What do you think?
Rate this book
Why We Suck A Feel Good Guide to Staying FatLoudLazy &Stupid - 2008 publication
The New York Times bestseller One of America’s most original and biting comic satirists, Denis Leary takes on all the poseurs, politicians, and pop culture icons who have sucked in public for far too long. Sparing no one, Leary zeroes in on the ridiculous wherever he finds it—his Irish Catholic upbringing, the folly of celebrity, the pressures of family life, and the great hypocrisy of politics—with the same bright, savage, and profane insight he brought to his critically acclaimed one-man shows No Cure for CancerLock ’n Load. Proudly Irish-American, defiantly working class, with a reserve of compassion for the underdog and the overlooked, Leary delivers blistering diatribes that are both penetrating social commentary with no holds barred and laugh-out-loud funny. As always, Leary’s impassioned comic perspective in Why We Suck is right on target. Leary is the star and co-creator of the Emmy-nominated television show Rescue Me.
Unknown Binding
First published November 4, 2008
198 people are currently reading
9116 people want to read
About the author
Denis Leary
18 books192 followersDenis Leary is a five-time loser at the Emmy awards. And the Golden Globes. He has lost in both the drama and comedy categories. In leading and supporting roles. Not to mention writing. Leary hopes to one day be nominated for—and more than likely not win—an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Tony Award. His first literary foray Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid was a New York Times bestseller, but not nominated for The National Book Award. In his long and storied entertainment career, Leary has also never won The Stanley Cup, The Nobel Peace Prize, or an argument with his wife.
Photo ©Henry Leutwyler
Photo ©Henry Leutwyler
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 956 reviews
March 24, 2011
Many of my friends were curious about this book and asked me if Leary comes across like an a-hole in it. I assume they’re asking because he generally has a dark, angry style of comedy and his stand up routines contain a lot of yelling and ranting. My answer is no. Providing that is, you keep an open mind, are able to laugh at yourself and check your politically correctness at the door. Leary just states it like it is and tells a little truth about the sucky side in all of us.
I laughed while reading this. I mean really laughed, out loud and then started quoting parts to everyone, including my 67 year old mother who’s now reading it (and laughing). So if you’re a fan of Denis Leary then I can’t recommend this part memoir, part self help tirade enough. Surprisingly there were even sections that helped me, specifically when it comes to understanding how men’s brains work and why they do (or don’t do) what they do. And if you ever need a recipe that calls for 6,000 potatoes he’s got you covered.
Denis starts things out by giving an overview of what he’s going to talking about in the book. These first few chapters were mostly ranting and I wasn’t all that impressed but then he seemed to calm down and possibly even sat down at his computer, gave his mum a call and started to tell a real story. It then becomes a really interesting memoir with hilarious stories about his Irish Catholic upbringing. We learn about his fear of Kung Fu and fascination with the Vulcan nerve pinch. How his older brother beat the crap out of him and why he was lucky to make it out of childhood at all. He even gives us some amusing recipes from his Ma’s special Irish collection.
The middle part of the book moves away from the bio angle and becomes more of an observations about life; raising drug free kids (or not?), sports, his love of dogs and why cats are satanic spawn, guy friends and nicknames, politicians, pop icons, double standards, racism and why he loves Oprah so damn much.
Some parts that stood out for me were his hilarious tirade about Starbucks, how to interpret guy speak and what men are really thinking when you ask the question “What are you thinking?” (You don’t want to know) This section comes complete with an image of the male and female brain, broken down into compartments for importance of thought. Theres also 8 pages of photographs which include shots from his childhood, his wife and kids, Domina Patrick the race car driver(?) And a comparism between him and Willem Dafoe. Hmmm
Like I said this made me laugh and yes at times it does come across like a comedy routine but it’s also a whole lot more. Besides anyone who’s been with the same woman for 25 years, obviously still adores her, has raised normal children and phones their mum regularly can’t really be an a-hole.
I laughed while reading this. I mean really laughed, out loud and then started quoting parts to everyone, including my 67 year old mother who’s now reading it (and laughing). So if you’re a fan of Denis Leary then I can’t recommend this part memoir, part self help tirade enough. Surprisingly there were even sections that helped me, specifically when it comes to understanding how men’s brains work and why they do (or don’t do) what they do. And if you ever need a recipe that calls for 6,000 potatoes he’s got you covered.
Denis starts things out by giving an overview of what he’s going to talking about in the book. These first few chapters were mostly ranting and I wasn’t all that impressed but then he seemed to calm down and possibly even sat down at his computer, gave his mum a call and started to tell a real story. It then becomes a really interesting memoir with hilarious stories about his Irish Catholic upbringing. We learn about his fear of Kung Fu and fascination with the Vulcan nerve pinch. How his older brother beat the crap out of him and why he was lucky to make it out of childhood at all. He even gives us some amusing recipes from his Ma’s special Irish collection.
The middle part of the book moves away from the bio angle and becomes more of an observations about life; raising drug free kids (or not?), sports, his love of dogs and why cats are satanic spawn, guy friends and nicknames, politicians, pop icons, double standards, racism and why he loves Oprah so damn much.
Some parts that stood out for me were his hilarious tirade about Starbucks, how to interpret guy speak and what men are really thinking when you ask the question “What are you thinking?” (You don’t want to know) This section comes complete with an image of the male and female brain, broken down into compartments for importance of thought. Theres also 8 pages of photographs which include shots from his childhood, his wife and kids, Domina Patrick the race car driver(?) And a comparism between him and Willem Dafoe. Hmmm
Like I said this made me laugh and yes at times it does come across like a comedy routine but it’s also a whole lot more. Besides anyone who’s been with the same woman for 25 years, obviously still adores her, has raised normal children and phones their mum regularly can’t really be an a-hole.
March 2, 2009
I'm sure this is book is offensive to many, but I found it honest and laugh-out-loud hilarious!
December 15, 2008
You know, I usually find Leary's comedy to be pretty humorous and thought that would translate well into his writing. Not so much. I read about 50-60 pages and barely chuckled once. The material was dated and stale, stuff you've undoubtedly heard a million times before (All families are dysfunctional? Really? Get out!). I'm loathe to put down a book I haven't finished, seriously, (see my review of The Meaning of Night if you don't believe me), but this just wasn't worth it. The jacket's pull-out quotes probably contained the funniest lines of the book. Oh, and sorry Denis, but you're perspective is hardly as controversial as you'd like us to believe. And all the caveats just made them feel even less so. Or maybe I just suck.
April 18, 2009
Offensive, rude, acid tongued. That’s when he’s in a good mood. And that’s exactly why I love reading this book. I love Dennis’ relentlessly un-pc view of life. His parodies. His exaggerated views. His acerbic, rapier wit. This book showcases his slaying of victimhood and the self-absorbed posers who invade his world by living in it. By un-pc, I mean he tells it exactly the way things are. The truth hurts, and most people can’t handle it. He paints the script with just enough exaggeration and making that he makes you scream out loud laughing one second, and yet makes you think the next. A dual edged sword of comedy.
Written with a nice sense of pacing, the punchlines are scathingly funny. I enraged an entire plane of passengers with my howling, to the point that the beefy beehive Stewardess waggled her index finger at me throwing daggers. Escaping this near death experience, I continued on in muffled silence. For edgy social commentary jokes, this is about as fast-paced and ruthless as it gets. Comedy is best delivered when it’s based on truth. This is raw in your face truth, and one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time. Classic. Just classic Dennis.
Hicks, Carlin, Miller and Leary all have carved out a slice in this raw genre of intellectual humor. I can count on one hand the writer’s whose books make me laugh. The core of this content is taboo topics, and insults of the US celebrity-obsessed culture, and the endless assortment of sappy whiners with a complete lack of responsibility. But Dennis also dishes out some funny childhood experiences that had me rolling, since I could so easily relate to them. If you like this style of comedy, this book is a must own. Another new ripping satire I’d highly recommend
High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac
Written with a nice sense of pacing, the punchlines are scathingly funny. I enraged an entire plane of passengers with my howling, to the point that the beefy beehive Stewardess waggled her index finger at me throwing daggers. Escaping this near death experience, I continued on in muffled silence. For edgy social commentary jokes, this is about as fast-paced and ruthless as it gets. Comedy is best delivered when it’s based on truth. This is raw in your face truth, and one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time. Classic. Just classic Dennis.
Hicks, Carlin, Miller and Leary all have carved out a slice in this raw genre of intellectual humor. I can count on one hand the writer’s whose books make me laugh. The core of this content is taboo topics, and insults of the US celebrity-obsessed culture, and the endless assortment of sappy whiners with a complete lack of responsibility. But Dennis also dishes out some funny childhood experiences that had me rolling, since I could so easily relate to them. If you like this style of comedy, this book is a must own. Another new ripping satire I’d highly recommend
High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac
December 31, 2008
I still have 80 pages left, but I can already tell this isn't gonna get any better. I'm not that familiar with Leary, but I'm pretty sure he's more talented than this book. It's a rant-fest, which is fine, except the topics he chooses are all TIRED TIRED TIRED. I'm talking Anna Nicole, Lewinskygate, "A Million Little Pieces," Child Stars Gone Bad, the guy who sued McDonald's when he spilled coffee on himself, etc. PETA wouldn't even have to hire a lawyer to get Leary convicted for the relentless beating he gives to these dead horses. The only saving grace is the few autobiographical anecdotes he throws in from his childhood. A memoir about growing up Irish Catholic in Boston would have been sooo much better than this tripe.
January 14, 2009
“Why We Suck” is an apt title for a book that really truly sucks. I was a fan of Denis Leary's comedy when he first became popular in the early to mid-nineties, so I expected this to be a fun read filled with his trademark humour, sarcasm, and offensive observations. Not only is it not funny, but it doesn't even deliver the promised offensiveness or anything remotely witty. Unfortunately this book is undeniable proof that he has completely and totally jumped the shark.
In the early chapters of “Why We Suck”, Leary promises to send up everything wrong with America and leave no sacred cow untouched. He sets out to offend everyone with his common sense but “politically incorrect”. One wouldn't think that this would be a difficult thing to do. Instead, he takes easy potshots at celebrities, complains about how things were better back in his day, tosses around the occasional swear word, and honest to god, he actually devotes several chapters to how men and women are different. Several paragraphs even start with the no-effort line: “Here's another difference between men and women...”. Seriously. This book was published in 2008, but reading this made me feel like it was 1993. Then when he devotes a chapter to Oprah, at first you might think that he's just planning to tear down another celebrity. Instead he spends a dozen pages talking about how awesome she is. Who is this book supposed to offend? Even when he does say things that are offensive (like his bit on how autism isn't real, the kids are just stupid and lazy), it doesn't seem original or funny. It just comes across as Leary trying to be rude and rehashing dumb beliefs that others hold.
It's a shame that Leary hasn't changed with the times since the days of his classic “No Cure for Cancer” and “Asshole” routines. “Why We Suck” comes off as so tame by today's standards, it's hard to imagine that his bit was ever considered edgy. To make matters worse, the jokes in this book aren't even that funny. There were two or three times that I chuckled a bit, but as comedy writing goes this was a spectacular failure. I suppose the difference between 1993 and now is that Leary's misanthropic act now just comes off as curmudgeonly. Fortunately he's a decent actor, so hopefully he will leave comedy and comedy writing to people who know what they're doing.
In the early chapters of “Why We Suck”, Leary promises to send up everything wrong with America and leave no sacred cow untouched. He sets out to offend everyone with his common sense but “politically incorrect”. One wouldn't think that this would be a difficult thing to do. Instead, he takes easy potshots at celebrities, complains about how things were better back in his day, tosses around the occasional swear word, and honest to god, he actually devotes several chapters to how men and women are different. Several paragraphs even start with the no-effort line: “Here's another difference between men and women...”. Seriously. This book was published in 2008, but reading this made me feel like it was 1993. Then when he devotes a chapter to Oprah, at first you might think that he's just planning to tear down another celebrity. Instead he spends a dozen pages talking about how awesome she is. Who is this book supposed to offend? Even when he does say things that are offensive (like his bit on how autism isn't real, the kids are just stupid and lazy), it doesn't seem original or funny. It just comes across as Leary trying to be rude and rehashing dumb beliefs that others hold.
It's a shame that Leary hasn't changed with the times since the days of his classic “No Cure for Cancer” and “Asshole” routines. “Why We Suck” comes off as so tame by today's standards, it's hard to imagine that his bit was ever considered edgy. To make matters worse, the jokes in this book aren't even that funny. There were two or three times that I chuckled a bit, but as comedy writing goes this was a spectacular failure. I suppose the difference between 1993 and now is that Leary's misanthropic act now just comes off as curmudgeonly. Fortunately he's a decent actor, so hopefully he will leave comedy and comedy writing to people who know what they're doing.
July 20, 2010
After telling a friend that I'd just finished reading two books with heavy, emotional subjects, she suggested I read this. The book claims to be offensive to everyone at some point. That alone made me laugh. Life is serious but we've all gotten way too easily offended and need to see ourselves in a totally different way.....even those parts of us that aren't so great and especially those parts that we think are the absolute best. Why? Because they aren't.
Leary manages to simply write things that are true observations of people in general and while he will write a line or two of "disclaimer" before launching into a diatribe, he doesn't waste time in the book going on and on about something isn't meant to offend and apologize, etc. I like the directness and bluntness that he uses.
Were there parts that offended me? Sure, a little. Then I realized that I really shouldn't be offended because frankly, most of it has a LOT of truth to it.
I laughed, out loud, through a large part of the book. When I wasn't laughing, I was grinning. Most of the time I was nodding in agreement.
Want to laugh at yourself? Want to chuckle at just how ridiculous some things have become? Get this book. It's a great, funny and light read.
Leary manages to simply write things that are true observations of people in general and while he will write a line or two of "disclaimer" before launching into a diatribe, he doesn't waste time in the book going on and on about something isn't meant to offend and apologize, etc. I like the directness and bluntness that he uses.
Were there parts that offended me? Sure, a little. Then I realized that I really shouldn't be offended because frankly, most of it has a LOT of truth to it.
I laughed, out loud, through a large part of the book. When I wasn't laughing, I was grinning. Most of the time I was nodding in agreement.
Want to laugh at yourself? Want to chuckle at just how ridiculous some things have become? Get this book. It's a great, funny and light read.
December 18, 2008
Denis Leary’s expletive-ridden rants have always made me laugh.
I just wanted to get that out there before I discuss how awful the book is. It’s bad. Really bad. Stand-up comedy does not translate well into writing (I think that is the reason for my dissatisfaction with Colbert’s book, too). The difference between oral comedy and comedy in the written form is that an author needs to be able to write. Leary’s title alone mocks the “stupid”; ironically he doesn’t craft a grammatically correct paragraph or even sentence throughout the entirety of the book. His love affair with run-on sentences and misused em-dashes (a term I’m sure he doesn’t know) is mind boggling.
There is little to no coherence either—he spends more time discussing gender differences than lampooning the typical slovenly American. He repeats and contradicts himself. He goes off on completely irrelevant tangents, often writing “which brings me to my point.” What?! No! No, that didn’t bring you to your point at all Mr. Leary!
Appalling writing aside, the book just isn’t funny. It’s good for a chuckle here or there, but most of the jokes are bad. Really bad. Consider reading the chapter about bullies, which is the most entertaining because he tells humorous anecdotes. Those work well in written comedy—ask David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs. Scribbling down jokes/rants that might (I stress might) be funny if told aloud is like the Polack’s new invention: a submarine with screen doors. Get it, neither work very well! If you enjoyed that, you might enjoy the book after all…
I just wanted to get that out there before I discuss how awful the book is. It’s bad. Really bad. Stand-up comedy does not translate well into writing (I think that is the reason for my dissatisfaction with Colbert’s book, too). The difference between oral comedy and comedy in the written form is that an author needs to be able to write. Leary’s title alone mocks the “stupid”; ironically he doesn’t craft a grammatically correct paragraph or even sentence throughout the entirety of the book. His love affair with run-on sentences and misused em-dashes (a term I’m sure he doesn’t know) is mind boggling.
There is little to no coherence either—he spends more time discussing gender differences than lampooning the typical slovenly American. He repeats and contradicts himself. He goes off on completely irrelevant tangents, often writing “which brings me to my point.” What?! No! No, that didn’t bring you to your point at all Mr. Leary!
Appalling writing aside, the book just isn’t funny. It’s good for a chuckle here or there, but most of the jokes are bad. Really bad. Consider reading the chapter about bullies, which is the most entertaining because he tells humorous anecdotes. Those work well in written comedy—ask David Sedaris or Augusten Burroughs. Scribbling down jokes/rants that might (I stress might) be funny if told aloud is like the Polack’s new invention: a submarine with screen doors. Get it, neither work very well! If you enjoyed that, you might enjoy the book after all…
March 2, 2009
I mean with chapters devoted to Anna Nicole Smith, the Church and Republicans I was really waiting for a timely paragraph or two about the quality of food on airplanes. Or what part of the chicken the McNugget came from. Leary used to be really funny, now he just seems to be cashing cheques and trying to prove he belongs with the cool kids. Despite it's title, this book had no unifying theory and only took shots at the most obvious of targets while never taking on the controversial (the autism kerfuffle was over a single, throw-away line). Maybe it would have been better if Bill Hicks were still alive.
April 26, 2009
You start out thinking he's pretty funny and nodding in agreement at the points he makes, but after a few minutes, his point is beaten into your head and he just keeps pounding away until he ends up giving you a headache. He's like the guy who carries the joke too far.
December 31, 2008
Let me start off by saying that I find Denis Leary amusing (usually) in his comedy. Sometimes, though, it seems he is trying to hard, and that definitely translates in this book. He may not be fat, lazy or stupid, but he is definitely LOUD. Some of his points were funny, while others were redundant & stereotypical. I would have given it maybe a 3 or 3.5, but his chapter on Autism is absolutely appalling! I am not someone who is easily offended at all, and I will even find topics totally opposite of my own opinion funny if they have valid points, but Leary made absolutely no sense and basically claimed that autism doesn't really exsist other than children who are like Rain Man, AKA savants. This is actually a completely flawed assertion, since very few autistic patients are actually savants/genius. Not only does he call them "lazy and stupid," he goes completely off-topic and talks about other shit that has nothing to do with autism in the chapter, eventually talking about himself and his acheivements/greatness, which is very annoying. This was a disappointment to me, but if you are not offended by people who hate the overweight/obese, think autism is a diagnosis given to "stupid, lazy" otherwise "normal" children, and don't mind reading rants on topics covered various times in the past, you'll like this book.
July 3, 2010
Why does this book suck ? If I could give it negative stars, I would. You will learn ABSOLUTELY NOTHING from this book, and have a bad time doing it. It isn't because he is "daring" and "outspoken". No, it's just because he isn't funny. In one of his prefaces, he challenges the reader to put the book down, effectively saying that we can't handle it. That's good advice, but not for the reason given.
I expected (hoped) for a cross between Dennis Miller and George Carlin. I got nothing that I couldn't get in any bar after about 1 am. Mindless drivel.
I didn't finish this, so perhaps it gets better... but I didn't have the interest to continue.
I expected (hoped) for a cross between Dennis Miller and George Carlin. I got nothing that I couldn't get in any bar after about 1 am. Mindless drivel.
I didn't finish this, so perhaps it gets better... but I didn't have the interest to continue.
March 17, 2009
Dear god, this is the worst book I've read in a long, long while. I got it for Christmas, and even though it looked stupid I thought it might be funny. I did once like Denis Leary, way back in the MTV days, and in the movie the Ref. Anyway, the central thesis of the book seems to be that women should not work, and only stay home with kids and do womanly things. So yeah, right up my alley.
June 29, 2015
Did i love this book!!! YES!!! Denis Leary is EXACTLY my type of person. I was laughing out loud for most of this book. I would love to be as outspoken as he is, i am probably not far from it. Defnitely not everyone's cup of tea, but if you love honesty, you will love it. Just an easy read with loads of laughs. Long live Denis Leary!!
February 22, 2009
Dennis Leary is best known for his roles in the films Wag the Dog, The Thomas Crown Affair, and The Ref, among others. He now presents, Why We Suck: A feel good guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid, a book most appropriately classified as a 240-page rant.
Although the subheading promises a "feel good guide," Leary's material in no way nurtures the fat, loud, lazy, stupid Americans he assumes to comprise his audience. Chapter by chapter Leary essentially scolds his readers for who we are, what we care about, and the causes and issues for which we may or may not assign our purpose in life. Leary spares few, managing to cover parents, celebrities, children with learning and developmental disabilities, parents who do and do not punish those same children with physical abuse, and the list grows worse. Some people find this funny.
I am quite confident that I can appreciate a decent rant and comedic spin on the news when I hear one. What is missing from Leary's take, aside from credibility beyond his membership in the human race, is any draw for his readers to retain an interest in what quickly becomes a predictable series of Debbie-downer-infested snippets of Leary on pop-culture – slash – why-he-is-better-than-every-one-else-save-his-wife-and-maybe-Oprah. Indeed, his awe for Oprah and her success is probably the one element of the rant that contradicts the otherwise ho-hum-the-world-is-f-ed-up-and-it's-all-our (American)-fault theme that incidentally pervades the remaining chapters.
Occasionally the rant reveals some gems, to Leary's credit, for example, his declaration that "we'd get a lot more done in this country if we finally could put to bed the idea that men need to be more like women and vice verse," but such moments of intrigue ultimately prove to be few and far between. Witty? Sure, at times; but for the most part Leary's greatest success lies in his ability to emote such a rant despite simultaneously presenting himself as the very type of person who he would otherwise most despise.
Although the subheading promises a "feel good guide," Leary's material in no way nurtures the fat, loud, lazy, stupid Americans he assumes to comprise his audience. Chapter by chapter Leary essentially scolds his readers for who we are, what we care about, and the causes and issues for which we may or may not assign our purpose in life. Leary spares few, managing to cover parents, celebrities, children with learning and developmental disabilities, parents who do and do not punish those same children with physical abuse, and the list grows worse. Some people find this funny.
I am quite confident that I can appreciate a decent rant and comedic spin on the news when I hear one. What is missing from Leary's take, aside from credibility beyond his membership in the human race, is any draw for his readers to retain an interest in what quickly becomes a predictable series of Debbie-downer-infested snippets of Leary on pop-culture – slash – why-he-is-better-than-every-one-else-save-his-wife-and-maybe-Oprah. Indeed, his awe for Oprah and her success is probably the one element of the rant that contradicts the otherwise ho-hum-the-world-is-f-ed-up-and-it's-all-our (American)-fault theme that incidentally pervades the remaining chapters.
Occasionally the rant reveals some gems, to Leary's credit, for example, his declaration that "we'd get a lot more done in this country if we finally could put to bed the idea that men need to be more like women and vice verse," but such moments of intrigue ultimately prove to be few and far between. Witty? Sure, at times; but for the most part Leary's greatest success lies in his ability to emote such a rant despite simultaneously presenting himself as the very type of person who he would otherwise most despise.
April 22, 2011
I have been a big fan of Denis Leary for a long time now. His two comedy albums are priceless. I think my favorite bit is about "coffee-flavored coffee", which he reviews again in this book. His stand-up act is high-energy, loud and hysterically funny.
Leary's comedy has always been a commentary on the absurdity of what goes on all around us. There is an honesty to what Leary has to say because he is not afraid to lampoon himself and his family to help throw light on just what he is trying to say. He may not be fat, but he gives plenty of examples when he and his friends have been loud, lazy and stupid.
This book, while very funny, forces you to look yourself in the mirror to see if you actually engage in any of the many sins Leary speaks of. Worshiping your children. Overprotecting your children. Overeating. Engaging in ignorant prejudice. And the list goes on.
Leary actually writes some rather revealing and biting social commentary while managing to hold on to his ever-present boisterous sense of humor. I laughed aloud frequently while reading this and forced my wife to listen to many long, funny passages.
If you need a laugh, a pick-me-up, or need advice on how to stay fat, loud, lazy and stupid, then this is the book for you.
Leary's comedy has always been a commentary on the absurdity of what goes on all around us. There is an honesty to what Leary has to say because he is not afraid to lampoon himself and his family to help throw light on just what he is trying to say. He may not be fat, but he gives plenty of examples when he and his friends have been loud, lazy and stupid.
This book, while very funny, forces you to look yourself in the mirror to see if you actually engage in any of the many sins Leary speaks of. Worshiping your children. Overprotecting your children. Overeating. Engaging in ignorant prejudice. And the list goes on.
Leary actually writes some rather revealing and biting social commentary while managing to hold on to his ever-present boisterous sense of humor. I laughed aloud frequently while reading this and forced my wife to listen to many long, funny passages.
If you need a laugh, a pick-me-up, or need advice on how to stay fat, loud, lazy and stupid, then this is the book for you.
October 25, 2010
If you like No Cure for Cancer, if you like Denis Leary, if you like politically incorrect but often accurate assessments, if you just plain want a good time, you'll love this book. If you think that races and genders and the obese and the children of the world need to be handled with kid gloves, you won't. And that's just too damned bad for you.
I care about the world and (occasionally) the people in it. I'm doing my bit to make it a better place. But sometimes I get sick & tired about hearing how white men in particular are the enemy, and it's good to be reminded that there's another liberal asshole out there who's pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, anti-DADT, etc, who's still tired of all the bitching and moaning. Sick of parents medicating their kids within an inch of their lives, sick of people who complain they didn't get a fair break, sick of the whiners in general. It's funny and rude and if you're not offended in at least one place by the end of the book then you probably have a lack of self-introspection. It can make you think and laugh and yell. Highly recommended for everybody.
I care about the world and (occasionally) the people in it. I'm doing my bit to make it a better place. But sometimes I get sick & tired about hearing how white men in particular are the enemy, and it's good to be reminded that there's another liberal asshole out there who's pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, anti-DADT, etc, who's still tired of all the bitching and moaning. Sick of parents medicating their kids within an inch of their lives, sick of people who complain they didn't get a fair break, sick of the whiners in general. It's funny and rude and if you're not offended in at least one place by the end of the book then you probably have a lack of self-introspection. It can make you think and laugh and yell. Highly recommended for everybody.
November 24, 2009
Dennis Leary - Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy, and Stupid
So let me preface this with I love Dennis Leary. I love Rescue Me. I love when he was on MTV talking about hooking up with Cindy Crawford in the bathtub in 1990. But what I don't love - is this book.
He says many things that I do not agree with. The biggest one is:
If you can afford to live a good life and have only 1 parent work, and both work, then you are ridiculously selfish and self centered and a terrible parent. This to me is total BS. People should be able to go back to work, and have a career and kids. Who is he to judge?!
Basically he goes around assaulting and insulting almost everyone. I found his book annoying and judgmental and was beyond disappointed.He even goes as far to suggest that stereotypes happen for a reason. I think it is an attempt at humor, but I didn't find it funny.
Do not get this book - it will make you lose respect and not like someone who on tv is hilarious.
So let me preface this with I love Dennis Leary. I love Rescue Me. I love when he was on MTV talking about hooking up with Cindy Crawford in the bathtub in 1990. But what I don't love - is this book.
He says many things that I do not agree with. The biggest one is:
If you can afford to live a good life and have only 1 parent work, and both work, then you are ridiculously selfish and self centered and a terrible parent. This to me is total BS. People should be able to go back to work, and have a career and kids. Who is he to judge?!
Basically he goes around assaulting and insulting almost everyone. I found his book annoying and judgmental and was beyond disappointed.He even goes as far to suggest that stereotypes happen for a reason. I think it is an attempt at humor, but I didn't find it funny.
Do not get this book - it will make you lose respect and not like someone who on tv is hilarious.
March 20, 2013
Hey, guess what? Denis Leary is angry! Who knew? I usually find his cynicism and his acerbic wit hit-or-miss, anyway, and, I'll admit, much of what he writes here sounds like much of what I think to myself often (or say out loud if I'm drunk). But people don't usually find it funny when I do nothing but bitch, complain, and ridicule people, so it's hard to find it funny when he does it even though he's famous. Still, it has its moments when taken in small doses; Leary proves to be funny for only about a half-hour at a time (probably why I couldn't watch too many episodes of The Job in quick succession).
Look for George Carlin's books or any Steve Martin book if you want a bigger laugh. Read this if you're angry about America and want to find someone who is angrier.
The middle part where he delves into a Frank McCourt-ish memoir about his childhood and adolescence is the best part of this book by far. I might consider bumping my review up to 3 1/2 stars for that.
Look for George Carlin's books or any Steve Martin book if you want a bigger laugh. Read this if you're angry about America and want to find someone who is angrier.
The middle part where he delves into a Frank McCourt-ish memoir about his childhood and adolescence is the best part of this book by far. I might consider bumping my review up to 3 1/2 stars for that.
June 19, 2013
LOL-ness: 5/5 stars
Storyline: 5/5 stars
Pacing: 5/5 stars
Fun Factor: 5/5 stars (Got me giggling like a loon on the LRT)
Repeat Reading Factor: 3/5 stars (you don't really laugh as much with 2nd or 3rd reading of many humour books anyway)
I have always enjoyed watching Mr Leary; whether as a cynical and corrupt political worker, as a cynical and corrupt public servant, cynical and loud-mouthed fire fighter or whatever. He's got a face that is almost handsome, but is made more interesting by its expression and character. I only knew that he had a big start in comedy late on, but in this book, his comic timing and filthy humour comes in full force as he dissected what is wrong with America. And yes, he really is a doctor. He got a certificate and all. It's in the book.
The book is a bit dated in that it was mostly rants about stuff during Bush Jr's administration, but I'm not complaining when I got the book at 90% off.
Storyline: 5/5 stars
Pacing: 5/5 stars
Fun Factor: 5/5 stars (Got me giggling like a loon on the LRT)
Repeat Reading Factor: 3/5 stars (you don't really laugh as much with 2nd or 3rd reading of many humour books anyway)
I have always enjoyed watching Mr Leary; whether as a cynical and corrupt political worker, as a cynical and corrupt public servant, cynical and loud-mouthed fire fighter or whatever. He's got a face that is almost handsome, but is made more interesting by its expression and character. I only knew that he had a big start in comedy late on, but in this book, his comic timing and filthy humour comes in full force as he dissected what is wrong with America. And yes, he really is a doctor. He got a certificate and all. It's in the book.
The book is a bit dated in that it was mostly rants about stuff during Bush Jr's administration, but I'm not complaining when I got the book at 90% off.
April 12, 2009
The only thing I dislike about this book is its title. It's entertaining, intelligent, a quick read, and hilariously funny - even in chapters where I disagree with his opinions. It's even - can't believe I'm saying this about a book with this title - touching, especially the ending. Leary obviously adores his wife, family, and especially his mother - although all must have wanted to strangle him when they read what he wrote. Didn't know a thing about this guy before reading this book, but am certainly a fan now.
March 30, 2009
Typical rant-like tome akin to his stand-up, 'Why We Suck' brings to mind George Carlin without the intelligence or humor and an Irish-Catholic slant. The book is less about why americans suck than what about our culture bothers Denis Leary. This book also has a lot of autobiographical stuff in case you care about why Denis is the way he is. Read it if you are in prison and have a lot of time to kill, or are a masochist
April 16, 2009
loved his rants! the parts on parents, nicknames, Oprah and other celebs, colors were my favorites and I laughed aloud. Quick, easy read especially when you start reading it like he's doing his standup.
August 2, 2023
I dunno, maybe 3.5⭐️. Denis Leary’s fast-talking comedy can be pretty funny, but a lot of the material doesn’t age well. He probably doesn’t care, though, because he definitely doesn’t aim to be politically correct.
June 7, 2017
Why We Suck is inflammatory but funny as hell. I don't agree with all of Denis Leary's opinions, but I laughed out loud at almost every joke he told. I only rated it 3 stars because there are probably more readers out there who would be offended and pissed off by it than there are who would be highly entertained.
February 28, 2009
The other reviews hit all the high points here--it's more of the same from Leary; it's better spoken than read; it's a lot of rant rant rant without a lot of actual commentary. Still, it was an entertaining enough listen. I don't agree with a lot of what he said, but I can see where he's coming from on most of it.
I was curious about this after I saw him interviewed on The Daily Show, and Jon Stewart asked about the "autism isn't real" debacle. Leary clarified that he wasn't saying "autism is completely made up," but that his point was more about the pathological need in today's society to label any kid who isn't a calm (but not too calm), smart (but not too smart) kid. Having listened to that section of his book, I don't understand why he needed to clarify that--it seemed pretty obvious to me that he was saying was that labels get tossed around like candy, and while, yes, autism and autism-spectrum disorders are real, there are the parents who seem to revel in their kids' diagnoses, to the extent that the parents will drag kids around from doctor to doctor until they find one who is willing to label their child "special needs." I'm not explaining it very well (in part because there's a whole long discussion of social issues here that I don't feel like getting into), but what it boils down to is that neither he nor I believe that autism doesn't exist, and he never once suggested that it doesn't--only that there's always someone willing to diagnose kids for things that, really, aren't problems the way some parents want them to be. (Please note that I am NOT lumping all parents-of-autism-spectrum-kids in this statement.)
I'm guessing now's a good time for me to stop digging, before I REALLY get myself in trouble while trying not to offend parents of legitimately autism-spectrum kids. Or anyone else. And I've probably failed because I can't frame (or phrase) my thoughts on this issue coherently.
I was curious about this after I saw him interviewed on The Daily Show, and Jon Stewart asked about the "autism isn't real" debacle. Leary clarified that he wasn't saying "autism is completely made up," but that his point was more about the pathological need in today's society to label any kid who isn't a calm (but not too calm), smart (but not too smart) kid. Having listened to that section of his book, I don't understand why he needed to clarify that--it seemed pretty obvious to me that he was saying was that labels get tossed around like candy, and while, yes, autism and autism-spectrum disorders are real, there are the parents who seem to revel in their kids' diagnoses, to the extent that the parents will drag kids around from doctor to doctor until they find one who is willing to label their child "special needs." I'm not explaining it very well (in part because there's a whole long discussion of social issues here that I don't feel like getting into), but what it boils down to is that neither he nor I believe that autism doesn't exist, and he never once suggested that it doesn't--only that there's always someone willing to diagnose kids for things that, really, aren't problems the way some parents want them to be. (Please note that I am NOT lumping all parents-of-autism-spectrum-kids in this statement.)
I'm guessing now's a good time for me to stop digging, before I REALLY get myself in trouble while trying not to offend parents of legitimately autism-spectrum kids. Or anyone else. And I've probably failed because I can't frame (or phrase) my thoughts on this issue coherently.
March 8, 2009
If you like Denis Leary's ranting comedic style, you'll enjoy this book. I could practically hear his voice in my head as I was reading. Most surprising, perhaps, was the underlying tenderness throughout, especially in the stories about his parents, his brother, his wife & kids. The book isn't exactly a memoir, but certain chapters read like one, and added depth to what otherwise might have been a superficial comedic romp.
Dr. Leary and I hold similar opinions about many things. For example:
"This country has the attention span of a gnat on Non-Drowsy Sudafed." (209).
"You know what kids learn when parents insist on making sure that everyone gets a trophy and everyone wins and nobody loses? They learn that losing doesn't suck. Which it does....You fall down you get up. That's how you learn how much falling down hurts and how much you never wanna fall down ever again." (98)
"Personally--seeing Janet Jackson's left nipple on TV wasn't anywhere near as offensive to me as the four million ads for Viagra and Cialis and all the other "how to get a hard-on" pills that rolled out every other minute during the same game..." (69)
In addition, I learned that Denis Leary is a published poet! (Check out the Fall 1977 issue of Ploughshares.)
Leary touches on the idiocy of pop culture, parenting, prescription drugs, Oprah and Dr. Phil, the Catholic Church, and the many differences between men & women. He's honest about all of it, but (oddly) not at all unkind. Our hypocritical, self-centered, and rather self-destructive society has many faults, but Leary points them out not because he hates this country, but because he loves it. He wants to see us pull our heads out of our collective American asses and be groovy again.
Dr. Leary and I hold similar opinions about many things. For example:
"This country has the attention span of a gnat on Non-Drowsy Sudafed." (209).
"You know what kids learn when parents insist on making sure that everyone gets a trophy and everyone wins and nobody loses? They learn that losing doesn't suck. Which it does....You fall down you get up. That's how you learn how much falling down hurts and how much you never wanna fall down ever again." (98)
"Personally--seeing Janet Jackson's left nipple on TV wasn't anywhere near as offensive to me as the four million ads for Viagra and Cialis and all the other "how to get a hard-on" pills that rolled out every other minute during the same game..." (69)
In addition, I learned that Denis Leary is a published poet! (Check out the Fall 1977 issue of Ploughshares.)
Leary touches on the idiocy of pop culture, parenting, prescription drugs, Oprah and Dr. Phil, the Catholic Church, and the many differences between men & women. He's honest about all of it, but (oddly) not at all unkind. Our hypocritical, self-centered, and rather self-destructive society has many faults, but Leary points them out not because he hates this country, but because he loves it. He wants to see us pull our heads out of our collective American asses and be groovy again.
June 11, 2011
This book devoted only about 25% of itself to the topic suggested in the title (mainly how North Americans are obsessed with celebrity, food, and are, in large part, stupid). He also does his own take on the weary subject of how the male and female brains operate differently. I've seen and heard comedians tackle that exact subject so many times I was a little disappointed to see it trotted out again. The other 75% was really a memoir of Leary's life as a child of Irish immigrants in Boston. Leary is famous for his rants, but these were not the best parts of the book. Some of his rants became repetitive (anyone and everyone seems to riff on why certain "celebrities" like Paris Hilton are famous, or how Americans eat too much food) and some of them are truly offensive (autism is made up-- the kids are either just stupid or so smart that they can't make friends). I'm surprised I didn't hear complaints about that part when this book came out. I can take edgy humour just as much if not more than most, but I'm pretty sure Aspergers is real and his take on it didn't come from a humourous perpective-- it was shockingly mean and uncomfortable. That said, it was a blip in the book. The best parts were his reminiscences of his family, and especially his Irish mother. The book made me laugh out loud on a number of occasions. I'd have been perfectly happy to read this strictly as a biography, leaving out the commentary on the shallowness of our society. He pretty much abandoned the defense of his thesis a few chapters in anyway.
March 2, 2009
The hubby and I listened to this audiobook on a long car trip. It's not, like, my favorite book ever, but we laughed and it passed the time. Thankfully, it was less harsh than I expected, and had a surprising amount of memoir woven in (his stories about his Irish family, particularly his mother, are hilarious). If you can't tell from the title, the thesis holding these stories and essays together is something along the lines of "America ain't what it used to be, folks." He tackles everything from the Real Housewives of Orange County to pedophile priests to, of course, George W. Bush. If you're a staunch Republican, feminist, Catholic, or are easily offended in general, I wouldn't recommend it. If you have a decent sense of humor about any of these things, though, it's hard to not admire Leary's wit and common sense. He's even a pretty good writer, along the lines of Augusten Burroughs or David Sedaris, but straight. I haven't heard any of his comedy since back in the 90's when he was ranting about NyQuil. He's apparently grown up since then, and gotten smarter, too. I was entertained.
January 18, 2011
Okay, so Viking decided to forgo all forms of grammar in order to let Leary's voice (and by "voice" I mean "rant") shine through. Who needs periods, commas, colons or ellipses when you're laughing so hard you almost choke on your own spit?
Sure, he does hold the belief and pushes the fact down my throat that I should, according to him, be in the kitchen right now making my husband a sandwich while gearing myself up to: fold the children's laundry, teaching little Timmy how to read, planning a special evening for my overworked, under appreciated man and all while I practice the lost art of silence. Eh, some men just aren't that bright, what can you do but blame their mom's and move on. Am I right, ladies?
So what if a lot of the material is old. You know why he's still using it? Because it's funny. I mean, c'mon...ugly babies, obesity now classified as a disease, Irish drunk dads that tell you to just shut up and stop whining, ADD drugs as the new disciplinarian, etc. Who doesn't think those are funny?
Anyway, my point is that while there were plenty of issues, it was still worth the read.
Sure, he does hold the belief and pushes the fact down my throat that I should, according to him, be in the kitchen right now making my husband a sandwich while gearing myself up to: fold the children's laundry, teaching little Timmy how to read, planning a special evening for my overworked, under appreciated man and all while I practice the lost art of silence. Eh, some men just aren't that bright, what can you do but blame their mom's and move on. Am I right, ladies?
So what if a lot of the material is old. You know why he's still using it? Because it's funny. I mean, c'mon...ugly babies, obesity now classified as a disease, Irish drunk dads that tell you to just shut up and stop whining, ADD drugs as the new disciplinarian, etc. Who doesn't think those are funny?
Anyway, my point is that while there were plenty of issues, it was still worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 956 reviews