Jerry's kid? Woman claims Lewis is her dad

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- A woman says she is willing to take a DNA test to prove she is the never publicly acknowledged, illegitimate daughter of U.S. comedian Jerry Lewis.

Suzan Lewis Minoret, who is known professionally as Suzan Lewis, told TV's "Inside Edition" her former showgirl mother had an affair with Lewis in the 1950s.

"He loved my mother. Everyone fell in love with her, so it wasn't surprising," Minoret, 56, said in an interview scheduled to air Wednesday.

She went on to say she was conceived above New York's famous Copacabana nightclub in Lewis' suite. Lewis had been performing at the club with his longtime collaborator Dean Martin.

Minoret, who was born in New York and now lives in Philadelphia, said her late mother told her about 30 years ago that Lewis was her father and signed an affidavit to make it official.

"She didn't want to die and me not know where I came from," Minoret said, adding that Lewis has never acknowledged her as his daughter. "He's making it hard and I don't understand why."

Although she said she has been down and out, living on the streets, and surviving on a meager disability allowance, she insisted she isn't looking for money from Lewis.

"A lot of people are going to ask, 'Are you coming forward in hopes of getting money from Jerry Lewis?' Absolutely not. I've lived in a car. I've done without food. I'm a survivor and I would rather have nothing than be a burden," she said, noting she would be happy to take a DNA test to prove she is Lewis' daughter.

"I don't understand why we can't just be friends and be family," she said.

"Inside Edition" said Lewis declined it comment on its report.