• $61 million the amount the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s yearly telethon made this year — the first year without Jerry Lewis as the host
• $58.9 million the amount the annual Labor Day telethon made last year; Lewis had hosted MDA telethons in one form or another since 1952 source

• » Drama over the big change: While Jerry Lewis had claimed that his appearance this year would be his last, he ended up not making an appearance at all, after the association appeared to fire him (or Jerry quit early) for some reason. He didn’t even make a cameo. Instead, a bunch of giant photos of Jerry’s face went up instead, and the show needed four hosts to replace the 85-year-old, one of which included an “American Idol” producer. So … the big question: Does the yearly telethon struggle from here, without Lewis at the helm?

Posted by Ernie Smith • Permalink