LeVar Burton's most well known show was quite an accomplishment. All those years doing "Reading Rainbow" really helped a lot of kids read some great books. I used to love that show, I just wish they hadn't changed the theme song in the last few years.

Also, LeVar has done numerous guest appearances on many shows. But aside from Trek, he hasn't done too many movies.

I remember when he went to the Space Camp for the 25th Anniversary special, but I do not remember where it is in the US.

As for his comments on his character and the show in general, I think that they have been mostly positive, aside from the time he mentioned how much of a ladykiller Riker was compared to La Forge.

I wonder what he is doing these days?

Levar's first big role was in the ABC miniseries "Roots", back in '77(?). He was Kunta Kinte.

Ah yes, Roots. I had somehow forgotten about that one. And I watched the whole thing on DVD last year!

I met him at Dragon*Con in 2005 along with Marina Sirtis, both were really nice. It was just after Hurricane Katrina and both were donating all money that they made at the con to Katrine relief. During their panel he also had some rather negative stuff to say about "Star Trek: Nemesis." Particularly about that film's director Stuart Baird, who has worked on many great films but never a trek film before or since Nemesis. LeVar said that Baird called him Laverne for the first several weeks of the shoot and thought that Geordi was supposed to be an alien.

I wonder what he is doing these days?
Burton currently has a recurring role on the TNT drama series Perception. I also caught the tail end of Bill O'Reilly's interview with him last night on The O'Reilly Factor. IIRC, the topic was racial profiling. Specifically, DWB.

A petition has been circulating to make LeVar Burton the new host of Jeopardy, following the late Alex Trebek. More here.

as someone noted on a baby names site, his real name is Levardis and Levardis sounds like a medication.

I suspect the producers picked a replacement for Trebek shortly after he announced his cancer. Waiting until he died could have left them in a frantic search for a new host, so I don't think that's likely.

Levar is no spring chicken, either. He turned 63 last February.

"He turned 63 last February."

Which is why replacing an 80 year old with a 63 year old is a non-starter. Star Trek: NextGen was A LONG TIME AGO.

If LeVar is capable and wants the job, let him have it.

I'm sure the Sheldon Cooper's of the world would rejoice.

as noted above, he was right to change his name to LeVar as Levardis sounds like a medicine (so does Trayvon).

Not only that but, "I am Levardis of Borg. Resistance is futile!" sounds pretty convincing, too!

LeVar Burton had been tapped for guest hosting Jeopardy; dates for his episodes to run are July 26-30, 2021. (Lots of others are guest hosting as well, including Anderson Cooper, Mayim Bialik, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts and former Jeopardy champ Buzzy Cohen.)

Some would like to see him become the permanent host.

Good to hear. Sorry they're taking so long to settle on a new host. You would think they already had someone in mind, given that Alex gave them plenty of warning about his health.

I suspect that they don't want to replace Alex until the next season, so they're going with the guest hosts until then.

Also gives them a chance to get audience feedback.

If the person they want doesn't do well with audiences they don't lose a season to low ratings.

If the host they want does well, they can hype the audience response making the audience feel more responsible for the new host.

LeVar Burton's week as guest host of Jeopardy began airing last night. Unfortunately, the lowest contestant score in show history occurred on Burton's watch - a negative $7,400. More on that here.

It's not his fault such a doofus slipped through the screening process. :P

Agreed. But, that may have been what kept Burton from getting the host job. Show producer Mike Richards is reportedly in negotiations to be Jeopardy's permanent host.

To be honest, I thought Richards did the best job of all the guest hosts.

Variety reported that the other major candidates were Mayim Bialik and Buzzy Cohen.

I don't think a working actor (Bialik) would be a good choice, but I did like Buzzy's work as a guest host.

Regardless, Burton is appreciative of all the support he received during his time as guest host. Including a bit from Brent Spiner. More here.

I thought Levar was about 20% too cheerful, though I still enjoyed him.

LeVar Burton now says the Jeopardy! host job was "not his thing". More on that here.

Now, LeVar Burton has been picked to host a game show version of "Trivial Pursuit". More on that here.

Leverage: Redemption 1.9 The Bucket Job guest stars TNG alum LeVar Burton and there are Star Trek in-jokes here.


It had Breanna (Aleyse Shannon) making a starship reference and more directly to TNG, Parker (Beth Riesgraf) tells Eliot (Christian Kane) to watch TNG to which Burton's character of Mr Blanche asked, "What's TNG?"


This then cuts to the next scene without revealing to the viewer of how or if that question got answered!