Jerry Lewis sits in front of the countdown board as he celebrates another successful Muscular Dystrophy Association ...
Posted on 09/04/2006 8:18:31 PM PDT by freedom44
LAS VEGAS - Jerry Lewis' annual Labor Day telethon raised a record $61 million to fight muscular dystrophy, bolstered by a huge donation from a group of firefighters and the lack of a major hurricane before the show.
"We did good," said Lewis, 80, looking choked up as the final figure, $61,013,855, flashed across the tote board Monday. "I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart for so many little people that can't thank you, can't show their appreciation in any way."
Leading the contributors was the International Association of Fire Fighters, which donated a record $23.5 million.
The previous record for the telecast, which has raised $1.4 billion to fight the disease since 1966, was set in 2003. That year, supporters gave $60.5 million.
The following years were marred by hurricanes, including last year, when Katrina knocked out television stations along the Gulf Coast and donors focused on hurricane support. The telethon raised $54.9 million to battle muscular dystrophy last year.
"I think there was a great sense of relief that there weren't any storms," said Bob Mackle, Muscular Dystrophy Association spokesman.
The broadcast, which returned to Las Vegas this year after 11 years in Los Angeles, began Sunday evening and was carried on 190 stations in the United States and Canada.
With all the money that Jerry Lewis has raised every year for the past 30 some years plus all the money the MD research gets, one would think that there would be a cure by now.
No kidding. I was talking to my friend about how we are trying to clone people but we haven't found the cure to basic things like baldness or the common cold.
Jerry does a great thing every year, too bad so many people use him for joke purposes.
Jerry Lewis sits in front of the countdown board as he celebrates another successful Muscular Dystrophy Association ...
BEtter not let the AIDS activists see that number.
Like many of the screwball comedians of yesteryear, there's always seemed to be a dark side of melancholy to him. I think the telethon is his reason for living now. God bless, Jerry.
61 Million-Expen$e$= Don't ask.
Isn't most everything donated? Including the TV time?
Every time I turned it on, it was either Norm Crosby being an idiot, Ed McMahon being ancient, or some act I've never heard of and was no good.
I also thought Jerry Lewis looked absolutely great, for his age, and for all the medical problems he has had throughout the years...
For myself, I never care for him much as a comedian...but I remember seeing him a few times, in serious roles, and I found him to be a fine dramatic actor...but I guess he loved the comedy more than the drama...
I do think you are right, he lives for that telethon, and for those kids...I know it hurts him terribly, when kids hes been especially close to, do die..
Again, I am with you...God Bless Jerry Lewis...
For 20 hours every labor day, Jerry Gives us the chance to be the people we should be....God Bless him and his work...I donate every year.
Who cares? It's not an entertainment show, it's a charity event.
First time in my memory that I didn't see any of the telethon. It was apparently not broadcast down here in the katrina affected gulf coast.
The $23.5 million from the firefighters is counted as a corporate donation and not included in the $61,013,855.
Are you serious?
That's got to be one sick SOB!
Yes indeed. God bless Jerry Lewis.
If only we had a good economy
Valid question, friend. When I looked at this a few years back, about the only expenses the Telethon had to cover were some travel costs, and those were minimal. Everything else was donated, and Jerry isn't ashamed to beg or cajole people.
Another thing I found out was that Jerry has had to declare bankruptcy more than once, because he doesn't take a dime from the Telethon, and works tirelessly for it, to the detriment of his own career
I believe he's an honest, dedicated, and charitable man. Not many men could achieve what he's done...............FRegards, old friend
It was on WGN, as it always has been for years, but this year, they put Cubs baseball and a host of infomercials on right smack dab in the middle of the telethon.
When I was in college, that town's local station carried it nonstop, and I went down on Sunday morning to the studio along with a whole bunch of other people and had free coffee and donuts, and I visited with a few of the anchor babes.
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