# Jerry Lewis telethon. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906 "2003-09-01T03:06:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/1 "2003-09-01T03:06:29Z")
[Disclaimer] I really hope that the money they raise does go toward curing MD. [/Disclaimer] -Jerry actually looks like he’s lost _some_ weight. (I realize he’s on meds) -He’s painful to watch. He’s awkward and usually out of breath. -He can’t sing. Why does he try? -He’s not funny. -The talent pool is . . . pitiful. The performers you _have_ heard of are pre-recorded. The rest are terrible/untalented. Why am I watching? Bad tv is . . . good. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/2 "2003-09-01T03:18:15Z")
This puts me in a cultural minority but I _cannot get enough_ of Jerry Lewis and his “oy nice layyydeeee” mannerisms. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/3 "2003-09-01T12:13:21Z")
When he first walked on stage, I thought it might be another actor doing a spoof of an overweight Jerry. He looked like Rachel from _Friends_ in her fat makeup; he can’t say two words without gasping for air and he can’t stand up for long. Even sitting looks painful. This is gross. If he can’t lose weight, he should call it quits. And get some new comedians. Norm Crosby’s time was 50 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![lauramarlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a5b964/32.png) [@lauramarlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lauramarlane)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/4 "2003-09-01T12:17:25Z")
Norm Crosby had a time? There was actually an audience for this stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/5 "2003-09-01T12:43:12Z")
Lewis has pulmonary fibrosis and takes steroids for pain control (hence the weight gain) with the aid of a dosage monitor. ---
**Author:** ![LookitMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7bcc69/32.png) [@LookitMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LookitMe)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/6 "2003-09-01T19:53:00Z")
[How Jerry Lewis found relief from chronic pain](http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/entertainment/5468748.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/7 "2003-09-02T00:32:15Z")
Hmm. As long as he doesn’t go into his whole “women are baby making machines” schtick. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/8 "2003-09-02T00:49:38Z")
One quick thing to mention: MD is a whole bunch of diseases roughly lumped together, so it’s improbable they’ll cure all of 'em. The main thing to remember is there’s a whole lot more MDA does for Jerry’s Kids than just researching and fighting illnesses. It provides nursing care, wheelchairs, canes, psychological and palliative support, as well as a great summer camp! The Telethon is dated, but would you ever expect Britney to take time out of tounging Madonna to VOLUNTEER her time? BTW: meet a kid with MD and he’ll tell you. Jerry Lewis is God. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/9 "2003-09-02T01:40:39Z")
Am I right in saying the Freemasons help out on the telethon nationally? Or is it only my Lodge in the DC metro area? (Thanks for mentioning this, I need to send a check.) ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/10 "2003-09-02T03:45:42Z")
Here in Vegas we get fireman on street corners boothandling for donations. Some guys are pretty hot- I donated! \*'by boot handling I mean they approach your car with their fireman boots to put donations in… ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/11 "2003-09-02T04:03:34Z")
Yeah, he’s uncomfortable to watch, but it’s a marathon for a disease after all. I think it’s brave of him to appear on the air. It may be his last year. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/12 "2003-09-02T07:05:37Z")
Paul, I wouldn’t doubt if lots of Lodges pitch in on the MD telethon. I just can’t watch it anymore because it is so sad to see Jerry. Musicat- don’t you mean Monica from FRIENDS in her fat makeup? ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/13 "2003-09-02T08:20:34Z")
I used to watch it, when I was little. I forgot that they still had this on. I haven’t seen it in ten years or so. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/14 "2003-09-02T12:20:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FriarTed \* > Musicat- don’t you mean Monica from FRIENDS in her fat makeup? Right. They haven’t run the Rachel/fat episode yet. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/15 "2003-09-02T12:31:13Z")
I really cannot tolerate Jerry Lewis but do not make fun of his “weight.” As said before he has pulmonary fibrosis and takes steroids which have caused him to bloat. My father also has pulmonary fibrosis and is basically suffocating. It’s a horrible disease where your lungs stiffen. I must admire Jerry Lewis for continuing his charity work. My father can barely walk up the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/16 "2003-09-02T13:42:42Z")
I used to watch the telethon but then as I got older I found it was the same stars over and over and as time had gone on…they had become "has beens’ I mean Norm Crosby? He is ancient. Lou Rawls? What is he doing these days? I commend Jerry for doing the show! I guess the only thing I am interested in is HOW MUCH MONEY DID THEY MAKE THIS YEAR? ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/17 "2003-09-02T15:46:12Z")
[60.5 million](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,96183,00.html). One problem I have is that he finishes each show by “singing” some sappy song and sniffing and fake crying. It’s really obvious and painful. It’s an obvious “ME ME ME!!!” moment. Can’t he just step down and let somebody else do it? Wayne Brady? Still call it “The Jerry Lewis Telethon”, but get somebody that can stay up all night like Jerry _used_ to do instead of showing up for the first and last 30 minutes. But I stick by my original disclaimer. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/18 "2003-09-02T16:14:36Z")
Cut the dude some slack, he’s got a pretty wicked illness of his own. There’s a lot of research been done that would not have been done were it not for Jerry, so if he can’t quite cut the entire show anymore it really isn’t a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/19 "2003-09-02T16:18:09Z")
Ya know it might benefit the organization more “financially” if they would get someone else. Maybe someone popular in today’s public eye. But who could fill the shoes of Jerry? I disagree with you Bruce Daddy I don’t think Wayne Brady would be a good replacement. I don’t know who WOULD be a good one but here are a few suggestions: Debra Messing Steve Harvey Louie (I forgot his last name the comedian from Family Feud) It would also help if they got some better talent to perform too. Instead of going for the “golden oldies” they should go for more popular people of today. Even if you got the popular people and did stupid skits that would be better then pulling out old has beens. Also if they would choose the talent with a wide variety of age groups it might help. (I didn’t see this years show so I do not know if the talent spoke to the wide range of ages) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906/20 "2003-09-03T00:06:40Z")
Most respectfully, **Isabelle** , considering the talent pool and the record-breaking $60.5M, I’d say his bang to buck ratio is pretty unassailable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jerry-lewis-telethon/198906.md?page=2)