The first comedy album I ever remember buying was Denis Leary's No Cure for Cancer. I was in high school. I pretty much had that routine memorized.

Still do, for the most part. I was "the Denis Leary guy" and had to remind nearly everyone that we weren't related. Didn't really even have the same surname.

There was a somewhat famous song to open the album. Wikipedia describes it as a "sardonic song about the stereotypical American male." A--hole. Fill in the blanks with two s's.

The song, and the entire routine, uses a bunch of foul language. Not politically correct.

A few of my buddies and mine even did a "routine" of the song in a school setting. Needless to say, some of the "adults" in the room did not appreciate the humor as much as we did. Consequences to our actions. But it was funny. The whole crowd—sans a few "grownups"—were laughing their heads off.

In the track "Meat," Leary goes on a big riff about meat. Not particularly informative, but funny.

At the end of the bit, he says "you will eat the meat folks, because this country was founded on two things. Meat and war."

And because the album was released in 1993, the latest war was the first Gulf War. His bit on that was funny, unlike war.

I don't think war will solve anything. As the current quagmires in Europe and the Middle East fester, we learn that lesson daily.

Yet, considering we may be on the the cusp of World War III, our only hope might be to stock up on meat.

If you're into authentic Texas barbecue, we may have an option. (And why wouldn't you be? It's delicious and satisfying.)

As always,

Brian

P.S. -- I could go on and on about the album. I recently listened to it again. At one point, Leary opines that Teddy Kennedy was "a good senator, but a bad date." I don't agree on the first part, and the second part is entirely understated. But it is still funny and works as a bit, like the entire album did for me once upon a time.