I'm LeVar Burton, host of LeVar Burton Reads. AMA!

Hi Mr. Burton!

Reading rainbow was a huge part of my childhood and a big reason why I'm an avid reader today. Also, my dad was a star trek fan and when I was little I would put my hairband over my eyes and pretend i was Geordi La Forge, lol.

Anyway!! I'm a huge Community fan - do you have any fun stories from your time on set?

I need to say here just how impressed I was with the level of commitment Donald Glover brought to those moments between Troy and LeVar. For instance, I wasn’t present for the bathroom scene where he sings RR and delivers the line, “Set phasers to stun!”, but when I saw the finished episode I was floored. Arguably one of the best lines in TV history.

Would you ever do a Hot Ones interview?

I’ve been waiting for them to ask!

"Star Trek: La Forge" when?

LOL!!!

Do people ask you to sing the theme song to Reading rainbow all the time? If no, could you?

I SING IT ALL THE TIME. IT MY RINGTONE.

It's you, and 4 other people. Across all Star Trek series. Who would you pick for your away team?

River, Data, Worf & Troi

What was it like working with Donald Glover and the rest of the cast of Community?

The entire cast was wonderful! I am friends with Yvette Nicole Brown. We are both member of a Blerd Brunch crew. Whenever I see one of them it’s always a joy for me. They were incredibly generous!!!

More fish for Kunta

This was probably the best ad lib of my career!

Do fans often quoted episode to you?

No they just stare at him frozen, unable to speak

Believe it or not it has happened!!!

Thanks LeVar! What books do you read over and over, if any? Do you have any feelings about whether it's good to keep moving on to new discoveries, or returning to familiar stories?

Hope my family can attend a live show soon!

These days, it’s whatever makes you feel better! For me it’s the balance of new stories with those that are familiar and in that sense, comforting. We’re all under considerable stress these days and whatever healthy ways we can employ to keep our sanity intact I’m very much in favor thereof.

*Edit Do you still have your Geordie LaForge visor?! u/_LeVarBurton

Yes! The VISOR I wore on the show resides safely in my possession. Anything else is a replica!!!

Huge fan of everything you do!

Are you still hoping for a real shot at Jeopardy?

Actually, no. I have developed along with Milton Bradley a game show based on their IP, Trivial Pursuit, which as you might imagine I am incredibly excited about!

Do you wish you were Lance Reddick?

All the time!!!

What's something you wish TNG had done (storywise, characterwise, etc) that it didn't do?

Give Geordi a healthy relationship with a woman!!!

Any obscure reading suggestions for black teenagers who seem to have read everything already?

I believe it is our passions that govern our reading appetites! Folks ask me all the time, ‘How do I get my kid to read more?” I ask them two questions in return. 1) How often does your child see you reading? That modeling is critically important. 2) What is your child passionate about? If your child loves super heroes then I recommend buying your kid some comic books!

What parts of your own personality did you incorporate into the character of Geordi?

Mostly the aspects of me that are not an asshole.

Nerd question: in the episode where fake Data did some experimental surgery on your head, how upset were you, the actor, that they didn't write in that it fixed your eyes and let you ditch the visor?

A lot of folks assume that as regards his sight Geordi has a longing for something that he doesn’t already have; like Data and his desire to experience emotions. On the contrary! I believe Geordi is absolutely content with his unique way of “visualizing” the world. His visual abilities far exceed human sight, which by comparison is actually quite limited.

Hi LeVar, first off I just wanna say I’m an OG fan of Reading Rainbow and watched it as a kid.

What do you hope people will take away from you as your legacy when you’re gone?

As human beings go, he didn’t suck.

What's your favourite kind of pie?

Chocolate pie rules!

Do you prefer to read a traditional book printed on paper or a digital book on a screen?

I don’t believe I have a bias. Bound books, digital books; I simply want to read! One of the miracles of the modern age is that I literally carry around a library on my tablet. A WHOLE LIBRARY! I didn’t see that coming.

I have wanted to know this for years!

Did playing a cult member in Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones shape your viewpoint on how people can be taken in by a charismatic leader? Did you read about the Peoples Temple prior to playing the role?

I’m from Northern California so the People’s Temple story, out of the Bay Area, was one I was familiar with. Then of course, when the whole tragedy went down in Guyana the story was international headlines for weeks. I believe at some level we are all looking for some solutions in life that give us comfort and bring meaning our existence. Surrendering oneself wholly to any ideology, can carry negative consequences.

What projects of yours do you wish got more attention?

Also your beard is amazing.

Definitely my podcast, LeVar Burton Reads, available wherever you get your podcasts on AND the LeVar Burton Book Club on @GetFable.

What’s next for you?

15 minutes ‘till cocktails.

I am sure you have heard it all by now regarding the effect you have had on so many of our lives so I will just keep it brief (though I did get in trouble in sixth grade for making a visor out of my school assignment and wearing it instead of paying attention)! Are there any awesome places you would recommend anyone visit for inspiration in making one of the books that you so often read to others (for aspiring authors) or, if failing that, is there anything on your lifelong checklist that you would just recommend everyone has to do at least once here on Earth no matter who they are or what they do?

Thank you again for everything Mr. Burton, it's a real joy to see you continue your amazing work after all these years.

I WOULD HONESTLY SAY GENUINELY MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF ANOTHER HUMAN IS SOMETHING EVERY SOUL SHOULD EXPERIENCE.

Do you Wordle?

I am afraid to try it. It might become an obsession I can ill afford just now. Also, what if I sucked at it?

Hi, LeVar! I'm a big fan! What's your favorite cocktail? I'd like to create a drink in your honor for the Troll Lounge in Fargo!

If I’m going out, tequila… Shots or craft cocktails. If I’m staying at home, brown liquor, usually neat or a chunk of ice!!

THAT’S IT FOR ME, Y’ALL… THANKS FOR COMING TO MY AMA! I’ll see you next time.. but you don’t have to take my word for it! LEVAR

Hello Mr Burton, wondering how much do you think Star Trek should reflect the world or be political? Asking this not because it is as a bad thing -- TOS is known to expound a humanistic ideal, and one of the first on-screen mixed-race kiss -- but we start to have Trekkies who claim Trek is too "woke".

THEN IN MY OPINION THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND THE TRUE VALUE OF TREK.

What's some of your favorite SciFi reads?

Anything by Octavia Butler! N K Jemison is a favorite of mine. As is Nnedi Okorafor!

Thanks for making the world a better place Mr. Burton! I’ve gotten answers in two different AMA’s with these questions, so I’m going for the streak here.

1. Best OG Cheeto: Crunchy or Puffy?

2. Syrup: After opening, where does at home syrup go: in the pantry or fridge?

And finally....

1. What’s your least favorite animal? Other than geese, obviously.

Puffy… but I detest the orange powder coating on my hands.

Fridge. That’s why God invented the micro-wave!

Not terribly fond of skunks. We have an issue in our neighborhood on accession.