Best known as the beloved host of Reading Rainbow, LeVar Burton is currently living out one of his biggest dreams as Jeopardy!’s latest guest host.
On Monday, the former Star Trek actor made his Jeopardy! debut, an opportunity he says he just couldn’t pass up. For nearly a decade, the 64-year-old Roots star has been vocal about wanting to take over the podium when the late Alex Trebek retired. Now, LeVar is helping honor Alex’s legacy on the beloved quiz show, officially joining a roster of celebrities, TV personalities and past Jeopardy! prodigies.
Ahead of his first episode airing, LeVar opened up to Esquire about why he believes he’s meant for the role.
“Everything that I’m about is in the same vein as Jeopardy!,” he told the outlet. “The idea of education being a value or a principle and that education should be available to everyone. We take that nightly quiz and test ourselves against those champions, and we play the game as a nation every night. The things that I’ve done in terms of using the medium of television to do more than simply entertain—bringing a little more to the table to educate, inform, enlighten, uplift … Jeopardy! does those things too.”
After watching LeVar host Jeopardy! for the first time, many folks immediately took to Twitter to congratulate him on having a strong start. “Great job!!! It appears to be a natural fit. He’s only going to get better and better!” one person wrote. “@levarburton did great!! 😁👍 A bit nervous maybe, but a good episode! Bringing back those #ReadingRainbow hosting vibes!” another added.
What’s more, a lot of viewers are already calling for him to become the new permanent host of Jeopardy!.
“LeVar, just watched you hosting Jeopardy tonight and needless to say you were superb ... I most definitely see a future for you as next full time host..Alex Trebek would be proud of you 🙏,” a different fan said. “Loving @levarburton as host. It just seems to come so naturally to him. He has good presence, a good voice, and can handle the cadence and sometimes complexity of the answers. PLEASE KEEP HIM PERMANENTLY! 👍👏😃,” a follower commented. “I am so pumped!!! Please keep him there. This is what’s meant to be. @levarburton A person hosting Jeopardy has to also sound intelligent. Levar Burton always does. He’s a smart, good person,” another tweeted.
Jeopardy! started featuring guest hosts back in January, and the time is almost here for the show to officially name the person who will take over Alex’s job. Executive producer Mike Richards previously shared that the new permanent host will be announced by the end of this month or early August. After LeVar, David Faber and Joe Buck will take their turns as guest hosts.
Selena is the entertainment and news editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers the latest on TV, movies and celebrities. In addition to writing and editing entertainment news, she also spotlights the Hispanic and Latinx community through her work. She is a graduate of CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. in journalism and creative writing.
