Officials at the charity insist the the event has become less appealing in recent years.

Celebrities like Frank Sinatra, John Lennon and Michael Jackson have performed on the telethon, which was first hosted by Lewis and his comedy partner Dean Martin in 1956.

It became a Labor Day staple a decade later.

Lewis hosted his last MDA telethon in 2010 and the show has since become a scaled-down two-hour show.