Denis Leary - Asshole (Uncensored Version)

What this video is

Released in 1993 as the sole single from Denis Leary's debut comedy album 'No Cure for Cancer,' the video arrives at the precise cultural intersection of grunge's mainstream dominance, MTV's expansion of its comedy and alternative programming, and the rise of the 'angry white male' archetype in American popular discourse. Leary, who had built a following through rapid-fire MTV commercial appearances, weaponized the…

Why it matters

A landmark artifact of the comedy-rock crossover genre, this video established a template for comedian-as-musician MTV content that predated and arguably influenced later comedy-music hybrids. Its brazen use of profanity, satirical alt-rock visual quotation, and stand-up performance energy…