THE MDA KEVIN HART KIDS TELETHON
Written by Brittany Styles on September 10, 2020
Kevin Hart is reviving the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Telethon, and it will be a must watch event! Saturday, October 24th at 7pm.
Like most things this year, the event will be virtual. However, it will be star studded and the message will remain the same. Raise awareness and funds for Muscular Dystrophy! Prepare for a night of comedy and musical performances, see research efforts, and hear stories from families affected by the disease. Jack Black, Usain Bolt, Josh Gad, Michael B. Jordan, Eva Longoria, and Jillian Mercado are among the celebrities who will be part of the event!
There’s also a gaming element! Click here for more info!
History of the MDA Telethon
The Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon started in June of 1956. The idea was to raise awareness, and funds, for the disease. But they needed star power to get the attention of viewers across America! In 1966, it became the MDA Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. For the next 44 years, over Labor Day weekend, Jerry brought families together with some of the biggest names in the entertainment business, while raising awareness and donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. I remember watching the telethon for many hours as a kid, and my mom just reminded me that she and my dad would stay up all night to watch it. You would see celebrities taking phone calls for donations, and it was all very exciting! Those fundraising efforts have been “directly linked to the development of life-changing therapies for muscular dystrophy, ALS and related neuromuscular diseases.”
Rare duos, live performances, and special moments that will be forever remembered because of the telethon’s existence! Like this one. Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. in 1987! And watch more great memories on MDA’s YouTube channel!
“On May 1, 2015, MDA made the difficult decision to end its historic telethon tradition.” But it’s time to revive the telethon with a new host, but the same message. Time to create some new memories for the YouTube vault! Finally, something positive in 2020! Yes!
Cover Photo Image Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP |
