With Labor Day a little over a month away, there comes the shocking news that Jerry Lewis won’t host this year’s Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon. He has hosted the annual event since 1954.
Now I must admit that I dreaded the Jerry Lewis Telethon when I was a kid and I’m sure I’m not the only one. First, it meant it was that the first day of school was less than 24 hours away. Second, in the 13 channel universe I lived in back then it was on every channel. It wasn’t like you could watch a ballgame on ESPN because there was no ESPN. Third, when I did watch I found the acts they had on to be incredibly boring.
Yet with that said I think that Lewis’ abrupt departure is all rather unseemly on the part of the MDA. Obviously, the MDA wants a younger audience. So this year’s telethon will be hosted by American Idol producer Nigel Lythoe and Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney. Who?
I mean if the MDA wanted to replace Jerry Lewis then they should have replaced him with someone of equal stature in the world of comedy. Why not approach Jerry Seinfeld? It could have allowed for a graceful transition from one comic legend to another. Besides, you could still call it Jerry’s Kids.