Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon preview

I used to love watching this when I was a kid.
My sister and I would badger my parents to let us stay up all night.
We were grasping at the last threads of summer before school started. Fun times.

 

Our campus tv station in college carried this every year and did our own remotes and such so the labor day telethon will always have a special place in my heart. That said it has seemed worse every year since graduation.

 

Let's not forget the Chabad telethon, which is Sunday the 13th. A Southern California institution. Never has a trip to the tote board been so much fun.

 

Yeah, nothing reminds me of the last day of summer quite like the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Always hated that last day. It was impossible to enjoy, b/c it was inevitably hot as shit outside and you just knew you'd be sweating buckets in class the next day.

The America's Cup and the U.S. Open remind me of the first day of school, too.

 

20 minutes in and Jerry's already given me the willies apparently making inappropriate comments to a 10-year-old, told two tasteless jokes and looked ready to keel over. But Allison Sweeney looks good. Between Jerry and his three blonde co-hosts this thing looks like Girls Next Door.

 

I quit watching years ago when Jerry got on his high horse and scolded people for not giving enough despite hard economic times. Said something like "Don't you dare say you don't even have a dollar to give." Uh, I'll donate my money to whoever I damn well please, Jerry.

 

How many millions has he raised over the years? And yeah, you always want to be tuning in when he has that inevitable meltdown.

There was an news anchor at one of the area stations who had been the host for the local portion of the telethon every year since it started. He would always have a meltdown at some point as well.

 

I don't ever remember this starting on Sunday night. I thought it always started at Midnight.

Or am I losing my mind?

 

The more I watch this thing and all its dated, quirky talent, the more I appreciate Jerry Lewis and the people performing. The man is 84, has obvious medical issues and still pushes himself to raise money through the night for an important cause. His pride could easily be humbled by the years stripping away his health and level of stardom along with the talent he's able to put on stage. But he keeps going.
There's a lot to be said for that.
I can sort of understand the poster feeling lectured about donating. But for me this whole thing is too inspiring to begrudge a man trying to do so much for getting a little pushy on behalf of the people he's trying to help.
It's also nice to get a little glimpse of this dated, corny past because it reminds you of people who are no longer here. It's nice not to have everything so polished and "perfect."

 

It's not the same without Sammy Davis Jr. rocking "Candyman."

 

It wouldn't be the Jerry Lewis Telethon without some clickity-clack tap dance ... and they started the show with it.

Thing starts at 9 p.m. EDT on Sunday. WGN feed just started at 11 p.m. EDT. Some places won't start airing it until the morning.

 

It's a link to the past, to be sure. An anachronism, but a mostly charming one (sort of like The Price is Right). Of course, Jerry apparently decided to start losing his mind right away this season, asking if a 10-year-old girl read any dirty books after she describe a bookathon she took part in, capping his comments on Ed McMahon with "wherever you are, I hope you have your booze" and being a skeezy old man. NICE LAAAAAAAAADY.

Also: Does Charo exist for any other reason than to do her chachi-chachi shit on the telethon?