Editing Denis Leary (section)

==Controversies==
{{Criticism section|date=May 2025}}

===Plagiarism===
For many years, Leary had been friends with fellow comedian [[Bill Hicks]]. But when Leary's comedy album ''No Cure for Cancer'' was released, Leary was accused of stealing Hicks' act and material, ending their friendship abruptly.<ref name="evolutionBook">{{cite book|title=Bill Hicks: Agent of Evolution|last1=Booth|first1=Kevin|last2=Bertin|first2=Michael|year=2005|publisher=Harper Collins|isbn=0-00-719829-9}}</ref> In April 1993, the ''Austin Comedy News'' remarked on the similarities of Leary's performance: "Watching Leary is like seeing Hicks from two years ago. He [[Tobacco smoking|smokes]] with the same mannerisms. (Hicks recently quit.) He sports the same attitude, the same clothes. He touches on almost all of the same themes. Leary even invokes [[Jim Fixx]]." When asked about this, Hicks told the magazine, "I have a scoop for you. I stole his [Leary's] act. I camouflaged it with punchlines, and to really throw people off, I did it before he did".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gavinsblog.com/probill.htm|title=Profile: Bill Hicks|first=Doug|last=Stern|date=April 1993|work=Austin Comedy News|access-date=October 22, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019105912/http://www.gavinsblog.com/probill.htm|archive-date=October 19, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref>

At least three stand-up comedians have gone on the record stating they believe Leary stole Hicks' material, comedic persona and attitude.<ref name="evolutionBook"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.joerogan.net/archives/92|title=Carlos Mencia is a weak minded joke thief|first=Joe|last=Rogan|publisher=JoeRogan.net|date=September 27, 2005|access-date=December 21, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607224107/http://blog.joerogan.net/archives/92|archive-date=June 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name="hicksfaq">{{cite web|url=http://www.billhicks.com/darktimes/other/darktimes20/faq/faq.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060320081614/http://www.billhicks.com/darktimes/other/darktimes20/faq/faq.html|title=Dark Times: Bill Hicks: Frequently Asked Questions|first=Tim|last=McIntire|year=1998|publisher=BillHicks.com|archive-date=March 20, 2006|access-date=October 28, 2006}}</ref> One similar routine was about the so-called [[Judas Priest]] "suicide trial," during which Hicks says, "I don't think we lost a cancer cure."<ref>{{cite AV media|people=Hicks, Bill|year=1989|title=Sane Man|medium=Stand-up comedy|location=USA|publisher=Roadrunner Records}}</ref>

During Leary's 2003 [[Comedy Central Roast]], comedian Lenny Clarke, a friend of Leary's, said there was a carton of cigarettes backstage from Bill Hicks with the message, "Wish I had gotten these to you sooner." This joke was cut from the final broadcast.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ziano III|first=Nick A.|title=Roasting a comic, they turn up the flames, gently|work=Boston Globe|url=https://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/222/living/Roasting_a_comic_they_turn_up_the_flames_gently+.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030811054820/http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/222/living/Roasting_a_comic_they_turn_up_the_flames_gently+.shtml|archive-date=August 11, 2003|date=August 10, 2003}}</ref>

The feud is also mentioned in [[Cynthia True]]'s biography ''American Scream: The Bill Hicks Story'':
{{Blockquote|text=Leary was in [[Montreal]] to host the "Nasty Show," at [[Club Soda (Montreal)|Club Soda]], and Colleen was coordinating the talent so she was standing backstage when she heard Leary doing material that sounded incredibly similar to old Hicks riffs, including his perennial Jim Fixx joke: ("[[Keith Richards]] outlived Jim Fixx, the runner and health nut dude. The plot thickens."). When Leary came offstage, Colleen, more stunned than angry, said, "Hey, you know that's Bill Hicks' material! Do you know that's his material?" Leary stood there, stared at her without saying a word and briskly left the dressing room.<ref name="oouuos">{{cite book|title=American Scream: The Bill Hicks Story|first=Cynthia|last=True|year=2002|publisher=Harper Paperbacks|isbn=0-380-80377-1|url=https://archive.org/details/americanscreambi00true|page=196}}</ref>|sign=|source=}}

According to the book, True said that upon hearing a tape of Leary's album ''No Cure for Cancer'', "Bill was furious. All these years, aside from the occasional jibe, he had pretty much shrugged off Leary's lifting. Comedians borrowed, stole stuff and even bought bits from one another. [[Milton Berle]] and [[Robin Williams]] were famous for it. This was different. Leary had, practically line for line, taken huge chunks of Bill's act and ''recorded'' it."<ref name="oouuos"/>

In a 2008 appearance on ''The Opie and Anthony Show'', comedian [[Louis C.K.]] claimed Leary stole his "I'm an asshole" routine, which was then expanded upon and turned into a hit song by Leary.<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwhxqnCyoGo| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/zwhxqnCyoGo| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title=Denis Leary ripped off "I'm An Asshole" from Louis CK|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On a later episode of the same show, Leary challenged this assertion by claiming to have co-written the song with [[Chris Phillips (voice actor)|Chris Phillips]].<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g81LCwrU-7k| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/g81LCwrU-7k| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title=Denis Leary responds to Louis CK claiming he stole "I'm An Asshole" from him|work=Opie & Anthony Show|date=November 18, 2008|access-date=December 1, 2012|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Autism===
In his 2008 book ''[[Why We Suck]]: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid'', Leary wrote:{{blockquote|There is a huge boom in [[Autism spectrum disorder|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 [[Psychiatrist|shrinks]]... to get back diagnoses that help explain away the deficiencies of their junior morons. I don't [care] what these crackerjack whack jobs tell you – your kid is not autistic. He's just stupid. Or lazy. Or both.}}

Leary later stated that the quote was taken out of context and that in that paragraph he had been talking about what he calls the trend of "unwarranted" over-diagnosis of autism, which he attributed to American parents seeking an excuse for behavioral problems and under-performance. Later, he apologized to parents with children diagnosed with autism whom he had offended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/news/denis-leary-says-autism-Criticism-taken-out-of-context|title=Denis Leary Says Autism Criticism Taken 'Out of Context'|date=October 16, 2008|work=Us Weekly|access-date=May 22, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018134220/http://www.usmagazine.com/news/denis-leary-says-autism-Criticism-taken-out-of-context|archive-date=October 18, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2008/10/28/denis-leary-tells-parents-im-sorry/|title=Denis Leary Tells Parents: I'm Sorry|first=Laurel J.|last=Sweet|date=October 28, 2008|work=Boston Herald|access-date=February 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203105558/http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2008_10_28_Denis_Leary_Tells_Parents%3A_I_m_Sorry%3A_%E2%80%98Raising_Children_With_Autism__Deserves_Admiration__Comic_Says/srvc%3Dhome%26position%3D0|archive-date=February 3, 2011}}</ref>