Their new big fundraiser is going to be dumping ice… or anything, really… on Jerry Lewis.
Who would have thought that Jerry would outlive the telethon.
Here’s Charo on the telethon in 2009(?); be sure to watch to the end for Jerry’s reaction.
Even though I can’t ever remember watching the telethon, it was just one of those things that was always there, signalling the end of summer. Yet one more familiar thing you thought would last forever that’s going the way of the dodo and the drive-in theatre.
At least it won’t interrupt my weekend viewing habits that one particular weekend any more.
Wow - if asked, I’d honestly have guessed the telethon, Jerry Lewis, and perhaps Charo have been dead for years.
Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there! My girlfriend was one of the spotlight operators for that show; she actually just found her badge from that show in her truck today when she cleaned it out.
What in the end killed the telethon were the stations themselves. Growing up in the 80s almost all stations carried the full 21 hours. As time went on, the majority of stations wouldn’t start until early Monday–and a lot pre-empted what was left for golf/tennis/baseball.
Honestly, I thought he already HAD. I’m sort of shocked to hear it was still around until this decision.
57 million in 2014 and they consider that unacceptable? 
WTH?
Where are they expecting to get this years 50 million without a telethon? Sure the numbers are dropping. 50 million is still not exactly chump change.
http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/09/02/mda-telethon-56-million/14973979/
Did Jerry ever tell his reason for doing that show all those years?