GrouchoFan

So, Jerry Lewis is out? Or is he back in? Or he's out as host, but will make an appearance? Or he won't appear at all, and they won't even mention his 45 years as host?

And it's only for 6 hours on Sunday night?!? WTF?

Anybody know any dirt on this?

TGM

nobody under 65 cares or watches the telethon, so they scaled it back. Muscular dystrophy's free ride is over!

leeta

I googled it and came up with this... (not sure about the source, but I feel in this case it is probably accurate)

It's a shame that MDA treated him so badly after he's devoted his whole life to this and raised so much money for them. They could have let him leave with a little dignity.

http://www.inquisitr.com/133037/jerr...ethon-in-2011/

GrouchoFan

Thanks, I've seen similar articles on other sites, too. Last May Jerry announced this year's show would be his last, but then MDA abruptly announced in August that he was out altogether. There's got to be more to it than has been revealed. If he's in really bad health, like "might not live through the show," somebody would know. They could have at least let him videotape a farewell message or something.

Watched the beginning tonight, and the 4 Nobodies (as my wife called them) did spend a few minutes talking about Jerry and his contributions, inspiring them to get involved, etc. So that at least was something. I can certainly understand Mr. Lewis needing to finally step down due to age and infirmity (anyone remember a few years ago when he was all bloated up from medications?), and the MDA wanting to go in a new direction and not dwell on the past, but it just feels like this could have been handled more gracefully.

One party must have some dirt on the other, but what?!?

Sonny Corinthos

It's sad to think Jerry has spent half his life raising money for MDA and he doesn't even get one last time to say goodbye. I have always watched the telethon even as a small child.

It has had some of the all time Hollywood greats appear on the show over the years. Labor Day just won't be the same anymore without Jerry Lewis hosting the MDA Telethon.

Roybq

End of an era. Our local channel is showing the 6 hours with a break 1/2 way through for a 1/2 hour of local news. I remember as a kid trying to stay awake through the whole telethon every year because I didn't want to miss anything. I turned on 10 minutes tonight and flipped to a repeat of "America's Home Videos." It's just not the same. I would've tuned in for one more night with Jerry.

FantasticVSDoom

Yeah this has been a guilty pleasure of mine for so long I cant remember a time in my life without it... Add another thing that this year has said goodbye to for me.

DWilson

It really is the end of an era for me. Though I'm an old, old man every year I would watch a few minutes of the Telethon and get this crystal clear recall of the queasiness I felt every Labor Day growing up knowing that the school year would start the next day.

Evan Meadow

I now hope Weekend with the Stars and United Cerebral Palsy can make a telethon comeback!

Then again I'm biased cause I have CP and was on the telethon twice as a kid for the local segments.

mnementh

I agreed until I had a horrifying vision of the telethon moving to MTV.

GuessWho

According to MDA officials, the 46th annual Labor Day weekend event raised nearly $61.5 million, about $2.6 million more than last year, reports the Associated Press.

Pizza

I have always loved the telethon. I remember as a kid thinking how cool it was that there was something on TV all night. And it was Jerry that helped bring all those great stars to the telethon stage. It was such a big deal, a real event. Certainly not as much in this day and age. It's a shame his reign had to come to a sliding stop. I still respect all that he did.

GrouchoFan

Just before the end, they also ran a minute or so of "great Jerry Lewis telethon moments," set to a tinkly piano rendition of "Smile." And as the credits rolled, co-host Nigel Lythgoe (whoever he is) shouted out what sounded like an ad-libbed, "We missed you, Jerry!" Better than nothing, I suppose.

Bill Needle

I am just old enough to remember the Rat Pack showing up to these. Looks like the final nail in the coffin of an entertainment era.

anomynous

Yeah, gonna go ahead and say bullshit

TGM

yeah, no Jerry Lewis AND it was cut down dramatically in length?? Sounds like another attempt to slap Jerry in the face on the way out the door.

Deftones

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that they probably got way more corporate donations this year to make up for the lack of donations from individuals.

Evan Meadow

In 6 hours? Yeah I don't know if I want to buy that one either. If they did the traditional all night telethon, then yeah I can believe it.

Evan Meadow

Or they're adding more up from throughout the whole year.

Sonny Corinthos

I'm calling bullshit as well. The fundraiser raised $58.9 million last year when it ran 21 1/2 hours. Now we are supposed to believe they raised $61.5 million in just six hours? Bullshit! I agree with other posters, it's their way of pissing on Jerry as they booted him out the door. Sorry but I just don't buy it.

Roybq

When I first heard the number announced, I called bullshit too. Even our local affiliate didn't raise a fifth as much money as they usually had when they did the full 21+ hours. Jerry Lewis said that he would talk about his seperation from MDA after this years telethon aired. I can't wait for to read what happened to what should have been a big finale for him.

clckworang

I feel bad for all the MDA telethon fans out there, but this was the first year that tennis people in my area were able to watch U.S. Open tennis on Labor Day because it was always preempted for the telethon. I was happy about being able to watch my tennis.

GrouchoFan

As others have said, I have a heavy nostalgia factor. Years of childhood memories: going to the Vermont State Fair, and then, as darkness falls and the first touch of crisp autumn air comes in, going home with some cotton candy and hard-won prizes from the Midway, and then staying up to "watch the stars come out with Jerry." Wondering, "who are all these celebrities?" Getting excited when the new tote board totals were announced. And knowing that school was starting up soon, if it hadn't already.

Then, as I grew up and moved away for college, kind of lost track of the telethon, but knew it was always there year in and year out. A few years ago I noticed the local affiliate started cutting back on the hours--one year they showed some local Golf tournament all day Monday! WTF, where's Jerry?!? Ironically, in recent years I'd tune in to the show and wonder, somewhat differently than I did as a child, "Who the hell ARE these 'celebrities?' Am I supposed to know any of these people?"

And I always thought the tote board only counted up pledges from the regular people, not the corporate contributions. Sounds like this year they must be counting the corporate money, because there's NO WAY they raised that much money in so little time. Something fishy there.

So , the end of an era. I do hope their fundraising efforts don't get hurt, but MDA should have shown more gratitude to Jerry and class in handling the transition. On their website, under "history of the telethon," they don't even mention his name!

devilshalo

Maybe they're factoring in the amount of money saved in doing a 6 hour show as opposed to all night. I got nothing.

Josh-da-man

My fondest memory of the telethon is thinking that "Jerry's Kids" would be a good name for a band, then finding out that, not only was it already taken, but that fucking everybody thinks that.