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AALARD
Guest
Lewis telethon seeks recession rebound
LAS VEGAS, -- Jerry Lewis says he isn't overly worried about the effect the U.S. economy might have on donations to his upcoming muscular dystrophy telethon.
The recession bit into the proceeds from the 2009 event by some $5 million and marked one of the few times the Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon did not see donations increase.
But the 84-year-old entertainer told the Las Vegas Sun the fundraiser still took in $60.5 million and has raised nearly $6.5 billion in the 60 years he has been the host.
"It was bad last year and look what we did," he told the newspaper.
The Sun said that while Lewis doesn't doubt the generosity of his donors, he has concerns about flagging interest on the part of the entertainers who have been the hallmark of the telethon.
This year's guest list is light on A-list personalities, the newspaper noted.
"People don't want to do a telethon anymore because they have to get off their butt, get on a plane, come here (Las Vegas) and do it," Lewis said. "But I don't want them when they don't want to, because they don't come with the right attitude."
LAS VEGAS, -- Jerry Lewis says he isn't overly worried about the effect the U.S. economy might have on donations to his upcoming muscular dystrophy telethon.
The recession bit into the proceeds from the 2009 event by some $5 million and marked one of the few times the Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon did not see donations increase.
But the 84-year-old entertainer told the Las Vegas Sun the fundraiser still took in $60.5 million and has raised nearly $6.5 billion in the 60 years he has been the host.
"It was bad last year and look what we did," he told the newspaper.
The Sun said that while Lewis doesn't doubt the generosity of his donors, he has concerns about flagging interest on the part of the entertainers who have been the hallmark of the telethon.
This year's guest list is light on A-list personalities, the newspaper noted.
"People don't want to do a telethon anymore because they have to get off their butt, get on a plane, come here (Las Vegas) and do it," Lewis said. "But I don't want them when they don't want to, because they don't come with the right attitude."