LeVar Burtonis more than okay with not becoming the new host ofJeopardy!
During an appearance onThe Daily Show with Trevor NoahThursday, Burton opened up about his initial desire to become the next host of the popular game show afterAlex Trebek’sNovember 2020 death— and the support he received from fans after vocalizing his interest.
“We did a Kickstarter several years ago and I discovered then that the generation of adults who grew up onReading Rainbow, they were down with whatever it is I wanted to do. And the same is true with thisJeopardy!thing,” Burton, 64, said. “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. So they wanted it for me as much as I wanted it.”
Burton, however, was not tapped for the position.Jeopardy!producerMike Richardswas named as the new permanent host last month before hestepped downamid a series of scandals.Mayim BialikandJeopardy!champKen Jenningswill now splitJeopardy!hosting duties for the remainder of the game show’s 38th season.
Burton said he has since come to terms with the fact that the hosting gig was not meant for him and is looking forward to new opportunities to come.
“The crazy thing is is that when you set your sights on something, 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 said. “What I wanted was to compete. I mean, I wanted the job, right. But then when I didn’t get it, it was like, ‘Well, okay. Well, what’s next?'”
He continued, “The opportunities that have come my way as a result of not getting that gig, I couldn’t have dreamt it up. I couldn’t 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 includeJeopardy!?’ "
Ian Tuttle/Getty
After Noah suggested that Burton find a way to host a game show of his own, Burton said: “We are working on creating exactly what that is.”
“The thing is, I never thought about hosting any other game show outside ofJeopardy!But now, having that 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 added. “So, we’re trying to figure out what [is] the right game show for LeVar Burton.”
LeVar Burton.Carol Kaelson/Jeopardy Productions
“I have said many times over these past weeks thatno matter the outcome, I’ve won,” Burton,tweetedafter hosting the show between July 26 to July 30. “The outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and fans alike has been incredible!”
“If love is the ultimate blessing and I believe that it is, I am truly blessed beyond measure,” he added.
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Richards was thenousted as the executive producerofJeopardy!andWheel of Fortune,Suzanne Prete, the executive vice president of business and strategy for the two shows, announced in a letter sent to staff on Aug. 31.
Bialik will take over hosting duties starting Monday and running through Nov. 5.
After that, Bialik and Jennings — who as a contestant in 2004 went on an unprecedented 74-game victory streak worth $2.52 million — will split hosting duties as their schedules allow.
Episodes thatwere taped during Richards’ nine-day tenureareairing this week.
source: people.com
