Denis Leary
Stand-up comedian · New York, NY

Denis Leary

Who Denis Leary is

Denis Leary is a stand-up comedian and actor from Worcester, Massachusetts, who came up in the Boston comedy scene and on MTV. His stand-up specials include No Cure for Cancer on Showtime, Lock 'N Loaded on HBO and Douchebags and Donuts on Comedy Central, and he co-created and starred in the series Rescue Me. He co-founded and hosts Comics Come Home, the annual stand-up benefit in Boston, whose 30th edition is set for 7 November 2026.

At a glance

Born
1957
Based in
New York, NY
Stand-up specials
Douchebags and Donuts, Merry F#%$in' Christmas, Lock 'N Loaded and 1 more
Albums
Merry F#%$in' Christmas, Lock 'n Load and No Cure for Cancer
Podcasts
Why We Don't Suck, Denis Leary's Merry F#%$in' Christmas, Suck on This Year and 3 more
On screen
Rescue Me, The Job, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll and 5 more
Next on stage
7 November 2026 — TD Garden, Boston, MA

On stage

Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →

Specials, shows and podcasts

Stand-up specials

Albums

On screen

Podcasts

Comedians like Denis Leary

Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.

Every stand-up comedian with a page, A to Z →

Career timeline

  1. 1957Born
  2. 1987Remote Control (various roles, MTV, 1987–1990) On screen
  3. 1992No Cure for Cancer (book, 1992) Book
  4. 1993No Cure for Cancer (1993, Showtime) Special
  5. 1993No Cure for Cancer (1993) Album
  6. 1997Lock 'N Loaded (1997, HBO) Special
  7. 1997Lock 'n Load (1997) Album
  8. 2001The Job (Mike McNeil, 2001–2002) On screen
  9. 2002Ice Age films (voice of Diego, 2002–2016) On screen
  10. 2004Rescue Me (Tommy Gavin; co-creator, 2004–2011) On screen
  11. 2004Merry F#%$in' Christmas (2004) Album
  12. 2005Merry F#%$in' Christmas (2005) Special
  13. 2007Rescue Me: Uncensored (book, 2007) Book
  14. 2008Why We Suck (book, 2008) Book
  15. 2010Suck on This Year (book, 2010) Book
  16. 2011Douchebags and Donuts (2011, Comedy Central) Special
  17. 2012The Amazing Spider-Man (George Stacy, 2012) On screen
  18. 2012Denis Leary's Merry F#%$in' Christmas (book, 2012) Book
  19. 2015Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (Johnny Rock; creator, FX, 2015–2016) On screen
  20. 2017Why We Don't Suck (book, 2017) Book
  21. 2019The Moodys (Sean Moody Sr., 2019–2021) On screen
  22. 2025Going Dutch (Colonel Patrick Quinn, 2025–2026) On screen

Questions about Denis Leary

Where is Denis Leary performing next?

Saturday 7 November 2026, 8:00 PM — with John Mulaney, Jon Stewart, Leslie Jones, Ray Romano, Robert Kelly and Sam Jay (Comics Come Home) at TD Garden, Boston, MA. Each show's own listing has the last word.

What stand-up specials have they released?

Douchebags and Donuts, Merry F#%$in' Christmas, Lock 'N Loaded and No Cure for Cancer.

What podcast do they host?

Why We Don't Suck, Denis Leary's Merry F#%$in' Christmas, Suck on This Year, Why We Suck, Rescue Me: Uncensored and No Cure for Cancer.

What TV shows and films are they in?

Rescue Me, The Job, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, The Moodys, Going Dutch and Remote Control, among 8 credits.

Where are they based?

New York, NY, as their record gives it.

When were they born?

In 1957.

Who are some comedians like them?

Robert Kelly (on the same bill, 7 November 2026), Adam Ferrara (also in Rescue Me), John Mulaney (on the same bill, 7 November 2026), Jon Stewart (on the same bill, 7 November 2026) and Leslie Jones (on the same bill, 7 November 2026).

The full SUCDb record

The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.

Their SUCDb record →

Sources

Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 27 September 2026