Lewis, swearing, lecturing us, throwing in a lot of funny before lecturing us again, then ending the session by saying there was no reason to talk about a big announcement he was going to make about his annual telethon (he was dumped a few days later).
Frederick M. Brown/Getty ImagesJerry Lewis was rushed to a New York City hospital on Tuesday night after collapsing at a Friars Club event honoring Tom Cruise, the New York Post reports.
Lewis, 86, had been scheduled to present Cruise with the Friars Club Entertainment Icon Award during the gala at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. Moments beforehand, the comedian — who himself was to receive the Applause Award — collapsed because of low blood sugar, after which he was taken in for treatment.
“I am sorry Jerry couldn’t be here tonight, but I know he is going to be fine,” said Cruise, according to the Post, which reported that Lewis had left the hospital that night and was at his hotel room in Manhattan recovering.
A Friars Club rep did not immediately respond to THR‘s request for comment.
Last year, Lewis ended his 45-year run as spokesperson for the MDA Telethon. He raised $1.66 billion for the telethon during his tenure as chairman and was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1977.
