Get this: the creeps at MDA– Muscular Dystrophy Association– have found a new way to exploit Jerry Lewis. They’re currently holding a vote on their website for most popular performance ever on the Labor Day Telethon. It’s called “Vote for Your Favorite MDA Telethon Moments.”
Many of the clips are of Jerry himself. Those that aren’t are of A list celebrities who only did the show because of Jerry– like fellow Rat Packers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.
Only one problem: MDA famously kicked Jerry to the curb in 2010 after 50 years of dedicated service. They killed off the Labor Day telethon, too. Now it’s just a sad little prerecorded show on the Sunday night of Labor Day weekend on ABC. No one watches it, and no one cares.
MDA has gone to great lengths to scrub Lewis from its history. Without him, their fundraising has slowly diminished. Indeed, MDA customarily lies about how much money is taken in via their new show, including pre-arranged corporate donation.
At this point, I doubt Jerry cares. But it’s pretty tacky of MDA to promote all his clips– and just his clips. There’s nothing to vote on since he left save for one clip with will.i.am from 2012. Sad.