Jerry Lewis isn’t dead, but the Muscular Dystrophy Association, for which he raised millions, treat him as if he is.
So the money raised in the MDA Labor Day Telethon — now named “The MDA Show of Strength Telethon” (ABC, 9 p.m.) no longer goes to “Jerry’s kids,” and the telethon itself doesn’t go round the clock. Once it was the only entertainment program that ran 21 hours and lasted all night. After Lewis was canned after the 2010 telethon, it went down to six hours in 2011 and then three hours last year. Now at its shortest length ever at two hours, it doesn’t even fill the prime time on the night before Labor Day.
Stars still gather for it, though, and this year’s event boasts Ryan Seacrest, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Lee Ann Womack, Backstreet Boys, Austin Mahone, Enrique Iglesias, Kenny Loggins, Paula Abdul and Matthew Morrison and Jessica Sanchez of “Glee,” and Darius Rucker (pictured above with Bryson Foster), among others. And cut-ins of your local anchors in evening wear urging you to donate locally. It’s not the same. But it does mark the end of summer.
Just like the internet, TV is adept at filling space with meaningless countdown lists. At least you don’t have to click through the list of the Top 30 funniest scenes from TV recounted in “TV’s Funniest of the Funniest: A Paley Center for Media Special” (NBC, 9 p.m.), though you may be tempted to click to another channel depending on what’s on their list.
Jesse seemed a little riled up when we saw him last on “Breaking Bad” (AMC, 9 p.m.). The question is whether he has matches on him. “Low Winter Sun” (AMC, 10 p.m.) has so far not profited from coming after “Breaking Bad.” Despite all the promotion they do, last week’s episode drew just 1.2 million viewers.
The first network to let you know the bad news about their fall plans comes on “ABC Fall Preview Special Presented by The Chew” (ABC, 7 p.m.). And of course it’s bad; otherwise why would it be presented by the people from The Chew? We assume the casts of “The View” and “The Talk” refused.
On the second of three two-hour capers on “Silk,” a client goes missing before a court appearance. It’s on “Masterpiece Mystery!” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
Aaryn is finally out on “Big Brother” (CBS, 8 p.m.), and when last on the air they were still fighting to see who would be Head of Household, who will have to pick nominees for eviction by the end of the show.
Sarah Ferguson and Molly Ringwald get the “Oprah: Where are They Now?” (OWN, 10 p.m.) treatment.
A bad James Franco movie, “Your Highness” (Comedy Central, 8 and 10 p.m.) is meant to be a prelude for their roast of the actor Monday.
Tasha Page-Lockhart, 30, of Detroit, and Kefia Rollerson, 32, of Philadelphia, are finalists in tonight’s season finale of the gospel music singing competition “Sunday Best” (BET, 8 p.m.).
No episode of “The Newsroom” tonight. Like the news business it covers, it must take time off for no news holiday weekends (ha). It will return next week. In its place, you can see the second half of “The Bourne Legacy” (HBO, 8 p.m.).
A back to school visit to the country’s worst school comes on a recap of Jeff Neeley’s “China, Il” (Cartoon Network, 11 p.m.) on Adult Swim.
September kicks off with a month-long, 41-film Sunday night salute to Alfred Hitchcock on Turner Classic Movies with “Murder!” (10 a.m.), “Rope” (noon), “Spellbound” (1:30 p.m.), “Marnie” (3:30 p.m.), “The Birds” (5:45 p.m.), “Shadow of a Doubt” (8 p.m.), “Psycho” (10 p.m.), “The Lodger” (midnight), “Blackmail” (2 a.m.) and “Frenzy” (3:30 a.m.).
A few college football games are on: Florida A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State (ESPN, 11:45 a.m.), Ohio at Louisville (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.) and Colorado vs. Colorado State (CBS Sports, 6 p.m.).
Sunday Night Baseball has Mets at Nationals (ESPN2, 8 p.m.)
Sunday Talk
ABC: Secretary of State John Kerry, Retired Gen. James Cartwright, Vali nasr, dean, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. CBS: Kerry, Sens. John McCain, Tim Kaine and Saxby Chambliss. NBC: Kerry, Sen. Rand Paul. CNN: Kerry, Reps. Eliot Engel and Scott Rigell, Sen. Chris Murphy. Fox News: Kerry, former Sen. Joe Lieberman.