Not Your Mama's Charity Telethon: How Livestream Fundraising Will Dominate the World of Giving

If you’re under 35, you may never have heard of the Jerry Lewis Telethon. But back in the day, it rocked my world. The telethon was an annual marathon television event that raised millions for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, hosted live with schmaltz and sentimentality by Jerry Lewis.

Stringing together celebrities, performances and telephones every Labor Day for 46 years, Lewis created an exciting and exhausting extravaganza that coaxed dollars out of wallets for a good cause. I was glued to my TV every year for this event, and it’s what first inspired me to become a philanthropist.