I luxuriated in the inanity of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. I bathed in the plate spinners, the ventriloquists, the impersonators, the clowns ... the acts I only saw during the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. And then there was Jerry himself. Mr. Maudlin. Extolling the virtues of the perFORmers, practitioners of the business known as show. Always finding new and creative ways to offend.This year there was no Jerry! I never even tuned in.
I know I'm in the minority, since MDA made more than $2 million more than it did last year, with Jerry, but I'm not contributing to MDA anymore. For while I enjoyed watching and making fun, I always paid for the privilege. No Jerry, no Gal.
Yes, he's an ass. But he also dedicated a half century to publicizing this cause and raising a ton of money for it. He deserved better than he got this year. He earned the right to sing, "You'll Never Walk Alone" to children who will never walk at all. And if I can't make fun of the tastelessness of that moment, my checkbook stays shut.
Well, you know, you sound like your old self here; and like maybe you're feeling better about the cough anyway.
ReplyDeleteI hope so anyway.
The kids get my money because it isn't right that they don't walk and play like other kids, and it isn't right that they often die before getting to experience the fullness of life.
ReplyDeleteI missed Jerry because he has been a part of my childhood since I was 5 years old. But people help MDA because MDA helps people. MDA is more than Jerry Lewis. He begged for dollars for these kids for 58 years. And with or without him, MDA will get my $1 more than last year until there is a cure.
Please reconsider your contribution to a cause still worthy even if it is no longer represented by Mr Lewis.
I know what MDA does. I also know that there are children that suffer from cancer and hunger and learning disabilities and poverty. Soldiers need our support, as do veterans. And countless organizations that speak for animals that cannot speak for themselves. There are many, MANY charities that deserve my dollars and they will now benefit from the money that I would have given to MDA.
ReplyDelete