counsel caution and rigorous vetting of claims. A child can be helped to function, sometimes very well, with autism. Dead children don’t function at all.