KELLY MONACO TO CO-HOST MDA JERRY LEWIS TELETHON

TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 1, 2006 — Popular daytime television star Kelly Monaco will co-host this weekend’s Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Originating from the South Coast Hotel in Las Vegas, the live Telethon will begin at 9 p.m. EDT Sunday and run for 21½ hours. The legendary broadcast, now in its 41st year, can be seen on KCAL, Channel 9, in the Los Angeles area.

“I’m honored to welcome Kelly Monaco as a new Telethon co-host,” said MDA National Chairman and Telethon star Jerry Lewis. “We appreciate her popularity and her talent, which will be extremely helpful to our mission to defeat neuromuscular diseases.”

An Emmy-nominated actress, Monaco, 30, of West Hollywood, Calif., portrays Samantha McCall on the ABC daytime drama “General Hospital.” She was the first-season winner of the reality show, "Dancing With the Stars," which is hosted by Tom Bergeron, also a Telethon co-host.

Monaco and Bergeron will co-host some Telethon segments together.