MDA: Jerry Lewis Out As Chairman, Telethon Host

[azumanga]

WGN America is also all-local (to Chicago).

WGN America's coverage is running from 6PM to 1AM ET, so I assume, as in the past, what we see on WGN America is what Chicagoland sees on WGN-TV.

KTXA has volunteers to call, but the only number listed is the national 800 number.

In Tampa Bay, WFTS's coverage have also used the national number the last several years which, somehow, connects to local phones.

This leads me to agree that the national feed when it starts is probably completely taped.

That being said, any know what the final tote is, as I type this? (Especially since WBKI jot the jump on the telethon earlier today.)

The hosts (Alison, Jan, Nancy and Lythgoe) did take some time after the opening titles to pay a nice, proper tribute to, um ... "HIM."

In other words, the hosts treat him like Voldemort and call Jerry "The Host that is not to be named."

One more thing, the show appears to be in HD.

NOW that Jerry is gone, the show goes HD. What a way to treat an institution.

 

[Joe_Capitano]

In other words, the hosts treat him like Voldemort and call Jerry "The Host that is not to be named."

Let me clarify. They did mention him by name in the tribute, as they should. There also were images on Jerry on the screens. Even went on to use the phrase "Jerry's Kids".

 

[Jul]

WPHL-TV in Philly airing the telethon from 6 PM until 12 AM .

 

[KML0224]

WTIC-TV (FOX) channel 61 of Hartford is airing it form 6 pm to midnight eastern time.

 

[Braves2005]

Switched back and forth from KMYS-35 in San Antonio's coverage of the MDA Telethon and WGN is showing Lady Antebellum's performance from the Grand Ole Opry which is definitely taped and then KMYS is showing local coverage.

 

[Studio20]

Bottom line of this of course is that all patients with muscle diseases benefit from the efforts here.

What we see is a fair amount of sincerity from the Four White Folks, but a very antiseptic,clean and predictable approach before a hand picked studio audience watching a show with all the excitement and thrills of a live infomercial.

Jerry Lewis is our last link, however bombastic and over the top, to the "golden days" of entertainmnent. Bits of vaudeville, radio, lots of stand up, and lounge singers with a three piece band all rolled into a "whats going to happen next mentality" that kept us if not glued, certainly interested enough to tune in more than a few times over the two day run.

 

[charlestondxman]

Here the telethon is running the whole six hours on WCSC. WCSC ran the entire 21 1/2 hours until this year, and did it forever. WCSC even had HD local segments the last two years before MDA went HD this year.

There's about an eight minute local break at the top and bottom of every hour, and that is it.

 

[Joe_Capitano]

You may have noticed a common "bottom third" graphic this year. A blue background with a yellow thing on the left, and the 1 800 'FIGHT MD' number seems to be the only number nationwide. (This is based on NY, Chicago and Seattle. Your market may vary.)

Haven't seen hide nor hair of Mr. Parr since the open. Last year, he was practically a co-host.

 

[The Youngest Oldie]

What happened to Tony Orlando? He was always a telethon staple as well.

 

[Braves2005]

What happened to Tony Orlando? He was always a telethon staple as well.

How about Casey Kasem and Wayne Newton? I always thought Wayne Newton would have been heir apparant for something like this and Casey Kasem has been there for years now.

 

[charlestondxman]

Last national toteboard I heard was something like $27 million at 11:50 or so. Some of the local stations out West and in other time zones are going past the national end of the telethon or taping it. Charleston also did the yellow and blue tote.

 

[Joe_Capitano]

What happened to Tony Orlando?

He wasn't invited - nor was the house band for the New York show. No time for him to perform under the new format, sadly. Russ Saltzman did note that he was watching on satellite.

Which leads us to the first Final Tote of the night: New York City (WWOR) ended the night on $5,702,146 -$100K ahead of last year. Let's see how the rest of the country fares.

 

[azumanga]

Last national toteboard I heard was something like $27 million at 11:50 or so.

Was that the same total that WBKI had when they ended the telethon at 6PM?

Some of the local stations out West and in other time zones are going past the national end of the telethon or taping it.

Which is why final totes for the short-form telethon should not be believed, as it is still in progress from Central Time westward. Heck, KITV won't be finished with their telethon until 12 Midnight local time (6AM ET). In fact, as I type this, I bet the telethon is just getting started there.

Charleston also did the yellow and blue tote.

As is the Tampa Bay area and WFTS, though they had the "1-800-FIGHT-MD" number as a local call-in number the last several years. Apparently, the MDA wanted all its Love Network affiliates to use the same look and the same number, though it'll be tricky for WGN and stations along the Canadian border (such as WMYD Detroit and WGRZ Buffalo) to mention the number for the Canadian MD charity, as they have been using the MDA telethon for fund raising in the past.

 

[johnnya2k6]

As for the closer this time: "You'll Never Walk Alone" is out, "God Bless America" is in.

Oh, and Maureen McGovern was the only telethon staple performing this year; this was her 35th (I think; I'll check the DVD).

 

[Rollo-Smokes]

He wasn't invited - nor was the house band for the New York show. No time for him to perform under the new format, sadly. Russ Saltzman did note that he was watching on satellite.

That's Russ SALZBERG.

 

[azumanga]

What happened to Tony Orlando?

He wasn't invited - nor was the house band for the New York show. No time for him to perform under the new format, sadly. Russ Saltzman did note that he was watching on satellite.

Is that the best they can do for the New York segment -- have WWOR's sports guy as host?

Which leads us to the first Final Tote of the night: New York City (WWOR) ended the night on $5,702,146 -$100K ahead of last year. Let's see how the rest of the country fares.

WFTS in Tampa Bay had about $350K or so on the board about 2.5 hours into the show -- pretty healthy for a new version of the telethon with a time constraint, no notable hosts and a lack of notable, live talent. Even the corporate segments were rushed, and those who given checks only gave one check, instead of before, when they start out small and build their way to that big, final check.

Though to be honest, they have lost me as a viewer for future editions. Without Jerry, and only 6 hours to do the work, the telethon was practically even blander than last year.

 

[Joe_Capitano]

That's Russ SALZBERG.

Don't get snippy. I'm not a New Yorker.

Is that the best they can do for the New York segment -- have WWOR's sports guy as host?

Well, they did have Brenda from the news and the Ace of Idol, if you will.

 

[azumanga]

As for the closer this time: "You'll Never Walk Alone" is out, "God Bless America" is in.

Personally, it's a good thing, as "You'll Never Walk Alone" is Jerry's song, and they think it's best if only he could sing it.

But could they find something better than "God Bless America"? Personally, I find it ridiculous that, instead of singing a musical number to show that they care for Jerry's Kids, they sing a song about patriotism and religion. And singing a song about America is a poor choice, as the MDA threw out the entire states of Mississippi, North Dakota and Vermont when they were paring down their Love Network affiliation lists.

 

[bsmith8259]

WLFL CW 22 in Raleigh-Durham had a final tote of $337,811 for the night of the MDA Labor Day Telethon.

 

[Mario500]

Did WGN-TV and WGN America broadcast any of the national telethon live? At the time of this post I heard the end of the national telethon after was scheduled to end by 11:00 PM Central time. Were all of the segments between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM Central time local segments?