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  • Jerry Lewis: MDA Pulls Plug on Labor Day Telethon

    Jerry Lewis hosted the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon on Labor Day Weekend for 45 years. On Friday, MDA executive vice-president Steve Ford announced the telethon has ended.

    For the last two years, what once was a 24-hour event, only received two hours of air time.

    “It’s not a 21-hour world anymore,” he said of the telethon, during which Jerry Lewis not only encouraged people to donate money to research, but hosted a wealth of top-name entertainers, too.

    Fox News reports that Jerry Lewis, who is 89, hasn’t commented on the end of the telethon.

    It was back in 2011, just a month before the annual telethon, that the MDA announced Jerry Lewis wouldn’t be hosting that year’s event. His abrupt exit was never explained.

    The Muscular Dystrophy Association was started in 1950 and, a year later, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin mentioned the charity on their NBC TV show. The two comics hosted a 1956 telethon before breaking up. Jerry Lewis began hosting it on his own, starting in 1966. That first year, it ran on just one TV station in New York. From that year forward, children suffering from muscular dystrophy were known as ‘Jerry’s kids.’

    Steve Ford hopes fundraising for the MDA will now take place online, much the same way the ALS “Ice Bucket Challenge” raised a huge amount of money for its cause last summer.

    It will be interesting to see if Jerry Lewis issues a statement in the coming days about the end of the MDA telethon he proudly hosted for decades. Hopefully fundraising is successful online. Do you expect the amount of money once raised in Jerry Lewis’s telethons can be raised in the future online instead?

  • Jerry Lewis: Muscular Dystrophy Telethon Ends, Marking the End of an Era

    Jerry Lewis: Muscular Dystrophy Telethon Ends, Marking the End of an Era

    Jerry Lewis worked tirelessly for more than 45 years bringing together celebrities, his humor and viewers for an annual Labor Day telethon to benefit children suffering from Muscular Dystrophy.

    It seemed the country came together to watch celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Jennifer Lopez perform and man telephones as the tote board marked the millions of dollars coming in for “Jerry’s kids.” Tears flowed as an exhausted Jerry Lewis ended each telethon with his broken, but moving rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

    That era of American television has come to an end.

    “It’s not a 21-hour world anymore,” said Steve Ford, MDA executive vice president, with the announcement that the telethon will no longer be a Labor Day tradition.

    It’s not surprising the telethon is ending in this new era of social media, technology and the ability to fundraise in a more effective manner. When Jerry Lewis stopped hosting the show in 2010, the telethon’s slow demise began. The show was reduced from 21 and a half hours in Jerry Lewis’ final year to 19 in its final year.

    Fundraising will continue, but production costs associated with the telethon makes the endeavor unfeasible.

    “The real heroes have always been our families, and what we need to do is make sure that every dollar we raise is spent working for our families,” he said.

    In 2008, the telethon marked its greatest success, raising $65 million for Jerry’s kids. And over the years, Jerry Lewis helped to raise more than $2 billion for MDA.

    Jerry Lewis’ association with MDA goes back to its inception in 1950. Lewis and his comic partner Dean Martin mentioned the charity not the NBC show, and the two hosted a telethon in 1956. Jerry Lewis began hosting the telethon regularly beginning in 1966.

    Not everyone thought that Jerry Lewis was doing good. Some felt he made people with the disease objects of pity by Lewis in order to raise money.

    With once in a lifetime performances from celebrities like John Lennon, Michael Jackson, Johnny Cash and Ray Charles appearing on the telethon, the MDA has been discussing with Jerry Lewis ways to release some of the archived material.

    Do you remember watching the Jerry Lewis Telethon?

  • Jerry Lewis Makes Attempt To Clarify Comments

    Jerry Lewis had some serious backpedaling to do after his comments a few years ago, and in his attempt, did graciously tip his hat to classic comediennes Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball, according to AP.

    The offensive comment that he made went something like he thought women were funny, but not when crude. I could agree, but some who are offensive on a regular basis might find that…offensive.

    He tried to clarify by saying, “Seeing a woman project the kind of aggression that you have to project as a comic just rubs me wrong. And they’re funny — I mean you got some very, very funny people that do beautiful work,”

    Then got a little confusing as he added, ” — but I have a problem with the lady up there that’s going to give birth to a child — which is a miracle,” Lewis said.

    So, you can be crude, unless you’re pregnant. I’m not sure what he’s trying to say, however, in his praise of Burnett and Ball, he did have some beautiful words. He said of Carol Burnett, “…when you have women like Carol Burnett, that’s the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy. I just saw Carol at the Smith Center at home in Vegas, and I was stunned by how brilliant she is and how brilliantly she brings the audience right up to her.”

    Of Lucille Ball, he said she “went to the lowest level of the barrel, and she was brilliant because of it.”

    His lovely remarks were made after a ceremony to put his hand and foot prints outside Hollywood’s Chinese Theater, after which he was to attend a 50th anniversary screening of The Nutty Professor as part of the TCM Classic Film Festival. He was accompanied by his only daughter, Danielle Sara Lewis. She is the youngest of his 7 children.

    “This is an incredible time for me,” he said. “I have never, ever had an experience like this and had my daughter present. And this is the first time I’ve ever asked her to join me.”

    That crazy Jerry Lewis.

    Image Via YouTube

  • Jerry Lewis Praises Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett

    Jerry Lewis was full of praise Saturday for fellow comedians Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett while having prints of his hands and feet immortalized in the cement outside the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

    Lewis, 88, hasn’t always been a big proponent of female comedians.

    In fact, there was a time when Lewis said he didn’t like female comedians at all. But after criticism for his remarks, he changed his tune, saying Lucille Ball was “brilliant” and Carol Burnett is “the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy.”

    During the ceremony, Lewis said Ball “went to the lowest level of the barrel, and she was brilliant because of it.”

    Lewis told reporters he likes a funny female comedian like the next guy, but says he draws the line at crudeness and does not like to see a woman demean her femininity by succumbing to crudeness and aggressive humor.

    “Seeing a woman project the kind of aggression that you have to project as a comic just rubs me wrong. And they’re funny — I mean you got some very, very funny people that do beautiful work — but I have a problem with the lady up there that’s going to give birth to a child — which is a miracle,” Lewis said. “But when you have women like Carol Burnett, that’s the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy. I just saw Carol at the Smith Center at home in Vegas, and I was stunned by how brilliant she is and how brilliantly she brings the audience right up to her.”

    Lewis’s wife and daughter were on hand at the cement ceremony and the actor asked his daughter, Danielle Sara Lewis, to take a bow.

    “This is an incredible time for me,” he said. “I have never, ever had an experience like this and had my daughter present. And this is the first time I’ve ever asked her to join me.”

    Lewis was to attend a 50th anniversary screening of one of his most famous films, The Nutty Professor, following the event.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jerry Lewis Doesn’t Find Crude Women Funny

    Jerry Lewis Doesn’t Find Crude Women Funny

    Jerry Lewis isn’t impressed by female comics who cross the line into vulgarity. He simply doesn’t find them funny. The 88-year-old comedian and actor was once criticized for expressing what many believed was his distaste for female comics altogether. He clarified his comments, however, on Saturday when he was honored following the placing of his hands and feet in cement outside of Hollywood’s Chinese Theater.

    “Seeing a woman project the kind of aggression that you have to project as a comic just rubs me wrong. And they’re funny — I mean you got some very, very funny people that do beautiful work — but I have a problem with the lady up there that’s going to give birth to a child — which is a miracle,” Lewis said. “But when you have women like Carol Burnett, that’s the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy. I just saw Carol at the Smith Center at home in Vegas, and I was stunned by how brilliant she is and how brilliantly she brings the audience right up to her.”

    Lewis said Lucille Ball “went to the lowest level of the barrel, and she was brilliant because of it.”

    Jerry Lewis’s wife and daughter accompanied him to the ceremony. It apparently was a first for his daughter. He even asked her to take a bow. Hopefully Lewis didn’t temper his comments about comediennes because his daughter was present.

    “This is an incredible time for me,” he said. “I have never, ever had an experience like this and had my daughter present. And this is the first time I’ve ever asked her to join me.”

    Danielle Sara Lewis is the youngest of Jerry Lewis’s 7 children. She is his only daughter.

    Just imagine what Lewis must be thinking about female comics like Kathy Griffin or Lisa Lampanelli. Vulgarity flows from their mouths like water from the kitchen faucet. It might be interesting to hear what the comic legend would say about their performances.

    Jerry Lewis appeared frail at the event celebrating his success as an actor and a comedian. At one point he required some help standing when his legs appeared to fail him.

    Do you agree with Jerry Lewis’s reaction to female comics? Does this generation have a potential Lucille Ball or a Carol Burnett–or have female comics all sunk to the lows Lewis detests?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jerry Lewis Honored, Said Women Are Funny

    Jerry Lewis was immortalized in hand and foot prints at famed TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday, and said that women are funny, but not when they are crude.

    The 88-year-old entertainer was criticized for expressing his distaste for female comedians a few years ago, but delivered clarifying comments on the matter after leaving his prints in cement outside the Chinese Theatre on Saturday.

    Lewis praised Lucille Ball, and said she “went to the lowest level of the barrel, and was brilliant because of it.”

    He also called Carol Burnett the “greatest female entrepreneur of comedy.”

    “Seeing a woman project the kind of aggression that you have to project as a comic just rubs me wrong. And they’re funny — I mean you got some very, very funny people that do beautiful work — but I have a problem with the lady up there that’s going to give birth to a child — which is a miracle,” Lewis said.

    “But when you have women like Carol Burnett, that’s the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy. I just saw Carol at the Smith Center at home in Vegas, and I was stunned by how brilliant she is and how brilliantly she brings the audience right up to her,” he said.

    Lewis entertained the crowd during the ceremonies. He took his own pictures of guests from the stage, made funny faces, led the crowd in an impromptu version of Silent Night, cracked jokes, and even bit Quentin Tarantino in the hand.

    “I just got bitten by Jerry Lewis,” said Tarantino, who introduced Lewis at the event, and spoke about the impact that Lewis had on his life.

    “I really think this man is a treasure,” said Tarantino.

    “He is one of the great actors/directors in the history of cinema,” Tarantino said.

    Lewis was joined by his wife and daughter, whom he adopted in 1992. He asked her to take a bow during the festivities, in a rare public appearance together.

    “This is an incredible time for me,” Lewis said.

    “I have never, ever had an experience like this and had my daughter present. And this is the first time I’ve ever asked her to join me.”

    The event was part of the Turner Classic Movie Classic Film Festival, and Lewis left the handprint ceremony to introduce a special screening of The Nutty Professor that evening.

    “It was wonderful to see all of you,” Lewis said, smiling and waving to the audience as he left.

    “I’ll see you all later,” said Lewis.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jerry Lewis: Is His View Of Women In Comedy Sexist?

    It’s been a popular criticism of women in comedy and now a famous old school star is adding his voice to the argument.

    Jerry Lewis says that he absolutely enjoyed old school comediennes Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett. Ball’s comedy is “brilliant” to Lewis while Burnett was deemed “the greatest female entrepreneur of comedy.”

    Lewis credits the talent of these women to the fact that they never “worked blue” the way so many women comics do today.

    “Seeing a woman project the kind of aggression that you have to project as a comic just rubs me wrong,” said Lewis. “I mean you got some very, very funny people that do beautiful work.”

    Despite an admission that the women who are vulgar in comedy are often talented, he added, “I have a problem with the lady up there that’s going to give birth to a child.”

    Women vulgarity in modern humor has long been a source of derision for a few of reasons.

    Firstly there is the long held view that the aggressive and lewd expression of self is a realm meant for men only. Society still views feminine energy as married to polite delicate behavior. It is an energy that isn’t meant to curse.

    The vulgar nature of women in comedy is also seen as a cheap imitation of so-called male humor. Are women comediennes working blue because it comes naturally or because they feel that it’s the only way to win over largely male comedic audiences? The need to fit in with male-dominated comedy is seen as a source of pressure for women rather than an expression of non-swearing comedy which some think should come more naturally to women

    Another criticism is the idea of vulgarity in modern humor itself. The nature of today’s comedy is sometimes too reliant on shocking and offending rather than actually being funny. While that is an understandable argument, it seems swearing in comedy is an issue to be applied uniformly.

    The possibility that a woman might give birth at some point isn’t exactly relevant to her ability to tell a joke and what kind of joke she gets to tell.

    Do you think Jerry Lewis’s remarks were fair or sexist? Comment below!

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Larry King New Dean of Friars Club

    Larry King New Dean of Friars Club

    Larry King was honored at a Friars Club dinner and roast just a couple of years back, but this week the retired host of Larry King Live was named as the club’s dean. The Friars Club is well known for its raunchy roasts of numerous celebrities throughout the years. King will replace outgoing dean Freddie Roman. He will serve as dean of the club for the next few years.

    So what’s involved when one is the dean of the Friars Club? Larry King will soon find himself as just one of the rulers of the hilarious–and often raunchy–roasts put on by the club. Having received a Friars Club Award back in November of 2012, King will now assist with not only the roasts, but will oversee dinners and other events put on by and for the centuries old organization.

    The Friars Club is a private club formed back in 1904 for the sole purpose of hosting its often risque celebrity roasts. Most of its members are comedians or other types of celebrities.

    On Tuesday of this week, the Friars Club sent out a tweet hinting at exciting things to come.

    Another tweet sent out by the Friars Club on Wednesday announced that they had named Larry King as their dean.

    87-year-old comedian Jerry Lewis serves as “abbott” of the Friars Club, so it’s plain to see that Larry King is in good company in his new role within the organization. Jack Benny was once a member.

    “I’ve been a Friar for many years and at one time served as Abbot of the Friars of Beverly Hills. I am honored to be asked to be Dean of the Friars,” King said in a statement. “I grew up in Brooklyn, so this is like coming home. It’s a great group with an important foundation that serves in many areas. So now — I’m Dean!”

    It must be quite an honor for Larry King to be acknowledged by this group, comprised of many comedians. Surely someone found some humor in what the TV host did during his 25 years hosting Larry King Live.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • “The Day The Clown Cried” Footage Leaked Online

    “The Day The Clown Cried”, a 1972 Holocaust film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis, has been hidden away for years due to Lewis’s wishes that the public never see it. Now, pieces of the movie have been released online, and it’s garnering a lot of attention that Lewis would probably rather go away.

    Lewis plays a German circus clown named Helmut Doork who makes the unfortunate decision to mock Adolf Hitler in public. As punishment, he’s forced to work in the death camps and lead the children to the gas chambers. Lewis has said that he regrets making the film and is ashamed of the final product.

    “In terms of that film, I was embarrassed,” Lewis said. “I was ashamed of the work and I was grateful that I had the power to contain it all and never let anybody see it. It was bad, bad, bad. It could have been powerful, but I slipped up.”

    The privileged few who have seen the movie say it’s incredible in how awful it is.

    “You’re stunned,” said “The Simpsons” actor Harry Shearer.

    Lewis, whose success had begun to fade by 1972, was likely hoping a serious role would revive his career a bit. However, he has vowed that no one will ever see it in its entirety. Recently, though, someone posted clips from the film, including some behind-the-scenes moments, and the video has gone viral.

    Check it out below.