The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon

Yes I called it the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. It will always be that to me.

I heard a while back that Jerry Lewis would not be on the telethon this year because of the changes they had made. At the time I couldn't imagine what they were. Now I know. While watching Big Brother After Dark I went to set the DVR to record the telethon and discovered it is only on for 6 hours. Yes, I record the telethon, I don't like to miss any of it.

I just can't figure this one out. I'm pretty sure they haven't cured all the MDA diseases. So I'm thinking they still need money. I had always thought the Stars and Vegas hotel's donated their time and spaces. As well as the LOVE Networks donating air time. So I don't think they are losing money by not airing the show. At least not more than they would raise.

Is the telethon still 24 hours and they are just airing 6 hours? Or is the whole telethon only 6 hours. Well I just went to the MDA telethon to see if I could get an answer to that and it looks like it's just 6 hours.

The website says they are squeezing 21.5 hours into 6 hours. I can't help but thinking this is just a matter of laziness on someone's part. More and more I see greed in the younger generation and people wanting to make loads of money without having to work for it. I think this is a case of that happening again. The sad part is if the money, the millions that Jerry Lewis normally raises isn't raised then it's the MDA families that suffer. Not the people that can't be bothered to give 24 hours of their time for an all day show.

Yes I realize it probably takes more than 24 hours to organize a show. But Jerry has done this so long and so many of the guest stars return every year I would think the show would practically put on itself. Not to mention the number of volunteers involved.

So what part of the show are they going to cut? The Fireman who work all year long to bring in money for MDA?

The corporate sponsors who also work all year to bring in millions of dollars for MDA? I'm sure they don't raise the money just to go on TV and hand over a check to Jerry Lewis, but the airtime is a nice thank you. A shout out to Harley, Southland / 7-11, Postal Workers, Fireman, Citgo, ERA, and Decca. I apologize to anyone I left out but these are the sponsors I remember being there year after year.

Maybe they will cut out the fireman? The postal workers? Maybe they aren't going to show the families and their stories and why MDA is so important and helpful to them. The fireman? Maybe they will cut out the new research that has been discovered, the cures and where our money has went over the year. The camps. The fireman.

You know we definitely won't see all of the stars we've become accustomed to seeing. Billy Gilman, Charo, Carrot Top, Brandon Barash, Bob Zany, Tony Orlando, Patrick Duffy, The Oak Ridge Boys, the tap dancers, the bands, the cheerleaders, I could go on and on.

I have spent Labor Day for as far back as I can remember probably 30 or 40 years watching the Jerry Lewis Telethon and all the stars. It's one of the charities I donate too, because I have watched them succeed in nailing down these diseases, maybe not finding cures for all of them. But sometimes cures, sometimes meds that make people's lives a little easier and the support they give to these families. I mean no matter how young or old you are this disease could hit you or someone in your family. We even had a family pet get an MDA disease. 

I think about some of the people that have just stole my heart over the years. Bob Sampson, Mattie Stepanek, his mother, numerous families. I wonder how Augie Nieto is doing. I don't think we will get all the information we need in a shortened six hour show.  I don't even think they could just fit the MDA information into a six hour show. We won't get to see as many fireman.

Okay so I like the fireman. They are my hero's saving lives and raising money for MDA and I love a man in uniform. hehe.

If it weren't for such a big need for money to help this cause and these families. I would boycott the show. I can't do that to these families or maybe someday my own. So I will be watching and I will still donate. But I am so upset. I don't believe they will raise the money they normally do. I mean it's Saturday afternoon, and I'm just finding out the show is only 6 hours.

How many people will tune in Monday afternoon to watch the end of the show and call in last minute donations to get that $1 more than the previous year just to find out the show's not there.  I hope for all those MDA families this is not an epic fail.

Watch for the fireman in the street this weekend with their boots. Slow down don't run them over.

Seriously I feel like someone canceled Christmas. I am not happy about this at all. Now what am I going to do this weekend? I might have to like "pause" clean or something. YUCK!


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