2011 MDA Telethon To Be Jerry's Last

The following was announced today from MDA:

One of the world's greatest humanitarians of all time, Jerry Lewis has announced he's retiring as host of the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon.  "As a labor of love, I've hosted the annual Telethon since 1966, and I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.  I'll continue to serve MDA as its National Chairman – as I've done since the early 1950's.  I'll never desert MDA and my kids."

Having banked some 900 hours of live television time encouraging America to help fuel worldwide research seeking treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases, while simultaneously enabling MDA to provide unparalleled medical and health care services through its national network of some 200 hospital-affiliated clinics, Lewis today confirmed,  "It's time for an all new Telethon era. This year's six hour prime-time Telethon on September 4 will be spectacular, and I'm thrilled to be part of it.  We're so close to treatments that it's absolutely vital for everyone to tune in and make a generous donation.  America has always found a way each year to give me that just one dollar more to help my kids."

MDA President & CEO Gerald C. Weinberg said, "As MDA continues the growth Jerry Lewis has done so much to inspire, all of us who've been privileged to work beside him, and the hundreds of thousands throughout the world affected by the myriad of muscle diseases MDA battles, will acknowledge in our hearts forever the unrivaled role Jerry has played in our lives and the lives of all Americans.  We're deeply honored that Jerry Lewis will continue as MDA's National Chairman and we're profoundly grateful for everything he has done and is doing for the Association."

As an individual who has been part of the MDA Telethon, both on and off camera, I knew this day would come yet tried to forget it's inevitability.  I want to thank Jerry for everything he's done for the Telethon and the show will not be the same.

Rock Against Dystrophy: The Album Coming February 15th

Rock Against Dystrophy: The Album will be digitally distributed on Tuesday February 15, 2011 for iTunes (US), iTunes (Aus/NZ), iTunes (Canada), iTunes (UK/Europe), iTunes (Japan), iTunes (Mexico), Myspace Music, Zune, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, Amazon Mp3, Last.fm, Spotify, iLike, MOG, Tesco, La Curacao, Synacor, GetPlaylists, Secure Media, Intertech Media, InMotion Entertainment, Fox News, Moozone, WaTunes, Guvera (coming soon), GetGreenMusic, Immergent. All proceeds will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Here is the track listing:

• BLACK WATER RISING – RISE
• MISERY – MY TIME
• SNEW – WE DO WHAT WE WANT
• KILLCODE – BROKEN HEEL
• THINNING THE HERD – ON FIRE
• ATOM STRANGE – COSMIC DISTURBANCE
• BORGO PASS – ACEDOWN
• PANZIE* - DANCE (MOFO)
• TIRED WINGS – SCORPION
• GODS GREEN EARTH – TEARS OF THE BALTIC SEA
• GAS – BELIEVE NOTHING
• THE SAINTS OF PAIN – LITTLE WHISPERS
• WORLD FAMOUS SKULLS – GENTLEMAN GEEK
• ODD ZERO – SURREAL VOLATILE

Telethon Is My End Of Summer Tradition

Every year people make plans for vacations and barbecues to end their summers and I just sit and listen to those plans while secretly praying for a cloudy, disgusting Labor Day Weekend. Why do I pray to the metal gods to clouds? So that people will be more inclined to stay home in front of their televisions searching for something to watch and hope that it's the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. And that while they watch they are inclined to make a donation for a cause that doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Ever since the age of 4 my Labor Day weekend has been spent in a TV studio as MDA has gathered people who care to put on a show and inform people about a disease that's been around for decades and ask people to donate any amount they can afford to give in the hopes of a cure being discovered. And in those 26 years I've been part of every aspect of it from being a goodwill ambassador as a child to part of the production crew now. From being a young child just asking for people to help those like me to producing videos that share the lives in individuals with Muscular Dystrophy so that the viewers can see how the money they've donated over the years helps individuals with Muscular Dystrophy lead a life as close to normal as possible.

And I sit here now writing this on the eve of the Telethon and try to conserve my energy for another Labor Day weekend of working to make sure more people know about MDA and what it does. Making sure more money is raised towards finding a cure, towards helping a family afford a wheelchair, towards giving a child with a form of Muscular Dystrophy a week of fun at MDA Summer Camp, and so much more that I'd be here for days writing everything. And I think about how tired I will be by the end of the show and I can't think of anything else I'd want to do this weekend.

Barbecues happen all summer long and vacations can happen anytime of year. So why not join my Labor Day weekend tradition and be part of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon by watching it, making a donation and telling your friends and neighbors to do the same. This is a tradition that matters and can make a difference in a persons life.

Check your local listings for time and channel or go to www.MDA.org and make your donation now.

Rock Against Dystrophy To Be Featured On The MDA Telethon

The 2010 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon is this weekend and Rock Against Dystrophy will be there.

This past weekends Rock Against Dystrophy Karaoke Wheel of Death was filmed and will be aired during the last hour of the Telethon in the New York/New Jersey Area on My9.  John "Turbo" Shatesky, co-founder of Rock Against Dystrophy, will be live in studio to present a check for how much Rock Against Dystrophy has raised this year and will announce when and where the next Rock Against Dystrophy fundraiser will be happening.

New York/New Jersey viewers can tune in to My9 for the Telethon, which starts Sunday September 5th at 9PM EST.  All other areas check your local listings for time and channel.  And most importantly, please make a donation and help us knock out MD.

Beast Selects Best Metal CD

The Revolution Music Label is pleased to announce THE release called the Beast Selects Best Metal CD. The CD is to Raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association World Wide. 100% of the  proceeds of all Profits will go to MDA. There are many great artists that have donated songs to this project. These artists include Kickaxe, Tommy Vitali, Warmachine, Shangren,  Skew Siskin, Angel of the Nightfall, Autumnis, Publik Parking, Agent Cooper, Warpath, Tony Smotherman  and many many more artists.

Digital Downloads of this CD will be available in June through most outlets. Hard pressed CDS will also be made available by The Revolution Music Label.
CDS NOW AVAILABLE  at http://www.therevolutionmusic.com/members/1/?item=154

The Label also would like to thank Kelly Brightbill www.kellybrightbill.com the artist that designed the special cover for the Beast Selects Best Metal CD and Willy "The Beast" Forrest for acting as artist liaison and choosing the artists for the CD.

The Revolution Music Label would also like to announce that a sampler of this special Project will be made available through the purchase of printed copies of July's issue of Vocals Magazine www.vocalsmagazine.com and would like to also thank its media associates for participating in this project world wide.

ROCK AGAINST DYSTROPHY JUNE 12TH - BE THERE

Remember the first ROCK AGAINST DYSTROPHY event of the year is coming and we want EVERYONE to come and help out a great cause.  There is NO CURE and NO TREATMENT for any of the 40 different forms of Muscular Dystrophy.

So tell EVERYONE you know about it.  If you can't attend but wish to make a contribution please e-mail RockAgainstDystrophy@gmail.com and they'll e-mail you back how you can make your contribution.

The 2009 MDA Telethon is THIS weekend

Yes it is that time again, the 2009 MDA Telethon has arrived. And for yours truly this will be my 25th Telethon. Over the years I have had the pleasure to work with so many great people; Frankie Avalon, John Tesh, Maureen McGovern and the late-great Sammy Davis Jr.

And this year is no different as I once again get to work with Russ Saulsberg and Giovanna Drpic from NY/NJ's MY9 News and the incomparable Tony Orlando. My very first Telethon was with Tony so it's only right that my 25th be with him as well.

This year will be the same as recent years past as I work behind the scenes with the production crew and present another patient profile that I produced with my friends Brendan and Adam at Plywood Pictures. This years video is on Corey and Eric Ryan, twins from Central Islip, NY who share my idea that we are individuals that happen to have Muscular Dystrophy and that it does not prevent us from living our lives. It will also feature the song "The Days Are Just Packed" by Dame Fortune and look for their album The Secret Art on iTunes.

I'll be hitting the studio tomorrow and will get details as to when I will be appearing on air here in the NY/ NJ area where the 2009 MDA Telethon came be seen on MY9. Once I have my on air schedule I'll post it here.

I'll also be doing updates whenver possible over Twitter and ask that all of you on Twitter help make the Telethon a top trend topic by tweeting #MDATelethon as much as possible this weekend.

For everyone outside the NY/NJ area check you local listings and to make a donation go to www.mda.org.


-- Posted from my iPhone