Lewis steps down as telethon host

Two linked Las Vegas legends made end-of-an-era news Monday.

The Sahara closed its doors for the last time -- and former Sahara headliner Jerry Lewis announced he was stepping down as the host of the Muscular Dystrophy Association's annual Labor Day telethon following a 45-year run.

When the telethon returns Sept. 4, it will air for six hours rather than the usual 21½ -- and Lewis' appearance will consist of a final rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone," his signature telethon song.

"It's time for an all-new telethon era," Lewis said in a statement MDA officials released Monday from the organization's Tucson, Ariz., headquarters.

Despite his reduced telethon role, "I'll continue to serve MDA as its national chairman as I've done since the early 1950s," Lewis said in the MDA news release. "I'll never desert MDA and my kids."

Since the telethon began on a single New York television station in 1966, the show has raised more than $2 billion to fund research for muscular dystrophy, ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) and related diseases.

Last year's show raised almost $59 million.

"We're so thankful to have Jerry Lewis continuing on," MDA spokesman Jim Brown said in a telephone interview. "We always intended to have Jerry involved in the show."

But rather than having the 85-year-old Las Vegan serve as master of ceremonies, an "ensemble cast" will handle the hosting duties, Brown said.

Lewis' reduced role on the MDA broadcast likely will reduce Las Vegas' role as well.

"The show is many weeks away," said Brown, who cited New York, Los Angeles and Chicago as possible venues.

Las Vegas has been the telethon's home base, on and off, for 28 years, debuting in 1973 -- the same year the benefit broadcast broke the $10 million mark in donations.

Three years later, the show's "Love Network" topped 200 stations -- which broadcast a reunion between Lewis and his former partner, Dean Martin. (Dino's Rat Pack pal, frequent telethon guest Frank Sinatra, reportedly arranged it.)

After the telethon's initial Sahara stint, the show moved to Caesars Palace in 1982 until 1989, when Cashman Center provided the backdrop. The show then moved to Los Angeles for a year before returning to the Sahara from 1991-94.

From 1995 to 2005, however, the telethon originated from Southern California, before returning to Las Vegas -- and to the South Point, the broadcast's base from 2006 through 2010.

Last October, MDA officials announced a change in the show's format -- and a drastic reduction in its running time.

"Over time, we have to make sure we're being responsive to the changing entertainment base," Brown commented, saying "the fast format for this year's show," plus the extended prime-time slot, would make it "easier for the biggest acts in America to say yes."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact reporter Carol Cling at ccling@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272.