“You know, we did a [Reading Rainbow] Kickstarter several years ago. I discovered then that the generation of adults now, who grew up on Reading Rainbow, they were down with whatever it is I wanted to do, and the same was true with this Jeopardy! thing,” the Roots star recalled. “I made it public that I wanted it for myself, that it made sense to me, and they were all about it. It made as much sense to them as it did to me. And, so, they wanted it for me as much as I wanted it.”
However, Burton says he later changed his tune, seemingly realizing that he’d rather “compete” on the beloved game show series than serve as its host. “The crazy thing is that when you set your sights on something, you know, they say be careful of what you wish for, because what I found out is that it wasn’t the thing that I wanted after all,” he continued.
Although Jeopardy!‘s showrunners may not have been able to recognize his apparent talent and expertise it seems others have, a sentiment that the star says has come in the form of several new opportunities. “I mean, I wanted the job, but then when I didn’t get it, it was like, ‘Well, OK, what’s next?,’” the actor said. “And so, the opportunities that have come my way as a result of not getting that gig, I couldn’t have dreamt it up. If you had given me a pen and paper and said, ‘Well, so what do you want this to really look like?’ If it doesn’t include Jeopardy! I wouldn’t have been this generous to myself.”
One of those opportunities, Burton revealed? Potentially hosting a different game show. “I never thought about hosting any other game show outside of Jeopardy! But now, they went in a different direction with their show, which is their right, and now I’m thinking, ‘Well, it does kind of make sense, let me see what I can do,’” he explained. “So we’re trying to figure out what the right game show for LeVar Burton would be.”
So folks, if there’s anything we can learn from Burton – other than the infinite joys of reading – it’s that when one door closes, two doors open, and it seems behind one of those doors, may be a massive – and damn well deserved – game show prize.
Top Image: Jeopardy!
For more internet nonsense, follow Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ on TikTok as @HuntressThompson_, and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.
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