Las Vegas Weekly

September 6, 2010 · 5:28 PM

Photos: Jerry Lewis’ MDA Telethon raises nearly $59 million

By Don Chareunsy

The 2010 Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon at South Point. Lewis is pictured here with Jon Voight.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

By Don Chareunsy, Vegas DeLuxe editor

Entertainment legend Jerry Lewis’ 45th Annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon raised $58,919,838 over the Labor Day Weekend at South Point, and contributing photographer Tom Donoghue was onsite for these candid and exclusive photographs of Lewis and behind the scenes at the telethon.

Donoghue was approved for a private photo shoot last night at the telethon, and it allowed him to photograph MDA Chairman Lewis, Caesars Palace headliner Matt Goss, The Mirage headliner Terry Fator, The Bold and the Beautiful star and one-man show with a cast of thousands entertainer Jeff Trachta, American Idol producer and So You Think You Can Dance creator Nigel Lythgoe and American Idol alumni David Archuleta and Ace Young.

Donoghue told Vegas DeLuxe, “It was quite heartwarming to be on the Jerry Lewis set for about an hour. … A couple of thoughts I overheard really touched deep. ‘It’s not the breath you take, it’s how you breathe,’ and ‘I don’t want to make tire tracks anymore, I want to make footprints.’ ”

This is the fifth consecutive year that the telethon has been held at South Point; the telethon returned here in 2006 from the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Despite the economic downturn, the total was only about $1.5 million less than last year. Other performers during the nearly 22-hour event included Barry Manilow, Enrique Iglesias, Norm Crosby, Charo, Carrot Top, Michael Feinstein, Richard Belzer, Michael Legrand and Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis.

Senior Editor John Katsilometes has been blogging about this year’s telethon nonstop for his The Kats Report on LasVegasSun.com; be sure to check out his reports. Vegas DeLuxe congratulates Jerry Lewis on $58,919,838 raised for his kids!

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

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