The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

CUSTOM

IN RECENT YEARS IT HAS BEEN A CUSTOM FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW SOMEONE WHO
HAS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY--OR EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW ANYONE--TO
WATCH THE JERRY LEWIS TELETHON ON LABOR DAY. THE TELETHON IS A 20
HOUR PROGRAM IN WHICH ENTERTAINER JERRY LEWIS WHO IS NATIONAL
CHAIRMAN OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATIONS OF AMERICA, INC. TRIES
TO RAISE MONEY TO FIGHT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY. THE FIRST TELEVISED
TELETHON' IN 1969, RAISED ROUGHLY $2 MILLION. LAST YEAR,S TELETHON
IN 1975, RAISED OVER $18 MILLION. THE JERRY LEWIS TELETHON ALWAYS
RECEIVES OVER 100 PER CENT OF MONEY PLEDGED, WHILE OTHER TELETHONS
ARE LUCKY TO RECEIVE 75 PER CENT.

Submitter comment: ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT REALLY FOLKLORE, WHEN IN THE FUTURE WE LOOK
BACK I BELIEVE IT WILL BE CONSIDERED AS SUCH, OR CLOSE TO IT. THE
SUCCESS OF THE TELETHON IN COLLECTING PLEDGES INDICATES ITS
POPULARITY. PEOPLE SENSE THE SINCERITY OF JERRY LEWIS AND BELIEVE
THE MONEY WILL BE USED AS HE SAYS IT WILL. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
DEVOTE AT LEAST A LITTLE OF THEIR LABOR DAY HOLIDAY TO WATCHING THE
TELETHON. SOME PEOPLE WATCH ALL OF IT. THE TELETHON HAS SPREAD IN
POPULARITY LARGELY BY WORD OF MOUTH. IF PEOPLE ARE THAT INTERESTED
IN HELPING THOSE LESS FORTUNATE THAN THEMSELVES, I HAVE TO THINK
WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT