Denis Leary

Denis Leary (born August 18, 1957 in Worcester, Massachusetts) is an actor/comedian/writer/director, whose father immigrated to Worcester from Ireland. He is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, where he also taught comedy writing classes for five years after graduating. Leary is a distant cousin through marriage of Conan O'Brien; contrary to popular belief, they are not actually related through a recent common ancestor.

Career

Leary first became famous through an MTV sketch in which he ranted about REM. He has also released two records of his stand-up comedy: No Cure For Cancer (1993) and Lock 'N Load (1997). No Cure For Cancer was written with contributions from the English comedians Frank Skinner and David Baddiel when Leary was forced to stay over in London for a short period due to his son's premature birth there and ensuing health problems.

Related Topics:
MTV - Sketch - REM - Records - Stand-up comedy - No Cure For Cancer - 1993 - Lock 'N Load - 1997 - English - Frank Skinner - David Baddiel

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In 1994, his sardonic commentary song on the American lower-middle-class male, "Asshole", achieved much notoriety. It was voted #1 in a major Australian youth radio poll, the Triple J Hottest 100, and the video became a late-night MTV staple. Due to its explicit and controversial content, however, it received limited airplay on mainstream American radio stations.

Related Topics:
1994 - Sardonic - Australia - Triple J Hottest 100 - MTV

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Although he says he is most at home on stage doing stand-up, Leary has appeared as an actor in over 40 movies, including Monument Avenue, Hostile Hostages, The Match Maker, The Virgin Suicides, The Ref, Wag the Dog, and Demolition Man, and has starred in two television series, The Job and Rescue Me. He also provided voices for characters in animated films such as the sabertoothed tiger 'Diego' in Ice Age and 'Francis' in A Bug's Life. Leary also produces numerous movies, television shows, and specials, including Comedy Central's Shorties Watching Shorties and the movie Blow, through his production company, Apostle.

Related Topics:
The Virgin Suicides - Wag the Dog - Demolition Man - The Job - Rescue Me - Ice Age - A Bug's Life - Comedy Central - Blow

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