It wasn’t Carlton’s night on the field on Saturday night, but off the field the Carlton Football Club was privileged to have the company of Jerry Lewis, one of the most successful performers in show business history as the special guest of the Club.

The King of comedy, Jerry Lewis was the special guest of Carlton President, Stephen Kernahan (known as the King of Carlton during his outstanding playing career) in the pre-game function. As well as entertaining the guests in the Carlton President’s dinner Jerry was with Stephen Kernahan in the Carlton rooms to see the players’ final warm up before running onto the ground for the game against Fremantle.

Jerry and Stephen then ventured onto the ground to soak up the atmosphere before the ball was bounced to start the game. During the match the King of Comedy and the King of Carlton sat together to view the game with Kernahan no doubt providing Jerry with some insights in our great game. (Not to mention directions on how players should kick goals and not behinds!).

“It was a real honour to have Jerry Lewis as our special guest on Saturday night, it is just a pity he didn’t see one of our best performances. He certainly enjoyed the action and at 84 years of age he was certainly in great form throughout the night,” Kernahan said.

“He was amazing in the rooms and not surprisingly he certainly knows how to act in front of the camera. Jerry Lewis is a superstar of entertainment and to see how much time he gave everyone he met during the night was an indication of the type of person he is. I hope he keeps the Carlton guernsey as a memento of his night with the Blues and remembers our game and the Carlton Football Club fondly.”

Jerry was thrilled to see a number of fire fighters at the game as he has a wonderful association with fire fighters in the US and was keen to ensure he had his photo taken with the fire fighters during the evening.

His visit to Australia is to raise funds and awareness of muscular dystrophy and he is working with the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of Australia in his role as the international patron for Muscular Dystrophy.