SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD:
JERRY LEWIS OVERCOMES MENINGITIS TO PUSH MDA TELETHON TO $53.1 MILLION RECORD

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 6, 1999 -- Jerry Lewis opened his 34th annual Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) singing "Sitting on Top of the World," partnered with Martin Short to create an extraordinary comedic moment with a "No Business Like Show Business" duet, had fun being politically incorrect with Bill Maher and soloed with "They All Laughed". Then, double vision, debilitating head pain and elevated blood pressure caused by the viral meningitis he's been fighting since Aug. 1 forced him to leave the stage.

Thanks to Telethon anchor Ed McMahon, as well as Telethon cohosts Jann Carl, Cynthia Garrett, Norm Crosby and Walter Anderson, Jerry's inability to continue after the first three hours didn't stop the Labor Day tradition he initiated in 1966 from progressing seamlessly. Jerry returned at 11 a.m. (PDT) to close the last four hours of the 21 1/2-hour broadcast that reaches 75 million TV viewers. The Telethon raised a record $53.1 million ($53,116,417) in pledges and contributions. It was broadcast by some 200 TV stations, as well as Webcast live on the Internet in English, Spanish and Japanese.

Lewis conducted the Young Musicians Foundation orchestra in a spirited rendition of "Eine Kleine Nacht Musik" by Mozart. He treated the audience by performing some of his great physical comedy routines. He made several passionate appeals for public support, and closed the show with his signature song, "You'll Never Walk Alone."

"I'm thrilled and grateful for the support of our viewers, and filled with hope that the dollars we've raised will translate into new research breakthroughs to help us conquer the muscle-wasting diseases," said Lewis, MDA national chairman and Telethon star.

"Just this week, MDA investigators at Ohio State University and the University of Pennsylvania began the world's first gene therapy safety trial for muscular dystrophy. It could very well be the payoff we've all been working so hard to achieve, and Telethon contributions will help make this dream a reality."

Lewis praised the many celebrities who appeared with him on the broadcast. "They're the best of the best, and they're more than happy to lend their talents in support of MDA's urgent cause," he said.

Many performers appeared live with Lewis at CBS Television City in Hollywood, while others appeared courtesy of satellite feeds and taped segments from New York, Las Vegas, Chicago and elsewhere. Featured celebrities included LeAnn Rimes, Jason Alexander, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra Jr., Three Dog Night, Maureen McGovern, Monica Mancini and Charo.

Special VH-1 segments featured such performers as Sheryl Crow, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Mariah Carey, Dave Matthews, Tina Turner, the Goo Goo Dolls, Cyndi Lauper and Sugar Ray.

The Telethon also featured historical highlights, including Jerry Lewis performing with Johnny Carson, Robert Goulet, Mel Torme, Sammy Davis Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Tony Bennett, as well as the historic Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis reunion that Frank Sinatra orchestrated in 1976.

This year, the Telethon became the world's first live, multilingual Internet event, with streaming video in English, Spanish and Japanese, the three most common languages of the Web. CyraCom International provided the United Nation's-style translations, and the streaming audio and video were courtesy of RealNetworks' Real Broadcast Network.

"Who could have predicted a decade ago that people in Japan, New Zealand, Venezuela and dozens of other nations would be able not only to access our Telethon live via home computers, but also to hear it in their own languages?" Lewis said. "This weekend, that's exactly what happened."

Along with the entertainment, the broadcast featured profiles about families fighting progressive muscle-wasting disorders, as well as reports on the status of MDA-funded research into gene therapy and other potential treatments to combat these diseases.

MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat 40 neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. The Association's programs are funded almost entirely by individual private contributors.

MDA annually funds some 400 scientific research teams worldwide. These investigators have made significant advances toward cures for several muscle-wasting diseases. They've pioneered breakthroughs that may lead to therapies for heart disease, cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and cystic fibrosis. Lewis and MDA have been recognized by the American Medical Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award "for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity." For information about MDA, and/or referrals to MDA clinics, call (800) 572-1717, or visit MDA's Web site at www.mda.org.

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