There are three types of people in this world:
Those who avoid the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon.
Those who watch the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon.
Those who donate to the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon.
Well, and Jerry Lewis, who will host the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon for the last time this fall.
Put me into the “avoid” category. They lost me at the singing of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” about THE CHILDREN WHO COULD NOT WALK. “Lewis said at the end of the 2007 telethon that the song was suggested to him in 1964 by a disabled child.” A very ironic, smartass disabled child. High five to that smartass child.
Put my brother into the “watch” category. I think my brother found the telethon appealing because it appealled to his ADHD. Like Sesame Street, only with MD kids on wheels. Nothing lasted more than five minutes. I don’t think he ever slept through a moment of it, either.
I don’t think I know anyone in the “donate” category, except possibly my mother-in-law.
Oh, come to think of it, there’s another category: the people with MS who get to hear that “their telethon” earned X million dollars over Labor Day weekend.
Which category are you in?
11 responses to “Jerry Lewis Leaves the Labor Day Telethon”
I worked briefly for MDA. I have done some really horrible jobs in my life, but nothing comes even remotely close to that organization (I’m obviously talking lame office monkey jobs, not comparing it to, say, coal mining). It was like 6 years ago for only a few months and I am still a bit traumatized.
I don’t watch, but don’t avoid, either. When I was working I donated to United Way. Now it’s specific favorites, like Doctors Without Borders, Seva, Habitat, and the one with the cows that I can’t remember the name of right now.
I’d like to hear about Sarah’s trauma….
(BTW, have you heard that the Japanese tsunami relief groups are being buried in donated garbage?)
Apparently, I’m ~~Silk, but while she was still working. If it comes on, it comes on, and United Way gets my money.
The Heifer Fund? Is that what it’s called? I’ve given gifts to people from The Heifer Fund. It’s what I give the person who has everything.
The what?
I’m in the “Loathing and avoiding like the plague” category. When I was teenager, my cousins and I would watch just to see Jerry melt down, especially in the last couple of hours. Melodrama! Bad acting!
Did you ever read “The Comedian’s Children”? Can’t remember who wrote it, but basically the comedian in question went around to the children, all Florence Nightingale, stroking their fevered brows while he wore a special glove that delivered the illness over and over again.
I avoid. Except I do try to catch Jerry Lewis at least once out of morbid curiosity about his appearance.
Becs – That sounds horrifying! Kind of like an H.P. Lovecraft story. (pause) Nope! Theodore Sturgeon wrote it for a science fiction anthology. Sarah – I agree with ~~Silk! Details! Was there an Emotional Manipulation Committee?~~Silk – I accidently gave $500 last year to the Arts Committee instead of UWay. I’ve tranferred my loyalties this year deliberately to the Arts Committee. Tami – I gave my nephew half a goat from Heifer International. (I think the name has changed.) Magpie – Do you ever watch TV on labor day? Of course, it’s only six hours now instead of three entire days.Amy in StL – Well, the steroid years whe his lungs were bad … how could you not?
Avoid. If there’s anything more depressing than washed-up performers, it’s disabled kids.
RockyCat – I think I’d like to see disabled kids having fun. But he puts them up there to be pitiful. To raise money, of course, and I hope the money has gone to good use.
“Oh, come to think of it, there’s another category: the people with MS who get to hear that “their telethon” earned X million dollars over Labor Day weekend.”
Typo Alert!!
MS = Multiple Sclerosis
MD = Muscular Dystrophy
Jerry raises $$ for MD, not MS.
AnneP – You have MS too, right? Then you know. EVERY year I have to hear how the Muscular Dystrophy telethon raised money for “my” disease (MS) and then I have to correct the person. I’s be willing to bet more people think the Jerry Lewis telethon is for MS than think it’s for MD. Everyone gets it wrong, that’s what I’m saying. We should just have our own competing MS telethon on Labor day and mess with everyones heads.