The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon

Jerry Lewis with Johnny and Sal

Bear and Jerry's kids

Calvin Ray Johnson and the Muppets

Every year since 1955, The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon has raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Entertainer Jerry Lewis has become well-known for his tireless work supporting "Jerry's kids", as the children he's helped are known. Around 200 stations air the program annually, called the "Love Network", which features entertainment from performers. The list of appearances includes hundreds of celebrities. The show has been hosted 38 times by Ed McMahon.

In 1998, the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon made history as the first telethon seen around the world via Internet simulcast, hosted by RealNetworks on MDA's Web site.

Appearances

2002

• Kermit sings "Bein' Green" with a boy with muscular dystrophy
• Kermit sings "Mahna Mahna" with the Snowths.

2003

• Johnny Fiama and Sal host.
• Bear performs "It's Great to Be a Bear", "The Any Way You Wanna Conga," and "The Goodbye Song."

2005

• Johnny and Sal host with Tom Bergeron and perform their own rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody".
• Statler and Waldorf appear a few times in inserts.

2007

• Rizzo the Rat and Pepe the King Prawn co-host three hours of the overnight portion of the telethon, with Tom Bergeron and Alison Sweeney. The Muppets close their three-hour segment with a version of "Wake Up Little Susie" -- which they remake as "Wake Up, Little Pledgers".

• Additionally, Bear (from Bear in the Big Blue House) is listed as a performer for the telethon.