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Following the passing of TV host Alex Trebek at 80 in November, Sony Pictures Entertainment has been featuring various guest hosts on Trebek’s former show, the daytime game show Jeopardy!. These temporary hosts have received mixed reactions, prompting the question of who will permanently take over the hosting duties. LeVar Burton seems to be a popular choice among a specific group of fans, with over 171,374 signatures on a Change.org petition in support of him.
Supporters of Burton point to his extensive experience in the entertainment industry, his significant influence, and his broad knowledge of trivia. The petition highlights Burton’s impactful roles in shows like hosting 21 seasons of Reading Rainbow, portraying the intelligent engineer Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and depicting Kunta Kinte in the influential mini-series Roots.
Leaving this here in the event the powers that be are listening… https://t.co/xB3x8atDCv
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 6, 2021
Recently, Burton shared the petition link on his Twitter account, expressing his willingness to host the show if given the opportunity.
Since Burton’s endorsement, there has been a surge of public support for him and the petition, with many fellow celebrities voicing their approval. For instance, Burton’s former Star Trek co-starBrent Spiner tweeted, “When is Jeopardy going to get it? The public wants @levarburton to host the show!” Additionally, Late Show hostStephen Colbert humorously suggested a themed version of Jeopardy! based on Star Trek.
As of now, the producers of the show have not made any statements regarding the petition or Burton’s interest.
