Denis Leary | Leary Foundation | Leary Firefighters

In the News: Leary's heroes come to the 'Rescue'
By Inside Track
Monday, October 4, 2004

TV jake Denis Leary came to the Rescue of local fire departments yesterday when he and a star-studded posse of icemen took over the FleetCenter for the fifth annual Celebrity Hat Trick for The Leary Firefighters Foundation.

Despite Leary’s team’s strong NHL Hall of Fame presence, including Cam Neely, Terry O’Reilly, Pat LaFontaine and Ray Bourque as well as ‘Fever Pitch’ director Bobby Farrelly, WEEI guy Lyndon Byers, ‘Rescue Me’ hottie Michael Lombardi, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and ‘Spin City’ actor Michael J. Fox, the motley crew of EMC All Stars suffered a 17-16 defeat at the hands of Boston Bruin icon Bobby Orr’s band of hockey heavies.

Orr’s successful skating squad included ‘Rescue Me’ chief Jack McGee, ‘Everwood’ doc Scott Wolf, ‘Cheers’ barstool philosopher George Wendt, Cameron Bancroft of ‘Charmed’ fame and other B’s biggies like Derek Sanderson.

Leary’s team was coached by his ever-present sidekick Lenny Clarke as well as Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler (who led the guys in a sing-along in the locker room for warm-up) and ‘Rescue Me’ jakess Diane Farr, who showed up for duty in a black miniskirt, brandishing a whip.

“It was embarrassing. It hurt me,” Clarke said of his team’s loss. “I will live to get that cup back.”

A noticeable no-show was presidential wannabe Sen. John Kerry, who has skated at the event in the past.

“He’s been here for four years in a row,” Leary said. “Does he need the votes in Massachusetts right now? I don’t think so.”

The money raised at the event will go toward the purchase of a fire boat for Boston Harbor.

“That’s the great thing about raising money for firemen,” Leary said. “There’s no vacuum involved. Whatever you give them goes right to work.”