Jerry Lewis to Retire from MDA Telethon

More breaking news ...... it was announced that Jerry Lewis, longtime host of the Muscular Dystrophy Assn., will retire from those hosting duties after this year's telethon in September.

It's now being reported on the web that Jerry has hosted the show since 1966 but that is not totally true. The show has been televised NATIONALLY since '66 but Lewis did the annual honors in the NYC metro area for many years before that.

According to wikipedia, the local 4-hour shows started in 1952 (wow), and wasn't really coast-to-coast until 1970.

Anyway, it'll be weird without him.

I remember watching the local show (before they went national) and LOVING it when a big star would come on. For instance, Tony Bennett would come out and someone would pledge $5,000 if he sang, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (that was BIG money back then). They couldn't do that on a national show.

I still say that one of the biggest thrills I've ever seen on tv was the live reunion of Jerry and Dean Martin back in the '70s.

Yea how can you not relate Lewis to the MD telethon. Last I heard he wasn't in real good health. That along with his age, I can understand if he'd want to give it up. He was dedicated to it though for a very long time.


TIS

Not long ago I was told an amazing story about an event that took place on Labor Day 2008 when a six-year-old boy in Peoria, Illinois got out of his wheelchair and walked for the first time to turn off the Jerry Lewis telethon. Sadly, the boy's heart failed during the 2009 telethon and he was pronounced dead later that evening.

please tell me that was a poor attempt of a joke?

as somebody that has muscle dystrophy, i am saddened to hear his retirenment because he has done a lot for MDA.

I never heard that story before. I'm assuming it is a very bad joke. I am assuming someone else will proceed with the telethon (maybe one of his kids?). It certainly is a worthy cause and his celebrity did bring it more to light so hopefully another big name will follow suit.




TIS

My mom used to call in a pledge to the telethon, and she'd always ask the name of the person answering the phone, hoping it'd be some celebrity. It was always some old lady.

Jeffrey Ross told that joke at the Jerry Lewis roast. I changed it a bit and added to it, but I think you need to hear Jeffrey say it. A bit different than just reading it. I took a risk, but the fact is Jerry Lewis laughed his ass off when he heard that joke.

There was a rumor today on a local station that Sean Hayes, from "Will and Grace," was interested in doing the telethon. It's only noteworthy because Hayes actually played Jerry Lewis in a tv movie awhile back. It wasn't bad.

Sean Hayes. Something to look forward to. "Great".

would like a video of that. but, yea thanks for giving a background behind that joke vinny.