Uncontrollable
- Nicole Rose
- Feb 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 29
This is a story about Jerry's Kids. Also, this is Boston, not LA.
This track is going to be a little different than what you're used to. I want to take you on a journey with me. When I sat down to write this week, I knew I wanted to cover a song from the 1982 hardcore punk compilation: This is Boston, Not L.A. It felt a little too serendipitous that the first six tracks were by a band called Jerry's Kids... so, I leaned in.
Hyperfocus is both a blessing and curse. It left me with only one option: to learn everything possible about this band. I started on Wikipedia to figure out the origin of their name. Before you continue reading, please remember that I'm just a girl so my research might not be too good.
Jerry's Kids: The Band.
The band formed in Braintree, MA, in 1981, with Bryan Jones as frontman. But after he broke his leg at a show, his mom made him quit. That’s when his brother, Rick, took over vocals. Apparently, their parents weren’t as concerned about Rick’s safety. To be fair though, there’s no record of him breaking any bones on stage. Read more about their story here.
Since they’re brothers, you might assume their dad was Jerry, but you’d be wrong because the band was named after the beneficiaries of the Jerry Lewis telethon. That realization made my heart sink.
Jerry's Kids: The Cousin.
All I could think about were Jerry's great balls of fire🎶 and his 13-year-old cousin wife. Wondering if this was a really loud and bold joke, I pulled the thread. Luckily, we're not talking about Jerry Lee Lewis. Although, that's a fascinating tale, and he did have two children with his cousin. Read more about Jerry Lee's cousin, in her own words, here.
Jerry's Kids: The Telethon.
That's a video of Jerry (not Lee) Lewis. A Boston comedian known as "The King of Comedy." This interview took place in 2016, just a year before his passing. He spends the interview reflecting on the positive impact he made in Hollywood. He also opens up about his family's struggles with muscular dystrophy.
That brings us to who Jerry's Kids actually are. From 1966 to 2011, Jerry hosted an annual telethon to bring awareness to muscular dystrophy. Through his efforts, he raised $2 million dollars for the cause. There is some critique surrounding this, but I'm going to assume best intentions.
In the interview he states, "I'm not a god, I just love people. I love people that are well. I don't like to see sick people." Who wants to see sick people?! Kim Kardashian's ex-husband recently let us know he doesn't.
Jerry's Kids: The Standup.
I'm not going to lie to you, it's pretty cringy. It's always a bit alarming when a grown man acts like a small child, especially when he's on stage with a lollipop in his mouth. I chuckled a couple times though, particularly at his boldest punchline about a German Shepard. 🐕
At this point in my research, I was feeling pretty good about Jerry and his kids. I was going to make a grand point about how if you look past anger, and listen to the message, you might learn something cool and new! But then, this next video automatically started playing. It's always too good to be true, isn't it?
Jerry's Kids: The Dark Side.
I won't delve into the allegations from Vanity Fair's 2023 documentary. However, I will say this — there’s a reason Jerry and his wife split in 1956 and stayed silent for 20 years. He briefly mentions this in the interview above.
Trigger warning: Verbal descriptions of SA.
If you're interested in learning more, I encourage you to watch the videos I've shared and form your own opinion of Jerry. If you want to go even deeper down the rabbit hole, look into his son who passed away in 2010.
Again, I'm just a girl, so my research might not be too good. Remember, when you read anything, now more than ever, you should always do your own research before internalizing something as the truth.
Comentarios