FameCrawler

While I dont doubt that there are a lot of children with autism, I partially agree with Dennis that autism is becoming overdiagnosed and used as an excuse for bad parenting.  Just like ADD, autism is becoming a sort of catch-all for parents who want to feel better about themselves.

If you think the guy is a loser, why are you promoting him?

I read on another site that someone had asked him about Jenny McCarthy picketing at his book signings. He said something like, "Great! Then I'll sell more books!" Clearly, that's his main goal. If you really find him offensive, don't create more interest in his product.

I'm not only a mother of two children with special needs, but I am also a teacher of children requiring special education.  If Mr. Leary would do some research, he would know that often children diagnosed with cognitive disabilities, including autism, are generally average to above average intelligence. It is his narrow mind that sets education back to the dark ages for all children.  He is a sad excuse for a human to say the things he does.

Sorry Sassy, but I respectfully disagree with your first point. The old adage that any press is good press is more true today than ever before. And the more websites there are that push this story around, the more people will hear about it, and the more idiots will fork money over for it. The single most painful thing you could do to him right now--the very best revenge for his ignorant, ill-informed comments--is to ignore him. It sucks, but it's true.

Well said Sassy!!

Leary probably heard Michael Savage's comments on autism and now considers himself an expert on the subject. I'm sure we could lump my autistic son's drop-seizures together with simple laziness- that must be it! He was falling on his face because he's a lazy slob. Oh and as for autistic kids being stupid? Mine is 4 and read and write fairly well and can count to 100 in addition to having a near-photographic memory.

Leary is one seriously un-funny man and this just makes him enven more un-funny. His 'career' is going down the drain and this strikes me as a last-ditch effort to get back in public view. Attention-whores like Leary don't care how they get back the limelight, as long as it shines brightly on them for a few minutes.

I've honestly never met a single mis-diagnosed (or stupid) autistic child...has anyone else? And I've met many, many autistic kids.

I also hear this misguided fallacy constantly: autism is the result of greedy parents wanting to suck off the government teat by getting our children labelled as disabled. What? Where is this supposed money we're all getting? I'd sure like to know.

Every parent of every autistic child I have ever met is not only NOT inattentive, they are HYPER attentive to their special-needs kids. Leary, yer either stupid. Or a dumbass. Or both.

Sorry for my crummy spelling...I'm not ususally that bad :(

Leary hasn't been funny since Bill Hicks quit writing his material - en.wikipedia.org/.../Bill_Hicks

so another ignorant celeb. wrote a book that will, unrightfully so, earn a place on the best sellers list.

Hope you enjoy your money you earned by publishing your own stupidity Mr Leary. God knows you don't deserve it.

~Karma, Sassy girl, Karma

just try and remember that.

Keep your chin up!

Russell-if you agree with Dennis Leary you obviously have never been near a special needs child.  Yes, ADD is being diagnosed more-and doctors say it's a direct result of technology-in a few very severe cases.  But to say that ALL autistic or special needs children are simply lazy/stupid is proof that's all he is.  And I am blogging about his book and these comments myself to tell people to STAY THE HECK AWAY from it.  Publicity only works if it sells books.  I hope he never does.

Russel, that's one of the most truly ignorant statements I've ever read. Please explain exactly what you mean by 'bad parenting' and how it pertains to children with autism or these apparently incorrectly-diagnosed kids you are talking about.

I am in shock ! I am an aunt of a 10 year old autistic boy - I just read the article in US magazine. If Mr leary knew one thing about autism he would eat his words , if he spent 10 minutes with my nephew he would be ashamed of himself. He states in his article that autistic children are underachievers academically - has the man ever looked at a school paper or report card  of an autistic child ? He states their parents are unattentive , lazy, etc etc ,, he cannot be serious.

I belive Mr. Leary should have gone and found a script to a movie if he was looking for some attention or publicity not prey on the innocent children of the world. One hope I have is that noone ever put another dime out to see a movie that Mr. Leary has anything to do with and instead they put it into Autism Research.  

I would like to ask Denis if his child were diagnosed with, say, multiple sclerosis, would he scoff and tell the kid he was just "lazy" or "clumsy" and to snap out of it?  People who make statements like Leary's clearly don't even know what autism IS.  I've seen my son's brain scans.  I've seen his EEGQ (brain map).  I've seen him improve with medical and behavioral intervention.  Autism is quite real, thank you, and it is epidemic.  And no, these children are NOT "stupid" nor are they "lazy".

As the mom of an autistic boy, and also a special education teacher, and I'm here to agree with Sassy --  I can tell you from painful experience that the only "bad parents" are the ones who *deny* their child's condition, don't care enough to seek out appropriate help for their child, expect the state or the educational system to "fix" him or her, or worst of all, reject and abandon the special-needs child to institutions or foster care.  

Thankfully, most of the parents I know have moved heaven and earth to find appropriate medical, behavioral, and educational assistance for their children.  If that's bad parenting, than call ME the worst parent in history.

I am a mother of two severe Autistic children. I don't know where you get your information from or whose doctors you have been talking too but my children are NOT dumb in any way ,shape or form!!! Those comments are VERY disrespectful to our children and us parents that are trying our best to raise our children! This is EXACTLY why society is SO screwed up today! We try our best to raise our children the right way to grow up as normal as possible and People like you try to knock us down! Both my children are nonverbal that DOES NOT make them DUMB or LAZY!!! I cannot believe ANYONE would even speak badly about our children! It is NOT their fault that they were born into this world! Our children are Special gifts from God. Why can't they be excepted as that?

How dare Denis call the parents of an Autistic child inattentive.We are some of the most attentive parents there are.I spend all my time with my kids.I have one autistic child and one who is not. I spend every hour that my son is a wake seeing to all of his needs without ignoring my other child.In adition to working with my him I bring in therapists and have him on a very strict diet and it has helped better than any drug but stupid people like Leary who swear that Autism is not real and that we just drug our kids instead of caring for are kids and making them work to be up to par with their age. Idiots who have the gal to insult those who are special needs when they have no knowledge of what they are saying, so they only hurt many carelessly and make a complete and total jackass of themself and Leary has completely managed to make a jackass of himself whith his comments on Aitism.

This post is in reply to the other asshole here that thinks parents want to comfort themselves with labels such as ADD or Autism?  You must not be a parent.  If you are I hope that your children are well and that every day you get down on your scabby knees and show gratitude for being so fortunate.  I am the mother of a severly Autistic son and regardless of the fact he is Autistic I feel that I am fortunate because though it is a daily challenge I love him beyond words.  

Denis Leary is an asshole just as he proclaims in his song from the 90's and I do hope that he is grateful for all his material gains. This book will sell because of the press it is getting.  Karma!

There is a huge boom in COMEDY 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 ACTING CLASSES.... to 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 a COMEDIAN.  He's just stupid. Or lazy.  Or both."

OOOOH--where to start..  I have two typically developing teeneagers and two younger kids with autism. I know what stupid and lazy looks like--I have teenagers! (Who are actually very bright kids, they can just act stupid and they are, well,lazy). I would never call them that, as this is not a good way to motivate them away from laziness or stupidity.

We have seen miracles with our kids with autism. Our youngest went from a severe-moderate to high functioning autism diagnosis but only because we were super involved and willing to educate ourselves and fork out a lot of money. Through extensive early intervention and really good nutrition, we have a high functioning, but still very autistic daughter.   Yep, I'm a pretty crappy parent. My child would be rocking in a corner, learning nothing and not speaking if she had crappy parents.

Don't be fooled--we are all angry at this man who is trying to make a buck from our kids. He wants us to hate him--he gets more attention and makes more money that way.  Let's not give him that power. Is it possible to sue him and direct all the money he makes from his books to autism research?? Any good attorneys out there who specialize in legal whoop-ass????

......I must say this really offended me!

I'm 20 years old and making $60 an hour. I worked hard to make it where i am. I made it this far because I am hard working and intelligent. I've never gotten a hand up and I dont expect any, I work hard. I work in the adult industries and by no means am I lazy or stupid.

I'm also mildly austic. Mr Leary's words offend and horrify me, he knows NOTHIHNG about austim.

He kind of has a point about overdiagnosing, not necessarily having to do with real autism as much as the so-called "autism spectrum."  Leave Bill Gates alone.  He's more successful than the people trying to label him.  Sorry if I'm not completely coherent right now.  Anyway, the quote was taken out of context.  Google his name and "out of context."

Dennis is out of line here, but so are some of these comments.

Resorting to swearing?

That's just as bad as what Dennis has done.

It is hypoctritical to expect him to be careful with his words if you aren't with your's.

There are a lot of parents that say that their children are autistic without diagnoses. My parents joined in a law suit against the local school district to get teachers to help high functioning autistic children (like my little brother), and it lost a lot of momentum when the district's attorney found out that almost a dozen of the parents has undiagnosed children (I believe seven of them weren't autistic at all, and only three of those seven actually had any deficiency).

As far as children that actually have deficiencies go, I have NEVER met a parent who didn't go above and beyond to help their child and make sure they got the attention needed to become a well adjusted member of society.

This is being way overblown!  Do you actually think Denis is going to just flat out call autistic children stupid and lazy?

NOT WHAT HE'S SAYING!

Stop jumping ugly on him