This year a lot of TV icons announced that they were leaving their television shows, Regis Phibin, Larry King, Oprah Winfrey and Jim Lehrer to name a few. But the one that has brought a tear to my eye is that Jerry Lewis announced today that this year’s Labor Day MDA Telethon will be his last. In a press release he said, “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’. I’ll continue to serve MDA as its National Chairman – as I’ve done since the early 1950’s. I’ll never desert MDA and my kids.”
When I was kid I would look forward to watching his telethons ever year and to know that after this year they will go on without him really makes me sad. One of my favorite moments here in LA was actually sitting in the audience during a telethon and watching him work his magic. I was awe stuck. He has done a lot of good and raised a sh!tload of money for Jerry’s Kids and the Muscular Dystrophy Association and it is so sad that this chapter of his life (and ours) is coming to an end.
I know the ratings have decreased each year and yet the dollar amounts they bring in rise every year, so I really hope that the networks decide to continue the telethon without him. It won’t be the same, but it would be nice if they did. I am sure Ryan Seacrest has already made his pitch to take over like he has been doing with everything else.
So this Labor Day make sure to watch the MDA Telethon and give Jerry Lewis the goodbye he so richly deserves. I really hope that a lot of celebrities also come out to make his encore extra special like the telethons have been to us throughout the decades.
