September 2, 2000 It's either "as American an institution as apple pie" or "an annual ritual of tears and guilt" that reflects society's paternalistic attitudes toward the disabled. Either way -- and ...

The "Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon" is an annual fund-raising event that lasts overnight—the 1998 telethon, for instance, ran for more than 21 hours—and involves an array of entertainers. The ...