Skip to Content

Comedian Jerry Lewis has made millions of people laugh over the years. But we doubt Fox executives found his comments at the Television Critics Association press tour very funny.

Taking the stage in front of reporters, Lewis said he considers television a “miracle,” but he isn’t a big fan of most programs these days. Especially American Idol.

“The kids who are on American Idol, they’re all McDonald’s wipeouts,” Jerry said. “They’ve all been dumped. They’ve worked there and now they’re doing that. And of course they all play a guitar, which takes the place of music.”

Maddie Poppe Wins American Idol
(ABC)

But how do you really feel, Jerry?

“The industry has destroyed itself. We don’t have the soul in our industry that we had when I was working. And the soul has been desperately deteriorated, only because you got a guy that’s running a network whose aunt died and left him some stock.”

Ouch. Sorry, Scotty McCreery. But you probably can’t count on Lewis buying your album.