Link (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118040856)

The Muscular Dystrophy Assn. has cut off its association with Jerry Lewis.

The 85-year-old iconic comedian and actor, who has long been the symbol of the MDA, has been relieved of his duties as host of the Labor Day Telethon that he has hosted since 1966.

MDA chairman R. Rodney Howell said in a press release: "Jerry Lewis is a world-class humanitarian and we're forever grateful to him for his more than half century of generous service to MDA. We will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman, and he will not be appearing on the telethon."

That might be news to Lewis, who indicated last week at the Television Critics Assn. tour he would be likely be appearing on the telethon in some capacity.

Lewis, who was at TCA Friday to promote an upcoming Encore docu on his life, snapped at a reporter when asked if the upcoming telethon would be his final one?

"How does it feels now that this will be the last one?" asked a scribe in attendance.

"Who told you that?" Lewis responded.

"I don't know. I read it somewhere," said the reporter.

"I never read it," Lewis answered back. "Anything you read, read it twice."

Lewis also said he was going to hold a worldwide press conference after the telethon to announce his plans with MDA.

When a spokesman for MDA was asked to elaborate on why Lewis would think he was coming back, he said, "The press release has all the information we'd like to share at this time."

Sigh. I think it would have made me feel much better had this been a voluntary thing. As it is, there's the air of dismissal and ingratitude and that's a terrible shame.

Is it time for someone else to take the reigns? Sure, and they more or less have. Lewis' time on the telethon has been greatly reduced in the past few years, understandably. The man's 85 years old! Why not just allow him to always be a part of the telethon, even if it's a taped 15 minute message or something? He's put MDA on the map and helped raise untold amounts of dollars since 1966 (and before).

It's always the same these days on tv. Once you get old, you're not wanted anymore.

It's always the same these days on tv. Once you get old, you're not wanted anymore.

Sometimes seems that way in life, too, lol.

I've posted this story before, from Jerry's book, Jerry Lewis in Person
(1982). Right now, it bears repeating ...

"I remember meeting a wheelchair manufacturer who said he couldn't bring the price down on his chairs. He said we weren't ordering enough. I said, 'Thank you. I'll go home tonight and pray that a lot more children will get sick so we can order more chairs.'

"Here's the classic of all time: I'm at a meeting with the president of a major corporation, and after spilling my guts for a good half-hour, trying to get a contribution out of his firm, he says, 'My business is making automobiles. I'm not in the business of working for cripples.'

"I can't believe that I really heard what he said. But I know I'm never going to forget it.

"So I say, 'I'd like to have another meeting with you tomorrow and bring a friend. Would it be all right?'

"He says, 'Fine.'

I brought along a poster child; wheeled in this beautiful eight-year-old boy and introduced him to the industrialist. 'Now, would you kindly repeat to him what you said to me yesterday?'"