Jerry Lewis with Johnny and Sal
Bear and Jerry's kids
Kermit and Calvin Ray Johnson
Rizzo and Pepe sing "Wake Up Little Pledgers".
Calvin Ray Johnson and the Muppets
Sesame Street Live Bert and Ernie on the 1980 telethon
Between 1955 and 2014, The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon had 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 aired 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[]
1966[]
- Rowlf the Dog made an appearance on the telethon on September 5, 1966.[1]
1980[]
- Near the end of the telethon, Roller Skating Rink Operators Association vice president Marvin Fascher presents a check to Jerry Lewis, with the help of Ernie and Bert walk-arounds from Sesame Street Live. Lewis asks them to get him a cookie.
2001[]
- Kermit sings "Bein' Green" with Calvin Ray Johnson (YouTube), and "Got My Mind Set on You" with The Snowths (YouTube)
2002[]
- Kermit sings "Mah Na Mah Na" with the Snowths.
- Bear performs "Come on In", teaches children how to dance the Bear Cha-Cha-Cha, and sings "The Goodbye Song."
2003[]
- Bear appears.
2004[]
- Johnny Fiama and Sal Minella 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."
- Later in the morning, Bear sang three songs for a group of kids. Noel MacNeal performed Bear live to interact with the children, and lipsynced to the studio recorded songs. This was Bear's final appearance to date.
