LeVar Burton will be a guest host on ‘Jeopardy!,’ but the famous actor believes he’s a ‘good fit’ to take over the role permanently! Learn more about the beloved TV icon whom fans are petitioning to see on ‘Jeopardy!’ long-term.
LeVar Burton‘s name made it into the final group of Jeopardy! guests hosts for the 37th season, which the game show tweeted out on April 21. There was even an exclamation by LeVar’s name, because the show knew how much fans wanted to see the beloved television personality take over hosting duties! In fact, there’s an ongoing petition on Change.org calling for the 64-year-old actor to be “the next host of Jeopardy!” to permanently replace the role that Alex Trebek left behind when he sadly passed away following a battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in Nov. 2020.
We can finally tell you! Here is the final group of guest hosts to close out Season 37:
• Robin Roberts
• George Stephanopoulos
• David Faber
• Joe Buck
• LeVar Burton!https://t.co/iAPNyy29pu pic.twitter.com/Twgef7i6b5— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) April 21, 2021
So, who is the actor that has garnered more than 240,000 signatures demanding that he be Jeopardy!‘s next host? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time he has hosted a major television show. Learn more about LeVar below:
LeVar Burton Also Wants To Be The Next Host Of ‘Jeopardy!’
It’s not only the fans who want LeVar to be the new permanent host of Jeopardy!. “This is something that I really think is a good idea,” LeVar said on the April 16 episode of USA TODAY’s “The Mothership Podcast.” He added, “I think it’s a good fit of what the show is, what the show requires and what I feel like I bring to the table.” LeVar also said he wishes to do “justice to the legacy of Alex,” who hosted the game show between 1984-2020. You can listen to the full podcast above!
LeVar Burton Is Famous For Hosting ‘Reading Rainbow’
LeVar Burton on Reading Rainbow, which aired between 1983-2006. [The Everett Collection]Jeopardy! won’t be LeVar’s first radio in hosting. Here’s a nostalgic throwback for ’80s kids: LeVar famously hosted and executive produced the public television series Reading Rainbow, which was an educational show for children that premiered on PBS Kids in 1983. He hosted the show for 23 years until 2006, when the show was cancelled. Throughout its 23-season run, Reading Rainbow picked up 26 Emmys and a Peabody award.
LeVar is still educating children through his Skybrary app, which is a “carefully curated interactive library of eBooks and real-world video explorations designed to engage young readers and foster a love of reading,” according to Reading Is Fundamental’s website.
He Is Also A Famous Actor — You May Recognize Him On ‘Roots’ & ‘Star Trek’
LeVar Burton on Roots in 1977. [The Everett Collection]LeVar was only 19 years old and still studying at University of Southern California when he landed his breakthrough role as Kunta Kinte in the 1977 miniseries Roots. The show picked up multiple Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody award, and a Golden Globe award. This paved the way to LeVar’s next famous role: Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, which he played between 1987-1994.
LeVar, who went on to appear in many more TV shows and films, even reflected on his two most famous roles while talking about the possibility of hosting Jeopardy! full-time. “I feel as strongly about my rightness for this as I did about Kunta and Geordi. And I’m that invested in getting the job,” LeVar said on the USA Today podcast mentioned above.
He Currently Hosts A Popular Podcast Called ‘LeVar Burton Reads’
While Reading Rainbow may be off air, LeVar is still reading to fans. He hosts a weekly podcast called LeVar Burton Reads, and in every episode LeVar “invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story” and his “narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami, Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury and more to life,” according to the audio show‘s description on Apple Podcasts.
LeVar Burton Has Been Married Since 1992
LeVar Burton with his wife, Stephanie Cozart Burton, and their daughter Michaela Jean Burton at the premiere of Mulan in Los Angeles on March 9, 2020. [Shutterstock]LeVar has been married to professional makeup artist Stephanie Cozart Burton since 1992. They welcomed a daughter, Michaela “Mica” Jean Burton, who is now 27 years old and an actress and cosplayer. LeVar also has a 41-year-old son, Eian Burton, from a past relationship.
Sourse: hollywoodlife.com
