Autism campaign group forgives Leary

Autism campaigners have called off a protest against Denis Leary after accepting an apology from the star over remarks he made about the condition.

The Rescue Me actor claimed some parents use the disorder as an excuse for their children's laziness in his book Why We Suck: A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid.

Autism United had planned to lobby the new book, but have called off the protest under the condition that Leary removes the remark or donates some of the proceeds to charity.

"I feel he owes the autism community the money he is making for using what has quickly become an epidemic in our country as a cheap ploy to sell his book," said a spokesman for the group.

Leary has since issued two apologies for the comments, claiming that they were taken "out of context".