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 raises money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. 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

"The Muppets" are currently scheduled to co-host a block of the 2007 telethon. Additionally, Bear (from Bear in the Big Blue House) is listed as a performer for the telethon. The 2007 MDA telethon is scheduled to air on September 2-3, 2007.