John Katsilometes from the Las Vegas Sun today reported that Jerry Lewis will no longer be associated with the MDA telethon held on Labor Day weekends.
From the Sun: In May, the Muscular Dystrophy Association announced that it would cut its telethon back to six hours and that the show's legendary host, Jerry Lewis, would make a final appearance to sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" as a proper sendoff.
Well, all that changed radically this afternoon.
In a two-paragraph news release, the MDA effectively ended Lewis' five-decade affiliation with the organization. In full, it read:
"The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announces that today Jerry Lewis has completed his run as its national chairman. In May, Lewis and MDA announced his retirement as host of the MDA Labor Day Telethon.
"MDA Chairman of the Board of Directors, R. Rodney Howell, M.D., said, 'Jerry Lewis is a world-class humanitarian and we're forever grateful to him for his more than half century of generous service to MDA. We will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman, and he will not be appearing on the Telethon."
A spokesman for Lewis offered "no comment" when asked if Lewis had anything to say about the announcement, specifically if this decision was Lewis' or the MDA's. Quoted in a story in the current issue of GQ, the iconic comic actor, stage performer, filmmaker and philanthropist reiterated his commitment to the MDA cause, saying, "“I understand naysayers. His kids. But they are mine, and I am too far into it to step back.”
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2011/aug/03/two-swift-paragraphs-jerry-lewis-run-mda-chairman-/
Seems like Jerry Lewis and MDA had a really serious fallout because all Lewis wanted to do was sing a song at the end of the telethon, or perhaps he wanted to do more and that is why he is gone.
The MDA brings in a ton of money each year and so I am sure there fights about the money and where it should go.
Jerry had a great run, too bad that they never have found a cure for Muscular Dystrophy while he was running the show.
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