Jerry Lewis telethon this weekend: should the focus change...

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to the current NOLA situation?

This is not meant to belittle or ignore the annual MD drive, but there are more immediate and life threatening concerns right now.

I work as a full time firefighter and tomorrow (as I have been doing at this time of the year for the past 21 years), will be standing out in public asking for donations for a cause that can be put aside for awhile.

It might sound callous to some, but there is an immediate reality to be dealt with here.

[tridim]

1. It already has

The first and last 4 hours will be for NOLA.

[NWHarkness]

2. I believe they have changed it

I read earlier in the week that they were going to donate a percentage of what they raise to hurricane relief.

[LiviaOlivia]

3. You haven't been keeping up with current events

Jerry Lewis, MTV to help with hurricane relief
Comedian's annual Labor Day telethon to raise funds for Katrina victims
The Associated Press
Updated: 9:55 a.m. ET Sept. 1, 2005
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9157643/

LOS ANGELES - Hurricane Katrina telethons reminiscent of benefits for tsunami and 9/11 victims were announced Wednesday with artists including Wynton Marsalis and Green Day, while Jerry Lewis’ annual Labor Day fundraiser will join in as well.

Lewis said Wednesday his telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association would include celebrity appeals for hurricane relief. MDA also will donate $1 million to help victims in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, he said.

“While the needs of ‘my kids’ are with us all year-round, Hurricane Katrina is a national disaster on a scale that’s difficult to comprehend,” the actor-comedian said in a statement. “We simply couldn’t ignore the need to help.”

Celebrities will appeal for donations for hurricane victims during the first four hours of the telethon and its concluding four hours. The broadcast begins at 9 p.m. EDT Sunday and ends at 5:30 p.m. EDT Monday (check local listings for stations).

~snip~

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8. I wasn't aware of that.

Thank you for the updates.

[TomPainesBones]

4. I read yesterday

Jerry Lewis was going to use the telethon for both MDA and Katrina relief. Something about the first four hours and the last four hours dedicated to raising money for Katrina relief. Don't know if that will be the plan by Sunday though.

[Dogmudgeon]

5. Jerry already announced there would be

He's not going to ignore Katrina. It will be interesting to see how that actually turns out.

Neither cause can actually be "put aside", but neither do they have to be. Muscular Dystrophy (and other neuromuscular diseases) isn't going to go away tomorrow, and the fallout from Katrina will last for a good long time. Jerry -- and indeed all of us -- will have a full plate of concerns to share.

--p!

[spuddonna]

6. It has! Jerry said yesterday...

MDA is here 365, but this is horrible. They're going to give million to hurricane relief... will have people on to talk about it, too...

[niallmac]

7. I would have to be suffering from MD or have a loved one

who is before I could offer a judgement on this but I do feel there is a crisis going on, the immediacy of which could perhaps transcend tradition...on edit..as usual by the time i post my brilliance the story clears up. Good for Jerry. It's his decision to make.