Actor LeVar Burton Shows Desire to Host ‘Jeopardy!’

Following the unfortunate passing of TV host Alex Trebek at the age of 80 last November, Sony Pictures Entertainment has been featuring a rotating selection of guest hosts on Trebek’s former show, daytime quiz program Jeopardy!. Reviews of these guest hosts have varied from indifferent to negative, leaving the important question unanswered: who will ultimately take on the permanent role of hosting Jeopardy!? If you were to inquire with a specific group of 171,374 individuals (and the number is growing), the unanimous response would be LeVar Burton.

Over the past few months, a petition has been circulating on Change.org urging Sony to appoint this seasoned television personality as the new host of Jeopardy!, emphasizing his extensive experience in the entertainment industry, strong celebrity presence, and vast knowledge of miscellaneous facts.

“Through his hosting of 21 seasons of the educational Reading Rainbow, his portrayal of the intelligent engineer Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: the Next Generation, and his performance as Kunta Kinte in the highly significant miniseries Roots, LeVar Burton has motivated and influenced multiple generations of quiz-loving enthusiasts,” reads the petition description.

Sharing this here just in case the influential authorities are attentive… https://t.co/xB3x8atDCv

— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 6, 2021

This aspiration gained momentum when Burton himself tweeted a link to the petition on his personal Twitter account, commenting, “Sharing this here just in case the influential authorities are attentive.”

Subsequent to Burton’s tweet, a fresh surge of support emerged for both him and the Change.org petition, with endorsements coming from several of Burton’s fellow entertainers.

“When will Jeopardy grasp this? The public demands @levarburton to lead the show!” exclaimed Burton’s former Star Trek colleague Brent Spiner.

“I believe LeVar Burton should be the host of Jeopardy! portraying Geordi La Forge. The buzzers should be phasers. Data should be the referee. It should be set in space, reminiscent of Star Trek,” quipped Late Show presenter Stephen Colbert.

Presently, the show’s producers have not yet responded to either the petition or Burton’s expression of interest.