Jerry Lewis ousted as MDA telethon host

[The Straight Story]

Jerry Lewis ousted as MDA telethon host
After decades with the Muscular Dystrophy Assn., Jerry Lewis is dropped as the telethon's host and the group's national chairman. Fellow comedians decry the mysterious ouster.


For the first time in 45 years, Jerry Lewis will not be pleading for donations in front of a camera Labor Day weekend after he was abruptly dismissed as the host of the Muscular Dystrophy Assn.'s telethon, an event that drew attention to the childhood disease and in its heyday was an annual television highlight.

The group said the 85-year-old legendary comedian would not appear on this year's telethon, and would no longer serve as its national chairman, a position he held for nearly 60 years. The telethons have raised nearly $2.5 billion, the MDA said.

The announcement and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Lewis' departure provoked an outcry from comedians and other performers, who still widely revere him for his groundbreaking routines and public service.


"As a fellow comedian, it's really crappy the way they treated him," Paul Rodriguez said. "The man is an institution. They should have found a better way to let him go."

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-jerry-lewis-20110805,0,6785931.story

[dtexdem]

1. I guess the MDA thought they should be more "with it."

They will likely find that they have discarded their base of support and will not attract a new one.

[MilesColtrane]

14. God, please not 24 hours of Ryan Seacrest!

[Botany]

2. He has been in terrible health for the past 10 years

Like him or not but the man put his heart and soul into trying to help those w/ neuromuscular diseases ....
.... how many kids held their own carnivals to raise money for MDA and brought in that money to a local
T.V. station?



:patriot: Jerry Lewis

[Pool Hall Ace]

5. I'm one of those who was never in to his comedy at all

but I didn't know that MDA is getting rid of him. I thought it was *his* idea to step down due to health reasons. What a crappy way to just unceremoniously dump him like that!

[Horse with no Name]

7. Me either. I don't appreciate that type of comedy

along with the Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, etc.

I just have never found it entertaining.

He actually was supposed to step down this year...and they did deny him his last time to sing "You'll never walk alone"...and as ill as he has been, they might regret that decision.

People donate for all sorts of reasons and will stop for all sorts of reasons (see my post below).

[Little Star]

3. Me thinks they are gonna be sorry they did this in this way.

[mentalsolstice]

4. They should've oustered him and their "pity" approach a long time ago. nt

[Horse with no Name]

6. I grew up with this man

I collected money in jars for Muscular Dystrophy when I was young and dumped the results in a huge fishbowl in front of the TV station...had a carnival a couple of times (forgot about that one!),I phone banked a couple of years when I got older. I even remember when they hit over $1 million in donations the first time and Ed McMahon painted it on the wall with paint. I cried with joy!

At that time, I had never known anyone who had Muscular Dystrophy.

Later in life, I was preparing to make my annual donation and a close friend asked me why I did it. I said I wanted to help those with MD. He then shared that his sister had MD and they went to the foundation to try to receive some assistance (would have been in the 70's) and they were REFUSED any help at all. His sister did end up dying.

I was crushed because I had never known anyone that had it and felt that I was helping people with my contributions...only to find out that the ONE person that I knew (peripherally) with a muscular disease was denied help.

Since that date, I have not watched nor have I contributed one dime.

I realize that Jerry Lewis has put his life work into this organization--but I also remember a few years ago that he made some homophobic comments.

That being said...the organization does obviously spend their money wisely with 77% going into program costs, 15% in fundraising and only 8% in administrative costs.
http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/health/muscular-dystrophy-association-in-tucson-az-40

[monmouth]

8. Most obnoxious person I ever met. I may watch and contribute this

year now that he's gone..

[Taverner]

10. You got to meet Jerry Lewis?

Are all of the stories about him true?

[MilesColtrane]

15. He was straight up civil with me and those around him from what I saw.

I worked with him when he MCed a fundraising show for Equity Fights AIDS several years ago.

[monmouth]

17. I used to perform on the Steel Pier in Atlantic City as a kid, they were

performing at the 500 Club and used to be on the boardwalk during the day. The other girls and I just loved Dean Martin and would give him all of our attention. This used to rankle Lewis and he would be so obnoxious, yelling stupid stuff, stand there tapping his foot and sighing waiting for us to talk to him. We didn't. Dean used to look at him and start to laugh like you would a child...LOL.

[dgibby]

12. Right up there with Bob Hope.

As soon as the cameras and mics were turned off, he treated the military like crap.

[monmouth]

18. I believe that, he was staying at a hotel a good friend of mine worked

at. My dad had cancer and was a big Hope fan. Friend asked him if he would sign a get well card for my dad telling Hope what a fan my dad had been of his for so many years. He just walked away from her..She learned a big lesson also.

[Brickbat]

9. Looking forward to the MDA Telethon dropping its pity approach as well.

[Poll_Blind]

11. I watched the opening of his 2010 and...he joked he got the camerman from "the Third Reich"

I dunno, maybe he's just not doing so well, anymore. I didn't watch much passed that, but you can view it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJzHA6JfhrY">here, starting at 6:50.

:shrug:

I don't watch the telethons, is that sort of commentary par for the course?

PB

[Kingofalldems]

13. Hey Lady!!!!

[Xithras]

16. Jerry Lewis is virtually unknown to Americans under 35.

Most older Americans know him from his comedy career before MDA, but to younger Americans he's just a guy they see on TV commercials every now and then, and who hosts a TV show begging for money that they never watch.

I agree that they could have handled it a bit better, but it's certainly time to move on to another host. The guy cracks WW2 jokes during his routines for chrissakes.