Community Chat

[dooBdoo]

On 3/20/2015 Cakers1 said:

Hi doobs! Thank you for the Snopes report - that rumor about JL being paid has been around since the telethon began. One doesn't have to like JL but give the man credit where credit is due.

The MDA would have long ago been investigated if they were falsely reporting their expenditures.

Hi, Cakers! I've heard the misinformation a few times. At times it seems that people don't like someone so they find a way to try and discredit them, even if it takes inaccurate rumors. I agree with your comment wholeheartedly.

[Lucky Charm]

Somebody was snockered......

[Cakers1]

On 3/20/2015 Lucky charm said:

Somebody was snockered......

Not me!

[dooBdoo]

On 3/20/2015 Cakers1 said:

On 3/20/2015 Lucky charm said:

Somebody was snockered......

Not me!

Not, me, either... but it's cocktail time somewhere.

[Cakers1]

[terrier3]

On 3/20/2015 Ford1224 said:

On 3/19/2015 terrier3 said:

On 3/19/2015 Ford1224 said:

I'm old enough to remember that very well. It was thought for a long time that he would not live very long. And here he has outlived them all. Ironic, yes?

After having worked for MDA, I wouldn't believe a word he ever said - not about his health...not about ANYTHING!

Really Terrier? Was he a total fake?

Yes. He was and probably still is a total fake.

No, he didn't take cash.....BUT -

He lived in homes owned by MDA - he drove cars leased to MDA, he flew in private planes or first class on the MDA's dime, he charged meals to MDA, the expensive gifts he gave (and the HUGE salaries he paid his directors) - all thru MDA. Same thing with our regional director...he made hundreds of thousands of dollars a year (late 70s) and wrote off his Mercedes, his vacations (the bosses always went for long retreats to places like Palm Springs), etc. - all written off as expenses to MDA.

They are ways of stealing w/o taking cash - which is why I posted the story about the dog he gave to his regional director's wife...along with the expensive LV travel case...ALL thru MDA funds.

Another scam they pulled - every summer camp, we would have to buy expensive stereo equipment - receivers, tuners, speakers, etc. for use of the kids at camp...Sony TVs too. The son of the regional director was in charge of picking them out. Then, for 3 years in a row (my best friend was camp director), they would all turn up STOLEN a day or two before camp ended - it was a 2 week camp. They would send the claim to the insurance company - along with the receipts - even back in the late 70s, it would be many thousands of dollars worth filed each year. My friend was devastated and tried to find out who the crook was in year #3...a few weeks later, she tracked down equipment for sale in the paper's classified - the phone number was the SON of the director. He was fencing the stuff he obviously stole from camp. When she went to the director and told him about this plot - instead of thanking her - she was fired on the spot and told she would never get another social work job in town if she said anything about the theft....and if she told the police, it would adversely affect "Jerry's Kids" and she would be responsible if the camp was closed down or if donations were down. So she stayed quiet.

When the books were audited and new people came on the board of directors, Jerry "left" the telethon...no reason was ever really given (except he was very sick). Well he's still around but he no longer runs MDA. I think they knew that if he was arrested or they publicly stated all he was given as perks - donations would go down and the kids would suffer....so they stayed quiet, but kicked him and his friends out of positions with any influence.

The dollar amounts raised that they post up on TV were totally false too. We had the REAL numbers that came in through the phone bank at our local affiliates...we would report them to telethon central - then were told what number to announce on the local TV station. It was always lower than what was actually raised. They said they needed to keep the number lower for "reporting purposes". They said that they always wanted to be a LITTLE ahead of the year before - but never wanted to look like they made a ton of money.

When that happened, I was furious! I had worked hard for almost one year preparing for Labor Day....not being able to report what we had REALLY raised seemed totally wrong too. I never got a straight answer why. The final number we put up on our local TV station was about 25% less than what we raised locally. When I objected, I was told if I gave the REAL numbers to the TV station producers, I would be fired and would never work again (just like my friend was told). I quit the next day, I was so disgusted!

BTW - The public was encouraged to bring in cash from firefighter boot days, bake sales, etc. The cash money went into a huge fishbowl. We counted the money and gave the total to the regional director...he made out the bank receipts (in private) and made the deposit himself. Since the event ended on Labor Day night - he brought the thousands of cash home for "safekeeping" and deposited the money on Tuesday when the banks reopened.

Remember, he had us MISrerepresent the amount raised on TV by 25%.

Hmmmmmm...

I was happy (years later) when MDA quietly but effectively cut out Jerry and his cronies.

[terrier3]

On 3/20/2015 Cakers1 said:

Hi doobs! Thank you for the Snopes report - that rumor about JL being paid has been around since the telethon began. One doesn't have to like JL but give the man credit where credit is due.

The MDA would have long ago been investigated if they were falsely reporting their expenditures.

That is why when new members of the board investigated salaries, perks, etc. - they removed Jerry and his buddies active participation in MDA.

He didn't take CASH - he just wrote off most of his life to MDA as business expenses....until he was removed by the new (more on the ball) board.

According to Snopes, he was totally removed from MDA in 2011...remember how quiet it was????

[Cakers1]

On 3/20/2015 terrier3 said:

On 3/20/2015 Cakers1 said:

Hi doobs! Thank you for the Snopes report - that rumor about JL being paid has been around since the telethon began. One doesn't have to like JL but give the man credit where credit is due.

The MDA would have long ago been investigated if they were falsely reporting their expenditures.

That is why when new members of the board investigated salaries, perks, etc. - they removed Jerry and his buddies active participation in MDA.

He didn't take CASH - he just wrote off most of his life to MDA as business expenses....until he was removed by the new (more on the ball) board.

According to Snopes, he was totally removed from MDA in 2011...remember how quiet it was????

terrier: Are you saying that since 1966 the MDA had the SAME board members? And remember he actually started prior to that with Dean Martin. I'm not buying this.

The fact remains the MDA still has to account for all the $$ taken in and expended; if the MDA was laundering $$ or not declaring all of their donations, how does JL factor into that?

As far as the lower $$ amt - I see that as a push to get more donations - set the goal a little higher if you will. Nothing there to see.

Where are these houses that the MDA owned and supposedly housed JL?

And why shouldn't he claim his own personal expenses? Since when does that indicate something shady going on?

And finally - the stolen equipment at the summer camp - that's on the regional director.

I think you are posting some of this for a reaction more than as a factual summation of all the wrongs JL committed along with the MDA.

[Tinkrbl44]

On 3/20/2015 Cakers1 said:

On 3/20/2015 Tinkrbl44 said:

<br class="quote_author" />

Jerry Lewis is a real CREEP ...... and those telethons he was hosting all those years? ...... he insisted on being paid a rather large PERCENTAGE of the donations .... he wasn't doing it for free because he's a nice guy.

He wanted MONEY for his efforts.

(How do I know? ...... I know his ex-wife, who got snockered one night and spilled the beans ..... she was much too drunk to have any filters.)

I don't believe you. The MDA annual report has to disclose where every dime is spent, including $ from the telethon. It is a false rumor that JL ever received a dime for his work; the MDA alone has stated that he is their most committed volunteer.

This isn't the first time you have posted misinformaion and I don't believe for one minute you know his wife.

Oh please ....... whether you believe me or not, I KNOW what Patti said, and why would she lie? There's more than one way to skim funds from fundraising.

Believe what you want .... you probably also believe that all those women are just trying to smear poor old Bill Cosby, too.

[Cakers1]

On 3/20/2015 Tinkrbl44 said:

On 3/20/2015 Cakers1 said:

On 3/20/2015 Tinkrbl44 said:

<br class="quote_author" />

Jerry Lewis is a real CREEP ...... and those telethons he was hosting all those years? ...... he insisted on being paid a rather large PERCENTAGE of the donations .... he wasn't doing it for free because he's a nice guy.

He wanted MONEY for his efforts.

(How do I know? ...... I know his ex-wife, who got snockered one night and spilled the beans ..... she was much too drunk to have any filters.)

I don't believe you. The MDA annual report has to disclose where every dime is spent, including $ from the telethon. It is a false rumor that JL ever received a dime for his work; the MDA alone has stated that he is their most committed volunteer.

This isn't the first time you have posted misinformaion and I don't believe for one minute you know his wife.

Oh please ....... whether you believe me or not, I KNOW what Patti said, and why would she lie? There's more than one way to skim funds from fundraising.

Believe what you want .... you probably also believe that all those women are just trying to smear poor old Bill Cosby, too.

What a horrible thing to say - I've been VERY vocal AGAINST Bill. Try to keep up.

I notice you said nothing to dooBdoo and she was the one who posted the Snopes link.

Have a nice evening.

psst: I still don't believe you.