Denis Leary - Asshole (Uncensored Version)

JUL 01 1993 · 12:00

Denis Leary - Asshole (Uncensored Version) (1993) Era: Early MTV Comedy-Rock Crossover Era (1993) - Peak period of comedian-as-rock-performer novelty acts, MTV's embrace of irreverent anti-establishment voices, and the grunge/alt-rock satirical moment High curatorial value as a time-capsule artifact bridging stand-up comedy, MTV culture, and the alt-rock aesthetic moment of 1993. The uncensored version preserves the full intended comedic and provocative content excised from broadcast cuts, making it a primary document for researchers studying media censorship norms of the period. Its dual identity, simultaneously a legitimate charting single and an extended comedy sketch, renders it formally unusual and historically significant within the MTV archive. Context: 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 music video format as an extension of his stand-up persona, transforming the medium into a comedic platform rather than a promotional one. The video's alt-rock parody sequences speak directly to the cultural saturation of grunge imagery, and the song's chart performance in Australia (No. 2 ARIA, No. 1 Triple J Hottest 100 of 1993) and its MTV/MuchMusic airplay reflect the era's appetite for transgressive comedy-music hybrids. Director notes: The music video was in circulation by at least May 1993 per Billboard magazine records, appearing on The Box network before MTV airplay. The North American MTV and MuchMusic versions were edited for censorship. The uncensored version (YouTube ID: UrgpZ0fUixs) contains the full performance. The video features a notable black-and-white sequence that visually references early-90s alt-rock music video aesthetics as a deliberate comedic parody device. The video was later included in the 2005 DVD compilation 'Complete Denis Leary' as a bonus feature.