I loved the guy. And so did all of America, until something went terribly wrong with that country, leaving only the French to adore him. I still worship the fellow.
For a decade or so, I’d stay up through the night and through the morning, the television tuned on to the Labor Day weekend telethon, not because I particularly cared about muscular dystrophy, but because I found Jerry Lewis so enthralling.
More than just the most creative comedian of his times, redefining funny, Lewis was a mensch. A stand-up man. A class act. And even though his political beliefs matched mine, he never, ever, let politics get in the way of culture. The world has lost a hero.
Rest well, Jerry Lewis. If there is a heaven, it will be filled with laughter.
Red Shoes are Better than Bacon 