Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis 1926 2017

Humor sometimes wounds as it reminds us we are mere mortals.

Jerry Lewis was us as ten year old's and he willingly suffered our abuse. He understood all too well what worked. He had his own flaws but they were forgivable. 

"King of Comedy" (1983) dared to remind us that TV had corrupted too many of us with pathetic dreams of greatness where there could be no happy resolution. Robert DiNero deserves much credit for having the courage to play "Rupert Pupkin" Lewis "Jerry Langford" was a bit to raw but stunningly honest and the movie gives unintentional insight about what America was becoming. Looking around in 2017 it becomes evident we haven't learned anything.

Jerry Lewis could be crude and offensive, but he was no better or worse than America. Dean Martin once said that Lewis was a bit too loud in reminding us what we really are. Much of the abuse toward him came from people who resented his success and sought to abuse someone.

The MS Telethons were kitsch and could become grim, but the idea was to get help from what was and still is a cheap unforgiving public.

Lewis was in some ways a near miss, and at times a genius. "The Nutty Professor" is a twisted master piece and far better than Eddy Murphy's tacky fart show.

Jerry Lewis won't be remembered by most people and has already started to fade away, that is unfortunate. His business acumen was excellent and free of corruption. His genuine technological advance in motion picture creation will long outlive him.

Lewis lived, invented, made noise, and was a husband father and personality. He won't be missed by very many but those who knew him away from the stage will remember him fondly.