Defunct Annual Telethons

[Mario500]

Children's Miracle Network
Easter Seals

The MDA telethon might join this list after this year

I was right

The program from the MDA scheduled for this year was still called a telethon on their official World Wide Web site even with the new name "MDA Show of Strength".

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Children's Miracle Network
Easter Seals

The MDA telethon might join this list after this year

I was right

The program from the MDA scheduled for this year was still called a telethon on their official World Wide Web site even with the new name "MDA Show of Strength".

It will probably be a three hour infomercial with an 800 number at the bottom, like the St. Jude's infomercials

 

[azumanga]

The program from the MDA scheduled for this year was still called a telethon on their official World Wide Web site even with the new name "MDA Show of Strength".

It will probably be a three hour infomercial with an 800 number at the bottom, like the St. Jude's infomercials

As I read, the "Show of Strength" will be like the previous telethons, with celebrities, musical guests (this year, a bunch of A-listers for a change), profiles of Jerry's kids and local cut-ins -- albeit in a 3-hour format.

 

[crainbebo]

Which like I've said before-make it special for only three hours, but I still won't watch it. I miss Jerry Lewis, the toteboard, "What the World Needs Now", and the 21-hour format.

Back in 2010 when the final 21-hr telethon aired, I watched the start on Sunday night on WGN America at a relative's house in Eastern Washington, rather than staying in Seattle and watching a chopped up 8hr version on KCPQ.

-crainbebo

 

[ShawnHill1]

I don't think the UNCF telethon has aired since Lou Rawls died.

The UNCF telethon is still around in some form, but it's no longer a live presentation. Now, it's a three-show show with mostly musical acts, with the show taped each November, with it airing the following January/February (depending on the year).

 

[jwk1979]

I don't think the UNCF telethon has aired since Lou Rawls died.

The UNCF telethon is still around in some form, but it's no longer a live presentation. Now, it's a three-show show with mostly musical acts, with the show taped each November, with it airing the following January/February (depending on the year).

And it's usually a tribute to some musical legend, also. One year, it was billed as "A Night of Stars Tribute to Stevie Wonder" while another year, it was billed as "A Night of Stars Tribute to Aretha Franklin".

In Knoxville, one of the local stations would host the "March of Dimes Telerama" every year in either late January or early February. When WBIR held it when they were the CBS affliate, they would usually have a few "Stars" from some of the CBS shows on hand, such as Ken Curtis as "Festus", Pat Buttram as "Mr. Haney", Tina Cole from "My Three Sons", ect. and they usually appeared in character. When it moved to WATE, then the NBC affliate, it was always hosted by some guy named Billy Lee and usually had guest appearances by some of the actors from the NBC soap operas. The "March of Dimes Telerama" was pretty much cancelled when the NFL moved the Super Bowl from early or Mid January to late January/early February in the early 80s.

 

[johnnya2k6]

Which like I've said before-make it special for only three hours, but I still won't watch it. I miss Jerry Lewis, the toteboard, "What the World Needs Now", and the 21-hour format.

That's your opinion, but let's face it: Times are indeed changing, and those elements of the old MDA telethon won't fly these days with 500-plus other channels and YouTube already at our disposal. It's 2012; deal with it!

(Okay, what I won't miss is those boring corporate check presentations, though they always save the firefighters' one for last)

 

[WMC2006]

(Okay, what I won't miss is those boring corporate check presentations, though they always save the firefighters' one for last)

It was quite painful to watch some of those people struggle through their check presentations when it was quite obvious they didn't want to be on television but they were there because their companies sent to them to do it. Then again, they did it. I am not the public speaker type at all. I'd freeze, sit there, sweat, and probably faint. ;D

 

[azumanga]

(Okay, what I won't miss is those boring corporate check presentations, though they always save the firefighters' one for last)

It was quite painful to watch some of those people struggle through their check presentations when it was quite obvious they didn't want to be on television but they were there because their companies sent to them to do it. Then again, they did it. I am not the public speaker type at all. I'd freeze, sit there, sweat, and probably faint. ;D

Of course, with the old telethon, they would talk about their company (especially in their first appearance) and give a check, returning a couple of hours later, promising an even bigger check, and so on until the end of the telethon.

 

[ShowLow]

I have a feeling the way ratings are the "love network" stations had allot to say about cutting back from 21 then 6 and now 3 hours. In this world it's all about squeezing every last dime and I am sure the economy hasn't helped. The stations probably said take this air time or leave it and the MDA is taking what they can. I am surprised the 21 hour gig lasted as long as it did.