I love today. Labor Day is filled with great memories. Today marks 14 years since Jerry Lewis made his final appearance on the telethon and 10 years since the final telethon. Over the years as a child, we anticipated and would watch at least some of the Jerry Lewis Telethon on our local CBC station out of Nashville. In the early days, it was nearly a 22-hour telethon. Because of technology changes and American viewership changes, the final telethon he appeared on was just six hours.
The Jerry Lewis Telethon History
The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon ran from 1966 to 2014. The telethon, hosted by comedian Jerry Lewis, was a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). It started on one station in New York City and expanded to 210 stations in its heyday. It became one of the most prominent charity telethons in American television history. The telethon featured a variety of entertainment acts, including musical performances, comedy sketches, and celebrity appearances. It was known for its marathon length and aimed to raise money for research and support for those affected by muscular dystrophy and related diseases.
We watched as he went through a debilitating back condition, heart issues, and the crippling pulmonary fibrosis.
Over the years, the telethon raised over $2.45 billion for the MDA and Jerry’s Kids.
The goal was always one dollar more than the previous year – which he did most years. To see the final tote board of each year from 1976 to 2010, you can watch it here on YouTube.
Personal Benefits of Watching
As a child without anyone in my life having muscular dystrophy, I had no idea what the disease was or how it affected people. However, as I watched the telethon, I would hear personal stories, meet Jerry’s kids, and be moved by compassion for them. It allowed me as a child into a teenager to better develop compassion and empathy.
In my mind, the growth in compassion happened in four different ways. First, we heard from individuals and families who were impacted by the disease. We saw their stories and were touched by their circumstances. Second, we saw local personalities who we watched nightly on our local news as they did the local segment. They would ask us for our help and encourage us to be generous toward those who needed help. In our local area, lights would turn off on a giant number 5 as people would call in. Third, we saw people from all over the nation jump in to help raise money with a national tote board. Finally, Jerry Lewis, Ed McMahon (from 1973-2008), Sammy Davis Jr, and others led with their own compassion and the force of their personalities to demonstrate how important helping others was to them.
Thank you, Jerry Lewis, his friends, and the MDA Telethon for the part you play in my Labor Day memories. Further, for the help you gave in helping develop my compassion.
Here are two renditions of Jerry’s You’ll Never Walk Alone and Other Pics
1987 above and his final one in 2010
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* From Paul Tripp’s Essential Qualities of a Biblical Counselor
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