Denis Leary re: Autism

Dlisted

arsehole.

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Yesterday, some dumb **** quotes from Denis Leary's upcoming book made the rounds and now he's trying to fix the situation by saying his comments were taken out of his context. In his book, Why We Suck: A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid, Denis writes that autism is an excuse used by bad parents. He really brought it to the **** farm by writing, '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.'

Denis issued a statement to E! saying it's just a misunderstanding that can be solved by reading his book, specifically the chapter 'Autism Schmautism,' where the quotes were taken from. He says that little bites from his book do not clearly represent his point of view.

Denis goes on to babble, '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.'

Please, he leaked those quotes himself. I would read his book, but I would rather stare at a hot pile of caca. It's the same thing.

Wait. Hold up. Am I one of the 'grown men' he's talking about? How dare he! He doesn't know my life! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go lay on the coach and recite my ABCs. It's a daily thing I do, so that I never forget.

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Wow

There is no way for him to save himself if its in his book.

As a special education teacher it is very obvious to me Denis does not have much if any interactions with this population.

I was inclined to agree, but having read the article in the link, I see what Leary is getting at. I know some of the grown men he's taking issue with. Unfortunately, hypochondriacal schizophrenics (among others) claiming Asperger's can lead to a false over representation and a muddling of already-nebulous symptoms in the professional literature. Calling yourself autistic so you can be an irrational crank does nothing to help the population of autistic people who need real understanding and intervention.

I'm a little bitter about it.

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Posted by DrWho

I was inclined to agree, but having read the article in the link, I see what Leary is getting at. I know some of the grown men he's taking issue with. Unfortunately, hypochondriacal schizophrenics (among others) claiming Asperger's can lead to a false over representation and a muddling of already-nebulous symptoms in the professional literature. Calling yourself autistic so you can be an irrational crank does nothing to help the population of autistic people who need real understanding and intervention.

I'm a little bitter about it.

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I did not realize that it only quoted the first part, I will correct it.

I still think he is an arse LOL

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Posted by Espo22

is he out of his mind, what a douche bag

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coundn't have said it better myself Denise

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Posted by DrWho

I was inclined to agree, but having read the article in the link, I see what Leary is getting at. I know some of the grown men he's taking issue with. Unfortunately, hypochondriacal schizophrenics (among others) claiming Asperger's can lead to a false over representation and a muddling of already-nebulous symptoms in the professional literature. Calling yourself autistic so you can be an irrational crank does nothing to help the population of autistic people who need real understanding and intervention.

I'm a little bitter about it.

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am i reading something wrong? im genuinely confused. what does any of this has to do with schizophrenics or hypochondriacs or hypochondriacal schizophrenics.

That would refer to the grown men I personally know who are clearly hypochondriacs, schizophrenics, possibly both, in complete denial of their actual condition, and claiming some variety of autism, usually Asperger's. Autism does not carry the personal stigma for them that schizophrenia does. And don't even try telling a hypochondriac that he is a hypochondriac. It's really counter-productive.

Personally, I feel that these guys believe their schizophrenic symptoms will be ignored, or even accepted, if they can convince people that they have a disorder that you can't medicate so easily.

It's an avoidance tactic, and unfortunately, it gives everyone around them a false idea of what autism really is. Having worked with both autistic adults and adults with different types of schizophrenia, let me tell you, there is a BIG difference between the two. Someone who hasn't seen autism (including those who gained their entire expertise from watching Rain Man ) would likely just take it as a given that yes, these people are autistic.

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Posted by Songstress

Wow

There is no way for him to save himself if its in his book.

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Yeah, he's pretty much f*cked.

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Posted by DrWho

That would refer to the grown men I personally know who are clearly hypochondriacs, schizophrenics, possibly both, in complete denial of their actual condition, and claiming some variety of autism, usually Asperger's. Autism does not carry the personal stigma for them that schizophrenia does. And don't even try telling a hypochondriac that he is a hypochondriac. It's really counter-productive.

Personally, I feel that these guys believe their schizophrenic symptoms will be ignored, or even accepted, if they can convince people that they have a disorder that you can't medicate so easily.

It's an avoidance tactic, and unfortunately, it gives everyone around them a false idea of what autism really is. Having worked with both autistic adults and adults with different types of schizophrenia, let me tell you, there is a BIG difference between the two. Someone who hasn't seen autism (including those who gained their entire expertise from watching Rain Man ) would likely just take it as a given that yes, these people are autistic.

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thats interesting. im in a doctoral program in clinical psych, and like you said, i dont know how anyone who is educated in these areas confuse diagnoses like autism, hypochondria, and schizophrenia. and basically all people who have schizophrenia should be medicated (altho the guy from 'a beautiful mind' is the one case where i understand he can get by without meds bc he can tell the difference from his hallucinations and reality) so that could be very dangerous if they were 'convinc[ing] people that they have a disorder that you can't medicate so easily.'

anywho, this whole message from leary is offensive.