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White House praises Lewis for comedy, charity

Published  August 20, 2017 9:40pm CDT
Washington, D.C.
Associated Press

The White House is remembering the late comedian Jerry Lewis as a man who "kept us all laughing for over half a century" and touched the lives of millions with his charity work.

The 91-year-old Lewis died Sunday in Las Vegas. Besides his movie and TV work, he was closely identified with the annual telethon to raise money for muscular dystrophy research.

In a statement Sunday night, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Lewis "lived the American dream" and that "he truly loved his country, and his country loved him back."

Sanders says, "Our thoughts are with his family today as we remember the extraordinary life of one of our greatest entertainers and humanitarians."