Jerry Lewis Retiring from the MDA Telethon.

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pgurney

WHATTTTTTTT????????????? :eek:

So sad. I've been watching the telethon since it first aired in 1966. The MDA telethon and Jerry Lewis are synonymous. But, at 85 yrs old, Jerry has announced that he is indeed retiring this year, as emcee of the annual Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy telethon.

We can only hope that the telethon will do as well raising donations in future years, as it has under Jerry Lewis.

So now, this begs the question...... will Dick Clark follow in Jerry's footsteps on New Years?? :rolleyes:
 
Sparhawk

Sparhawk

The original press release is kinda vague, in much of it's wording it makes it sound like Jerry is only going to show up at the end and announce the grand total this year. Basically, that he's already hosted his last telethon. It will be on at our house, always is, but not sure how much of Jerry that we'll have anymore.
 
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pgurney

This is what I read -

LAS VEGAS (AP) -
After 45 years promoting treatment and a cure for children he calls "my kids," comedian Jerry Lewis announced Monday he is retiring as host of the Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon that has become synonymous with his name.

Lewis, 85, issued a statement through the association calling it "time for an all new Telethon era."

"As a labor of love, I've hosted the annual Telethon since 1966 and I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, 'You'll Never Walk Alone,'" Lewis said of a shortened six-hour primetime broadcast scheduled for Sept. 4.

Lewis, a Las Vegas resident, has in recent years battled a debilitating back condition, heart issues and the crippling lung disease Pulmonary Fibrosis. He said he'll continue serving as national Muscular Dystrophy Association chairman, as he's done since the early 1950s. "I'll never desert MDA and my kids," he said.

Officials with the Tucson, Arizona-based nonprofit hailed Lewis as one of the world's great humanitarians. More than $1 billion has been raised during Muscular Dystrophy Association telethons over the years, association spokesman Jim Brown said. And a national network of some 200 hospital-affiliated clinics has opened since Lewis became involved in the telethon.
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I've been watching the telethon since I was a child. I will really miss seeing him on the telethon, he was a blast.
I'm glad to know that he'll be staying on as the chairman of the MDA.
 
Sparhawk

Sparhawk

pgurney said:
This is what I read -

"As a labor of love, I've hosted the annual Telethon since 1966 and I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, 'You'll Never Walk Alone,'" Lewis said of a shortened six-hour primetime broadcast scheduled for Sept. 4.
Click to expand...


The part of the statement that I highlighted seems to indicate that he's only coming on at the end, since that is always the time of the show that he sang that song.

I grew up with Jerry also, even had some of his movies on (oh crap I feel old all of a sudden...) film and would watch them any chance I got. He's done such a selfless job of helping everyone affected by MD of all types, and he will be missed as part of the show, but happy also to see that he's still staying a part of MDA as a whole.

Just noticed that the national part of the Telethon will only be on Sunday night, dang.
 
Dave

Dave

Staff member
Everything must end. He's getting up there in years and it's just his time.

I wish Dick Clark would stop doing the countdowns.
 
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