Blind Item #8 - The Alcoholic And The Children Live On Television
I remember every fall sitting around and watching a program. It only came on once a year and back when there were limited channels available for your viewing pleasure, one of them was stuck with this particular event. Everyone knows who the host of the event was, but there were co-hosts. One was a former A lister. He had a huge network hit back in the day for which he was nominated/won a couple of times with an award. The events you are about to read happened a good decade beyond his peak. He was a huge drinker back when this happened. There was rarely a night he didn't end up passed out drunk. He also had a thing for women. Lots and lots of women. He was married for a long time but rarely went a week without cheating on his wife. He didn't particularly care how old the women were or if the women were actually teens. Apparently he did have some kind of sick code of ethics where he wanted them to be at least a teen although at least one twelve year old would beg to differ.
She was one of many tweens and teens who were on the show. Not in the spotlight or featured but tagged along with a sibling who was being featured. Often times the parents would be focused exclusively on one sibling and not the other. Plus, the parents in these pre internet days would be talking to other parents who faced similar struggles and the siblings were left unattended for long periods. With hundreds of things going on at any point and a lot of drinking, there was a lot of room for trouble.
The twelve year old said that when she was twelve and thirteen she attended this event and both times she was cornered by the aforementioned co-host and was molested. When she was twelve she says she wore a dress and after what the host did to her she wore jeans the next year. He tired to touch her beneath her jeans but was too drunk to figure out the button. She ran from the dressing room and never went back to the show despite her sibling continuing to go for the next couple years.
At a meeting when she was in college she found a support group of siblings who had siblings with this disease. All of the women in this support group had all been molested and in one case raped by this co-host. What were the odds that the five women in this group who had all gone to the show had been molested and they were the only ones? Pretty small. So, she reached out to others, but did so in a couple of ads she placed in newspapers around the country. Well, that brought the full force of the organization down on her and she didn't have the money to fight them and their lawyers. They told her to stand down or would sue her and make sure her sibling never got any help ever again.
She was one of many tweens and teens who were on the show. Not in the spotlight or featured but tagged along with a sibling who was being featured. Often times the parents would be focused exclusively on one sibling and not the other. Plus, the parents in these pre internet days would be talking to other parents who faced similar struggles and the siblings were left unattended for long periods. With hundreds of things going on at any point and a lot of drinking, there was a lot of room for trouble.
The twelve year old said that when she was twelve and thirteen she attended this event and both times she was cornered by the aforementioned co-host and was molested. When she was twelve she says she wore a dress and after what the host did to her she wore jeans the next year. He tired to touch her beneath her jeans but was too drunk to figure out the button. She ran from the dressing room and never went back to the show despite her sibling continuing to go for the next couple years.
At a meeting when she was in college she found a support group of siblings who had siblings with this disease. All of the women in this support group had all been molested and in one case raped by this co-host. What were the odds that the five women in this group who had all gone to the show had been molested and they were the only ones? Pretty small. So, she reached out to others, but did so in a couple of ads she placed in newspapers around the country. Well, that brought the full force of the organization down on her and she didn't have the money to fight them and their lawyers. They told her to stand down or would sue her and make sure her sibling never got any help ever again.
Was the Jerry Lewis telethon the event?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJerry Lewis telethon for the program?
ReplyDeleteJerry Lewis MDA telethon.
ReplyDeleteEd McMahon\Jerry Lewis county host on the telethon.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with @Sandybrook
DeleteVery obviously the Jerry Lewis telethon, but who is the co-host?
ReplyDeleteBased on the "this disease" comment I am led to believe this is the annual Jerry Lewis Telethon.
ReplyDeleteCo-host
ReplyDeleteMy guess is the Jerry Lewis telethon -
ReplyDeleteEd McMahon as the co-host and the show was Star Search.
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ReplyDeleteJerry Lewis Telethon?
ReplyDeleteEd McMahon?
Dean Martin?
ReplyDeleteI am not in favor of rape or pedophilia. I am in favor of tight tight.
ReplyDeleteEd McMahon -- the drinking being a clue.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about McMahon. This describes him as a decade past his peak at the time, and McMahon was at his peak then.
ReplyDeleteDean Martin is the other famous alcoholic, though, and well past his prime when he was on the show.
Dino only appeared once or twice due to a falling out with jerky Jerry. Dean loved women not girls.
DeleteMe thinks now that JL is dead plus the whole #metoo movement, this might be coming out soon
ReplyDeleteI'm showing my age. :) From what I remember, Ed McMahon would only host with Jerry Lewis on the telethon. If there was another host for that year, Ed would not be on the telethon.
ReplyDeleteThe co-hosts were in other locations like New York (and other cities with connections to entertainment).
DeleteBut yeah, it's likely Everett because he was a leading man and there is a shelf life for them, whereas Ed was always a second banana type who had side gigs like Star Search, Bloopers and Practical Jokes and a American Family commercials, not to mention guest spits on TV shows parodying the fact that he was everywhere. Hence, he couldn't pass out every single night. Dude was too busy.
MDA Telethon, David Hartman just to be different.
ReplyDeleteMale multiple season co-hosts of the MDA Telethons listed by IMDb were: Tony Orlando, Ed McMahon, Norm Crosby, Jim Vukovich, Michael Andrew, Jack Jones, Gary Lewis, Casey Kasem, "Shotgun" Kelly, Bart Conner, Larry King, Elton John, Barry Manilow, John Pinette, Tom Bergeron, Jerry Springer, Ray Charles, Jack Lemmon, Neil Patrick Harris, Tony Danza, Billy Crystal, Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett. Wow, I never realized such a variety of characters were on it!
ReplyDeleteChad Everett for the co-host. Huge hit was Medical Center on CBS from 1969 to 1976. So if molesting the 12 and then 13 year old took place a decade beyond his peak, it took place in the 1980s.
ReplyDeleteMcMahon co-hosted until pretty much the end in 2008 so anything from 2000 on is about a decade past his peak.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I like the Chad Everett guess.
ReplyDeleteLove the Chad Everett guess! He won a couple Golden Globes for that role.
ReplyDeleteMedical Center was not a hit. Star search was a MASSIVE hit in syndication, I nearly forgot..
ReplyDeleteScotty B - it looks like you are right. He was an alcoholic. The awards are weird., he was nominated for Golden Globes. The show won a Golden Globe.
ReplyDeleteAnd Everett was only married once for about 45 years. McMahon had three wives.
ReplyDeleteChad Everett recovering alcoholic after many years of abuse. Denied paternity (and actually WON) of a boy who was about certified as 95% probability of paternity and ended up getting a criminal judgment against the mother for harassment.
ReplyDeleteReally ice angel!!WTF. He was everywhere in the 70's. What a jerk
DeleteThink the Chad Everettt guess is on the money. Does anybody think Jerry Lewis was clean? I've heard some horror stories from people who worked on the MDA telethon, though no kid raping stuff.
ReplyDeleteCheck out Chad Everett and Naomi Watts in their scene from Mullholland Drive movie
ReplyDeleteCreepy
There was a blind item on here about him being a freak with a hooker and a rug.
ReplyDeleteI will never give to another charity ever again after spending time on CDaN. Never. I will help my family or a friend when I feel so inclined.
ReplyDeleteCDaN? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Can you actually type the whole thing out so we know what you mean??
DeleteMedical Center wasn't a hit? When it was cancelled in 1976, it was the longest-running medical series in history (tied with Marcus Welby).
ReplyDeleteIt ran for 7 seasons back when seasons were real seasons. So, yeah, they made +150 episodes. Not a hit? Please. People bought second and third homes off that series.
It was a top ten show in its second year.
Yes it was Scotty and Chad was a big deal. Never watched because I was a kid.
DeleteAll in for the Jerry's Kids annual event. Gawd! It was on in my home EVERY labor day! I'm also down for the Chad Everett guess.
ReplyDeleteSide note with a chuckle - Medical Center just popped up as I was scrolling through channels. Watched about 5 minutes of it. Cheesy! But what a crush I had on Dr. Gannon. (I also had a crush on Speed Racer's brother, Race-X though; says much about my taste in men.)
Dean Martin was never on the Jerry Lewis telethon. He and Jerry stopped speaking long before then.
ReplyDeleteActually, Dean and Jerry had an emotional reunion on the 1976 show. Arranged by Frank Sinatra.
DeleteI agree, it's not Dean. Never a co-host, just a surprise guest.
Chad Everett was never A list, and never won a major award. It's not McMahon either, was married multiple times and the only award he ever won was a Razzie.
ReplyDelete@B626, I think Mulholland Drive is on of the greatest films ever made.
ReplyDeleteMe too and I never knew who that guy was in that scene. It’s great to find this out.
DeleteStrange that Wikipedia lists Everett in its short list of about a dozen MDA co-hosts, but IMDB shows no link between them. Not Everett on the long list of MDA Telethon credits, nor any mention of the telethon on his bio page.
ReplyDeleteDean Martin came on once, in 1976. It was intended as a surprise for Jerry, and boy was it ever. Awkward doesn't even begin to describe it.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/RRq2ed1fK2k
Chad Everett was nominated for the Golden Globe in 1971 and 1973. But sure, insult the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and say they're not "awards."
ReplyDeleteSure, he was the handsome lead on a network show back when there were only three networks, and he made seven seasons of that show, but why would being the star of a hit network show make you A-list? I mean, George Clooney was the star of ER, but he didn't really become A-list until making Batman & Robin, right? LOL. LMAO.
Chad Everett worked steadily for the rest of his life. Reliable money every year for him, his agent, manager and team.
Dean Martin's tippling was part of his act. Martin didn't drink.
ReplyDeleteFun fact: The MDA Telethon takes place in summer, not fall.
ReplyDeleteChad Everett was wildly handsome. Those girls shouldcount themselves lucky.
ReplyDeleteReally?? Teens should be lucky?? GTFO. And possibly disabled?? I hope you are not the Jon I know!sicko
DeleteAnybody that makes comments like Jon just did I am a mandated reporter. Watch what you say cause your being reported
DeleteWhat's a "mandated reporter"? Is that like a feminazi?
DeleteComplete jackass.
DeleteThe MDA Telethon took place around Labor Day. A lot of people consider that the unofficial first day of fall.
ReplyDeleteLabor Day can be considered "Fall."
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a singing show around xmas time perhaps if the family were involved.
ReplyDeleteJon - I may have misread your comment. It reads like you're suggesting the children he molested were lucky to be molested because he was good looking
ReplyDeleteSure does look like it Don
DeleteThat's exactly what I said.
DeleteI find people who act like Jon, usually behave that way, as a way to deal with the abuse that happen to them. Jon's abuser likely was extremely ugly, so he makes jokes like this, to pretend it happen to someone else.
DeleteThis one is hard and Wikipedia is no help. Having said that I doubt it is Ed McMahan. I cannot find any information on him being an alcoholic but that does not mean he wasn't one.
ReplyDeleteIf it is Ed then I hope the victims take comfort in knowing karma got to him big time.
According to Wikipedia, Chad Everett quit drinking in 1986, so if it's him, there's your timeline.
ReplyDeleteI think we can rule out Elton John
ReplyDeleteJerry Lewis was obsessed with his adopted daughter, so much so those close to him thought it was creeeepy.
ReplyDeleteRay Charles would have had trouble finding the button.
ReplyDeleteJerry Lewis did have that Cosby vibe.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Jerry Lewis and the MDAA Labor Day telethon. Held on Labor Day weekend from 1966 to 2009, then shortened the length and dates until it ceased in 2015.
ReplyDeleteNow can we get his Tears of a Clown released?
The Day The Clown Cried, you mean. The other was a Smokey Robinson song.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching Youtube video about Fergie Olver. Everybody thought he was a pedophile, because he acted creepy with kids on the Game Show.
ReplyDeleteProbably it's not the answer, because the show was Canadian and it was in 80's and someone said that a lot of Enty's #tbt blinds are based in 90's
But still, it was disturbing and I'm wondering if he was a pedo.
Ummm ok..??
DeleteReally has nothing to do with what we’re talking about here though.
A television EVENT - I wouldn’t call a gameshow an event
A co-host molested kids - did this gameshow have a co-host that was also creepy with the kids?
Switching to Everett
ReplyDelete@T.W. —
ReplyDeleteFWIW, Ed McMahon's drinking was rather well-known, especially when he was drunk on the Tonight Show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwcfDa0gEPQ
More:
http://www.hollywood.com/tv/ed-mcmahon-s-drinking-led-to-financial-woes-57206559/
https://ca.askmen.com/entertainment/special_feature_300/375_5-things-you-didnt-know-made-mcmahon-a-badass.html
Thank you! I was a kid when McMahon was still alive so I would not have seen this. However I did grow up reading tabloids and I admit I did not read every story. This must be one of those stories I skipped.
DeleteWikipedia sucks but it does describe McMahons's horrible last days. If he is the answer to the blind I no longer feel sorry for him.
Oh god, I hope it's not jolly ol' Ed McMahon. This site ruins everyone for me!
ReplyDeleteGary Collins! Married to Mary ann Monley
ReplyDeleteThe Day the Clown Cried: Didn't he put 50-year hold on it or something like that????
ReplyDeleteNot Dean Martin. He was actually a teetotaler.
ReplyDeleteAfter the first sentence I knew it was Jerry Lewis & the MDA telethon
ReplyDeleteJust finished reading it, so glad Jerry Lewis wasn't the molester
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it, but I think it's Ed McMahon. He was the announcer for the telethon for years, starting in 1968. As announcer, he'd have plenty of down time between acts. He was a known alcoholic, and was on and off the sauce during the right time period.
ReplyDeleteyour name A+ How she broke her NDA with Trump I'll never know. Maybe he was dumb and forgot to make her sign one? I would have thought Dubai Donald would have preferred spankings with the enquirer who colludes closely with him to get his propaganda out en masse. Where was melania during all this? Back to yet another repulsive blind. Is this indicating that this person did this to sick kids??????? Wtf. What the actual fuck? Reading these types of blinds almost daily is enraging.
ReplyDeleteThe interview with In Touch occurred before the woman signed the NDA. It is not covered under it. Trump had an agreement with the woman, not In Touch.
DeleteEd McMahon owned up to being an alcoholic. He blamed it for causing him to not pay attention to his finances. When he finally sobered up, he was practically broke.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's Dean , he started drinking only after his son was killed in the plane crash. Night after, night drinking alone in a booth of one of Hollywood's best known old LA bars. People just left him alone as he was so pitifully sad. I don't know if it was a one time thing lasting a few months and if he finally got it together or it was on going. He died about 8years after his son.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna go with it wasn't Manilow.
ReplyDeleteWell, I hope he died of natural causes, SMH.
ReplyDeleteOh my God, that 12-year-old trying to protect herself by wearing jeans the next year. 💔💔💔💔💔💔
ReplyDeleteJerry Lewis seemed angry all the time, and really drunk most of the time.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about this friends. Certainly we can rule out Buddy Hackett.
Please don't drag the legend that is Dean Martin into this!
ReplyDeleteIn college I was a security guard at the MDA Headquarters. Worked mostly weekends and nights. Place had leather everything. Never gave 'em a dime after that.
ReplyDelete“Leather everything”
DeleteWhat does this even mean? Your uniform was leather? The chairs were leather?
And if things were made from leather what does that mean? Does it mean they had expensive things for a charity??