Jerry Lewis to Miss Telethon for First Time in 45 Years
The Jerry Lewis Telethon will have to happen without Jerry Lewis as the Muscular Dystrophy Association announced Tuesday that the iconic comedian will relinquish his post as chairman of the organization and not appear on the telethon for the first time since 1966.
In May, Lewis announced he would not host this year’s event but would remain as chairman of the MDA and appear on the program to perform his signature song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” at the end of the program. However, that plan was nixed by yesterday’s announcement.
“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,” MDA Chairman of the Board of Directors, R. Rodney Howell, M.D., said.
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Jerry Lewis had been involved with the MDA for over 60 years and has become the face of the organization since the organization’s first Labor Day telethon in 1961. During the process of making the telethon a staple of American culture, he helped dramatically increase awareness of muscular dystrophy and raised nearly 3 billion dollars to fight the disease.
The MDA press release did not give a reason for the cancelation of Lewis’ appearance on this year’s program. However, he recently had to cancel tour dates in Australia due to exhaustion.
In a recent interview published in the Calgary Herald, Lewis, 85, described the frustration that comes with age. "The legs aren't doing what they used to. My heart begs them, but it's constantly denied,” he said.
“I can't remember what I thought I wanted to recall a minute before I walked up here.”
However, the octogenarian comedian who Newsweek rated as the fifth most recognizable person in the world, tied with Pope John Paul II, remains optimistic.
“I'm the happiest old man you ever saw in your life."
