MDA Telethon Is Ending

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/ ^ | 05/01/2015 | n/a

[massmike]

The Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon, a Labor Day television tradition for decades, is ending.

MDA said Friday that “the new realities of television viewing and philanthropic giving” make it the right time to end the annual event, memorably hosted for most of its life by Jerry Lewis.

Celebrities including Frank Sinatra, John Lennon and Michael Jackson to Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez have performed on the telethon, first hosted by Lewis and Dean Martin in 1956. It moved to Labor Day in 1966. The telethon ran 21 and a half hours in 2010, Lewis’ last year as host, and had dwindled to a two-hour show the last two years.

KTXA21 hosted the MDA Telethon in 2011 and 2012.

[hoagy62]

Another memory of my youth, gone.

[exit82]

Dennis James hosting, and the singing of “Look at Us We’re Walking”:

“Look at us, we’re walking,
Look at us, we’re talking,
We who never walked or talked before.
Look at us, we’re laughing,
We’re happy and we’re laughing,
Thank you from our hearts forevermore.
But there are so many other children
Who only speak with a silent prayer
For those of us who haven’t been so lucky
We hope and pray you will always care.
And someday they’ll be walking
Someday they’ll be talking.
Imagine walking to the candy store!
But the fight has just begun
Get behind us everyone
The hope will make our dreams come true-
Thanks to you, thanks to you.”

[Argus]

Watching Jerry change his sweat-drenched dress shirts was always a highlight.

[massmike]

Jerry Lewis- You’ll Never Walk Alone- 2010 (Jerry’s last telethon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9v_NkgsK6k

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Sad. :(

[LostInBayport]

Another memory of my youth, gone.

Yep. Ed McMahon at the tote board, Charo and other Hollywood C-listers reminding us who they are. Corporate CEOs presenting big checks for a good cause. Jerry singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" at the end.

Kind of sad to see it go. I used to tune in now and then over the weekend eons ago.

[latina4dubya]

aww... in the late 70s my friends and i would have a sleep over and watch it all...

[Secret Agent Man]

Well tv was the internet in the 60/70s.

[Nowhere Man]

Well, another staple from my youth is gone, it is as old as me. BTW, when the first telethon for Labor Day went on the air, I was only 2 months old.

[ansel12]

I worked on it for years locally, it was a nice activity.

[al baby]

Good it was a big A$$ scam anyways

[Liberty Valance]