UPDATE
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LeVar Burton wants Jeopardy producers to know he's the best person to host - SIGN THE PETITION! UPDATE: LeVar says 'the fix was in'
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UPDATE
LeVar Burton wants Jeopardy producers to know he's the best person to host
"I think my whole career is an advertisement for being the host of Jeopardy," the former Reading Rainbow and Star Trek star tells EW with a laugh.
By Tyler Aquilina
April 09, 2021 at 08:39 PM EDT
LeVar Burton doesn't think he'd be a good choice to host Jeopardy. He knows he'd be the best choice to host Jeopardy.
"I've thought and thought and thought — I've asked friends and family to help me identify someone out there who's more qualified for the job than I am," the Roots and Star Trek actor tells EW. "I don't believe there is anyone out there who is better suited for this job than me. And I will go to my grave believing that."
"I think my whole career is an advertisement for being the host of Jeopardy," he adds with a laugh.
CREDIT: TAYLOR HILL/GETTY IMAGES
In case you couldn't tell, Burton wants the gig — and he hasn't been coy about it. The actor expressed interest as early as September 2020, before beloved host Alex Trebek's death, when he tweeted, "Not gonna lie, I feel like I've been preparing my whole life to occupy the @Jeopardy host podium when Alex retires." On Monday, he shared a months-old petition urging Jeopardy's producers to name Burton the show's new host. So far, the petition has garnered the support of more than 200,000 fans (and, apparently, Dick Van Dyke).
"It feels like, 'Wow, they really are behind me,'" Burton says. "They want this for me as much as I want it for me, I believe, because it makes so much sense to them too."
He can list a litany of reasons why it makes sense. Burton is a lifelong Jeopardy fan, recalling that he started watching the show as a fourth- or fifth-grader, when Art Fleming was the host, and has continued viewing it "almost every night of my life," he says. He competed on Celebrity Jeopardy in 1995 — "A dream come true," he says — and won by a considerable margin. (Notes Burton, "Having the correct answer for Final Jeopardy is now crossed off my bucket list.")
So: "Love of the franchise, check." But it goes deeper than that. Burton has long been a passionate advocate for learning and literacy ("Loves knowledge and curiosity, check") with such projects as PBS' Reading Rainbow, which he hosted for more than two decades ("I spent 26 years talking directly to people through the camera lens, check") and his podcast LeVar Burton Reads, on which he shares his favorite short fiction. That passion came from his mother, an English teacher, and inspired deep-seated beliefs he holds to this day.
"The values that my family has established over time has been, if there is a leveler of the playing field in America, it's education — aside from, you know, just being born white," he adds with a laugh. "But if you are ever going to fulfill your full potential, then learning needs to be your friend."
In summation, he has the pedigree, the enthusiasm, the gravitas, and, clearly, the fan support to back his bid for Jeopardy host. ("I bring an audience of Gen X-ers and millennials — checkmate!" he says.) And yet, Burton is not among the series of guest hosts tapped to step behind the lectern, and he says he hasn't heard from the show's producers. (Representatives for Jeopardy did not respond to EW's request for comment.)
"I've got to believe that they're paying attention," the actor says. "And I hope they weigh this campaign as a factor in my favor." In other words: your move, Jeopardy.
"I think my whole career is an advertisement for being the host of Jeopardy," the former Reading Rainbow and Star Trek star tells EW with a laugh.
By Tyler Aquilina
April 09, 2021 at 08:39 PM EDT
LeVar Burton doesn't think he'd be a good choice to host Jeopardy. He knows he'd be the best choice to host Jeopardy.
"I've thought and thought and thought — I've asked friends and family to help me identify someone out there who's more qualified for the job than I am," the Roots and Star Trek actor tells EW. "I don't believe there is anyone out there who is better suited for this job than me. And I will go to my grave believing that."
"I think my whole career is an advertisement for being the host of Jeopardy," he adds with a laugh.
CREDIT: TAYLOR HILL/GETTY IMAGES
In case you couldn't tell, Burton wants the gig — and he hasn't been coy about it. The actor expressed interest as early as September 2020, before beloved host Alex Trebek's death, when he tweeted, "Not gonna lie, I feel like I've been preparing my whole life to occupy the @Jeopardy host podium when Alex retires." On Monday, he shared a months-old petition urging Jeopardy's producers to name Burton the show's new host. So far, the petition has garnered the support of more than 200,000 fans (and, apparently, Dick Van Dyke).
"It feels like, 'Wow, they really are behind me,'" Burton says. "They want this for me as much as I want it for me, I believe, because it makes so much sense to them too."
He can list a litany of reasons why it makes sense. Burton is a lifelong Jeopardy fan, recalling that he started watching the show as a fourth- or fifth-grader, when Art Fleming was the host, and has continued viewing it "almost every night of my life," he says. He competed on Celebrity Jeopardy in 1995 — "A dream come true," he says — and won by a considerable margin. (Notes Burton, "Having the correct answer for Final Jeopardy is now crossed off my bucket list.")
So: "Love of the franchise, check." But it goes deeper than that. Burton has long been a passionate advocate for learning and literacy ("Loves knowledge and curiosity, check") with such projects as PBS' Reading Rainbow, which he hosted for more than two decades ("I spent 26 years talking directly to people through the camera lens, check") and his podcast LeVar Burton Reads, on which he shares his favorite short fiction. That passion came from his mother, an English teacher, and inspired deep-seated beliefs he holds to this day.
"The values that my family has established over time has been, if there is a leveler of the playing field in America, it's education — aside from, you know, just being born white," he adds with a laugh. "But if you are ever going to fulfill your full potential, then learning needs to be your friend."
In summation, he has the pedigree, the enthusiasm, the gravitas, and, clearly, the fan support to back his bid for Jeopardy host. ("I bring an audience of Gen X-ers and millennials — checkmate!" he says.) And yet, Burton is not among the series of guest hosts tapped to step behind the lectern, and he says he hasn't heard from the show's producers. (Representatives for Jeopardy did not respond to EW's request for comment.)
"I've got to believe that they're paying attention," the actor says. "And I hope they weigh this campaign as a factor in my favor." In other words: your move, Jeopardy.
A funny cac gon try and call him Toby on accident.
No they do not have any personality again no
You would.
None At All!
Ya'll know good and well they going to get Wayne Brady to host 
You know. They probably willYa'll know good and well they going to get Wayne Brady to host
Don’t beg my nig. Fuck them if they can’t see your the best man for the job.
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Neil has become a wee bit of an asshole over the yearsIs he though...?
I'm a big fan of LeVar.
He'd be a great host for the show.
But imagine what it would be like if this guy hosted it....
Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Even when Alex popped his shit he managed to never sound condescending. Neil has become damn near the opposite, almost everything he say sound dickish lol
i wouldn't have a problem with lavar. i still would wanna see him guest host for a few weeks first tho to confirm tho
God-Of-War-420
Mr. Pool
They'll probably keep aaron rodgers no personality having ass
It isn’t like the host helps out the contestants with the answers.
I think calling this begging is a bit of a stretch
This is the only good point I've heard in the case against
Starting a petition for a job isn’t begging? I love Levar and would like to see him get the job but if this isn’t begging it’s dam sure it’s next door neighbor.
He didn't start the petition. He just retweeted it.
Wasn’t he hosting another show on cbs? It’s been yrs since I seen him hosting on that other show but I think it’s still on.. I 4get what old school show it wasYa'll know good and well they going to get Wayne Brady to host
Edit: the show was let’s make a deal.. idk if he still doing it
Oh okay
I'd be happy just to see a brother/sister get the job as long as they're not on some cooning shit.
that man has been getting bag after bag after bag
much respect
He got a CBS show a syndicated Whose line show and now a show on FOX
sidebar...
Quiet is kept he need to give Chappelle 5% forever though cause that ONE skit saved that brother career and made him translate to BOTH sides.
Yeah.
I've gotta admit, on 2nd thought, Neil does have an assholish air about him.
Perhaps I'm wrong for nominating him...
Me and a colleague call him Neil Da'Ass Tyson lolYeah.
I've gotta admit, on 2nd thought, Neil does have an assholish air about him.
Perhaps I'm wrong for nominating him...
damn they got over 200.00+
Excellent
hopefully they can top 300K
Excellent
hopefully they can top 300K
But Wayne pulled it off.. having a skit made dosent mean it’s guaranteed to be good.. Wayne executing it was why it worked.. a lot of people could’ve failed attempting it.. also got to consider the skit existed based on Wayne career prior.. Wayne created that good guy image himself.. the him going dark was an idea.. it made for good tv which also was a good look for Dave being that Wayne agreed to the skit and him actually pulling it off is why people can still talk about it.. Wayne was gonna more likely find another career opportunity even without that skit due to his good guy image.. it just made the hood accept him after kinda looking at him as a cornball
Levar will be ok and besides didn't he did it once or twice before?
Long as they don't take it off because talkshows are dead,game shows are on life support.
If I could answer at least 5 or more question on Jeopardy than I did a good job and I've been doin that since I was a kid cause of my grandma and mother watching it.My Ol lady GGma loved Steve Harvey and would have conversations with him,literally
Long as they don't take it off because talkshows are dead,game shows are on life support.
If I could answer at least 5 or more question on Jeopardy than I did a good job and I've been doin that since I was a kid cause of my grandma and mother watching it.My Ol lady GGma loved Steve Harvey and would have conversations with him,literally