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4[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/AmericanDad https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/american_dad_telethon.jpg]]]]
5
6->''"Watch the telethon and even give some money to it, ya schnorrers."''
7-->-- '''Midge''', ''Series/TheMarvelousMrsMaisel''
8
9Marathon television show, almost always broadcast to raise money for a charitable cause. Can run anywhere from 24 hours to a week or more of combined VarietyShow and pointless {{filler}}.
10
11The first telethon, broadcast by Creator/{{NBC}} in April 1949, was a fundraiser for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. (In fact, NBC executive Sylvester Weaver coined the word "telethon" -- a {{portmanteau}} of "television" and "marathon" -- to describe the program, which was a radically different event that he hoped would entice people to buy TV sets.) The Foundation's first big fund-raiser, the telethon ran a then-unprecedented 16 hours with Milton Berle as its host, and raised $100,000[[note]]$1,247,046.22 in 2023 dollars[[/note]]. In all ways it was more or less indistinguishable from "modern" telethons, from the stars and celebrities who performed and urged donations, to the big on-screen bank of telephone operators taking calls.
12
13----
14!!Real life examples of Telethons:
15
16* The most famous would be Creator/JerryLewis's ''Muscular Dystrophy Telethon'', which ran on American television annually for 49 years, 1966-2014 (a true telethon aired in syndication from 1966 to 2012, then as a short-form telecast on ABC for its last two years).
17* The most ''infamous'' might be [[ViewersLikeYou pledge week]] on Creator/{{PBS}} and its {{Radio}} equivalent on local Creator/{{NPR}} stations.
18* Televangelism networks like Creator/{{TBN}}, Creator/{{Daystar}}, and Creator/TCTNetwork have semi-annual telethons.
19* Britain has ''UsefulNotes/ComicRelief'' and ''Series/ChildrenInNeed''. One example of the latter had half of Creator/TheBBC's news team dress up as Duran Duran and sing "Wild Boys". Another example involved a ''Film/JamesBond'' spoof with the entire team (and Creator/RogerMoore).
20* Every October, Perth hosts the Australian Telethon (simply known as 'Telethon') to raise money for sick kids. And for the last 10 years it has exceeded the 1 million dollar mark, with the current record being 6.5mil last year.
21* In Norway, this is done by the NRK, the Norwegian State Broadcaster, every October. The money goes to different good purposes each year, which is promoted weeks in advance. In addition to being a telethon, volunteers go door-to-door and ask for donations on the same day the telethon is held.
22* Ever since TheSeventies, Chilean public TV channels host the Chilean Telethon almost every December to donate for the "Sociedad de Ayuda al Niño Lisiado" (roughly translated as "Crippled Children Aid Society"), raising money for crippled kids. This is said to be the inspiration for Creator/JerryLewis's ''Muscular Dystrophy Telethon''; whether it was the case of not, it ''did'' doubtlessly inspire many other telethons across Latin America.
23* Freeform is required to air a CBN telethon every year the last Sunday in January; this was one of the sale conditions CBN owner Pat Robertson put in his contract to sell the network to Fox and Disney in the late 1990's and early 2000's, along with keeping three hours of Freeform airtime per day.
24* OnceASeason the Non-Profit ''WebVideo/TheFundayPawpetShow'' holds a telethon/auction to raise money for creator Yappy's operating expenses and music licensing costs.
25* UsefulNotes/NewZealand's South Pacific Television and its successor TVNZ hosted eleven 24-hour telethons between 1975 and 1991, raising money for various charities, with the record being $6 million in 1985[[note]]That's $15.7 million in 2014 dollars[[/note]]. [=TV3=] also hosted telethons in 1993 and 2009.
26* Not technically a ''tele''thon, as it's not aired on television, but WebVideo/LoadingReadyRun holds "Desert Bus for Hope" every year to raise money for Child's Play.
27* Project for Awesome, started by the WebVideo/VlogBrothers which includes a 48-hour livestream on Website/YouTube.
28* France has the yearly ''Téléthon'' (broadcasted on a couple of public television channels), which exists since 1987, takes places on the first weekend of December, and serves to collect funds for medical research on neuromuscular diseases.
29* Website/TheZeldathonTeam hosts a week-long charity stream, twice a year, called, well, Zeldathon, where all the members play every game in ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series. The most they've raised was over $375,000 during the ''Zeldathon Cures'' marathon, for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
30* ''WebVideo/GamesDoneQuick'' is a Twitch channel that streams [[SpeedRun speedruns]] of videogames, typically twice a year, for ''Awesome Games Done Quick'' in the winter, and ''Summer Games Done Quick'' in the, well, summer. Since 2014, they started making over $1 million per marathon, and since 2018, they have started to rake in over '''$2 million''' for charity per marathon.
31
32----
33!!Fictional examples of Telethons:
34
35[[foldercontrol]]
36
37[[folder:Anime & Manga ]]
38* ''Manga/MyBrideIsAMermaid'': Parodied when Lunar holds a telethon for Mikawa when everybody [[MistakenForDying thinks he's dying]].
39[[/folder]]
40
41[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]
42* ''Film/{{Americathon}}'': In a future America, the country holds a 30-day telethon to repay its debts or risk foreclosure by Native Americans.
43* ''Film/TheMuppets2011'': The climax involves the Muppets hosting a telethon to save their studio. [[spoiler: Thanks to the villain knocking a telephone pole down with his car, the telethon ends with them mere ''cents'' away from their goal.]]
44* The basis of Music/{{GWAR}}'s second film, ''Skulhedface'', has the alien barbarian band hosting a "Maggothon" on their own Slavepit TV channel to gather enough souls of killed people for the World Maggot, a giant worm that's supposed to take them out of our "miserable planet" when it is satiated.
45-->'''Flattus Maximus:''' He says he's gonna kill his whole fam damily!
46-->'''Oderus Urungus:''' ''(points to the camera)'' GO FOR IT!!!
47* ''Film/{{UHF}}'': Near the end, George holds a telethon to raise funds to buy the station.
48[[/folder]]
49
50[[folder:Live-Action TV ]]
51* ''Series/CarterCountry'': In one episode, he staff at the police department puts on a telethon to raise money for a former chief who has become quite ill. During the telethon—but unbeknownst to them—local news breaks into the telethon feed to announce that the former chief had died. One staffer, who had refused to participate because of the former chief's racist views, sneaks onto the show to surreptitiously inform the current chief while he's in the middle of a musical tribute.
52* ''Series/{{Cheers}}'': In "[[Recap/CheersS4E13 Take My Shirt...Please]]", Sam donates his old baseball jersey to a PBS pledge drive, and is humiliated when the jersey doesn't sell.
53* An early [[Recap/DiagnosisMurderS1E3MurderAtTheTelethon episode]] of ''Series/DiagnosisMurder'' involves Mark organizing a telethon to raise money to keep Community General's ER open, getting former tv show host Buddy Blake to be the MC. Seeing as how the episode is called "Murder at the Telethon", unsurprisingly there is in fact [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin a murder at the telethon.]] Specificay, that of AssholeVictim Buddy.
54* ''Series/FamilyTies'':
55** Steven was working a PBS Telethon when his snowbound wife goes into labor.
56** And again when Uncle Arthur tried it on with Mallory. That guy had no luck with telethons.
57* The ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' episode "Look Before You Leap" has Frasier on a PBS telethon, where he usually sings "Buttons and Bows" but, taking his own advice to "take a leap" for leap year, he's going to sing an aria from ''Theatre/{{Rigoletto}}''. When everyone else's "leaps" go wrong, he chickens out, but unfortunately he hasn't rehearsed "Buttons and Bows" this year, so he makes a mess of it anyway.
58-->'''Roz''': But you promised all your listeners!
59-->'''Frasier''': Oh, who watches PBS anyway? ''[[[IsThisThingStillOn notices on-air light is on]]]'' I'll tell you who; discerning, cultured viewers like yourselves.
60* ''Series/FullHouse'': One episode has Danny hosting a telethon at the TV station he works at. When what he plans to be a 2-minute rest ends up with him out like a light, his family has to [[TheShowMustGoOn keep the show going]].
61* In the ''Series/{{Friends}}'' episode "[[Recap/FriendsS5E4TheOneWherePhoebeHatesPBS The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS]]", Joey is asked to assist with a telethon. He thinks he has been invited to host and arrives in a tuxedo, but discovers that he is actually one of the volunteers assisting with answering the phones. During the broadcast he tries to draw attention by waving to the camera, only for the person sitting next to him to smack his hand away. He eventually takes a donation from Phoebe that gets them over the target amount and leads to the actual host coming over to thank him (and compliment him for dressing up).
62* The focus of one episode of ''Series/TheMarvelousMrsMaisel'' -- Midge books a slot on a telethon, her friends and family react in various ways, and the entertainment industry's forces that be keep pushing her to more and more undesirable timeslots. She makes it work.
63* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': During the show's presentation of ''Film/OverdrawnAtTheMemoryBank'', Pearl held a PBS-style telethon, in reference to the film's origin on public television.
64* ''Series/{{Newhart}}'': In one episode, Michael convinces Dick to host a 72-hour telethon for the TV station they work for -- despite that it's a commercial station and not PBS.
65* ''Series/OnBecomingAGodInCentralFlorida'': The last two episodes of Season 1 are set against the backdrop of a telethon for the FAM [[GetRichQuickScheme multi-level marketing company]].
66* ''Series/ThePresidentShow'' had a "Make America Great-A-Thon" hour-long special in early April 2018, drive to fund the Mexico border wall... and infrastructure... and whatever else Trump wanted when he got bored with the current focus.
67* ''Series/{{SCTV}}'': There were four episodes involving telethons and pledge weeks.
68* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': In "The Pledge Drive", Jerry hosts a pledge drive at WNET Channel 13, and then has Kramer take over while he searches for his missing Nana.
69* One of the games on ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'' involves Colin and Ryan hosting a telethon to raise money for ridiculous causes, like helping thumb-suckers break the habit or getting NBA star Dennis Rodman more tattoos.
70[[/folder]]
71
72[[folder:Music Videos ]]
73* The video for Music/{{Cinderella}}'s song, "Shelter Me" deals with a telethon to save rock & roll. Music/LittleRichard plays the host.
74[[/folder]]
75
76[[folder:Video Games]]
77* ''VideoGame/NotForBroadcast'' has a level called "The Telethon" using "archive footage" as a test of their capabilities. It starts with the majority of the talent, the audience, and most of the crew stuck in traffic and goes downhill from there.
78[[/folder]]
79
80[[folder:Western Animation ]]
81* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': In "The Phantom of the Telethon", Stan steals Roger's idea for a telethon to raise finds for the CIA's torture program, leading Roger to try to sabotage it. Roger claims that he actually invented the telethon in the first place, but Jerry Lewis stole the idea from him then too.
82* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'': The end credits for "Operation: R.E.C.E.S.S. / Operation: H.A.M.S.T.E.R." shows a telethon being held by Sector V and several hamsters to save recess. Numbuh One's discussion of the telethon eventually turns into a rant about what he believes schools are doing to kids, until it is cut off by a WeAreExperiencingTechnicalDifficulties screen.
83-->'''Numbuh Five:''' Numbuh Five here, Numbuh One's doing it again...
84* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': In "[[Recap/EdEddNEddyS2E7HandsAcrossEd Hands Across Ed]]", Eddy starts a telethon scam in order to pay for Ed's "eyebrow operation". It ultimately doesn't work as the acts stink, so Kevin and Rolf start their own show.
85* ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe'': One rather silly episode involves Cobra holding a telethon to fund their next evil plan. They raked in almost a billion on it, though, so [[CutLexLuthorACheck at least it was successful.]]
86* ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'': "Johnny Telethon" features a public access telethon to raise money to save the local discount store. Because the Tingblad Family Chimps weren't able to make it to the show, Johnny improvises by showing off his armpit-farting talents. They end up losing so much money that the donation counter goes into the ''[[EpicFail negatives.]]''
87* ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'': In "Hurts So Good!", Henry and June host a "Staplethon" to raise money for more staples for the comic book they turn. The episode ends with "The Staples Song", a parody of [[CharityMotivationSong charity motivation songs]], featuring appearances by Loopy from ''Life with Loopy'', Prometheus from ''Prometheus and Bob'', the cast of ''WesternAnimation/ActionLeagueNow'', and the titular characters of ''Sniz and Fondue''.
88* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': In one episode, Dr. Doofenshmirtz hosts a "Telethon of Evil," which hilariously gets [[PoesLaw mistaken for satire]] by Lawrence Fletcher.
89-->'''Doofenshmirtz:''' I want your money, I'm strapped for cash! I need your money, too lazy to get a job.
90* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'': In the Season 3 finale, creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich host a telethon for the show, and Matt ends up [[EverybodyDiesEnding killing everyone]] to attract donors.
91* ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'': A "Bullwinkle & Rocky Fan Club" sketch involves Bullwinkle hosting a telethon for the club. They end up with ''minus'' ten cents, because Rocky gave Boris a dime for the parking meter.
92-->'''Bullwinkle:''' The number to call with your donations is "SUCKER 9-2222", or if that's busy, call "SHAKEDOWN 5-6565". That's the Chinese restaurant downstairs. They'll take a message.
93* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
94** In "Missionary: Impossible", Homer flees the country after welching on a $10,000 donation he made to get PBS to end their telethon. At the end, it turns out the entire episode was part of a Creator/{{FOX}} telethon, which Bart tries to end with a $10,000 donation.
95** An earlier episode, "Marge on the Lam", also starts with a Public Television telethon. Donations are coming in so slowly, that Troy [=McClure=] doesn't recognize the phone ringing when Marge calls in to pledge for ballet tickets.
96* ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'' had an episode where the cast made a telethon to keep the show on the air, which raised only ''[[EpicFail ten cents]]''. It turned out that [[{{Jerkass}} Digeri Dingo]] had switched the telethon's donation number so the pledgers would call ''his'' house, and he stole all of the money.
97* ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'': The episode "[[Recap/TinyToonAdventuresS2E1PledgeWeek Pledge Week]]" has the Tiny Toons hosting a telethon. However, nobody seems to be pledging any money, or even calling, aside from a {{prank call}}er. In the third wraparound, after telling the viewers the wonderful stuff they could get if they pledged (including the actual Plucky), they manage to raise $0.07.
98* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': The second Aftermath episode of ''World Tour'' is dedicated to holding one of these in order to raise funds for the rest of the season.
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