Jerry Lewis no longer MDA's national chairman

AP – 4 mins 26 secs ago

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Comedian Jerry Lewis is no longer serving as the MDA national chairman and won't be appearing on this year's Labor Day telethon, the nonprofit agency announced Wednesday night.

Lewis, 85, has been the MDA's national chairman since the early 1950s and has hosted the Labor DayMuscular Dystrophy Association telethon since 1966.

He announced in May that he was retiring as host of the telethon that has become synonymous with his name. But Lewis added that he planned to make his final appearance on this year's Sept. 4, show and planned on continuing to serve as MDA's national chairman.

MDA Chairman of the Board R. Rodney Howell said in a statement that Lewis "will not be appearing on the telethon" and "we will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman."