Ava DuVernay Wants to Create a Show for LeVar Burton After His ‘Jeopardy!’ Heartbreak

Martin Holmes
12 Comments
LeVar Burton and Ava Duvernay
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

While many fans are still disappointed that LeVar Burton won’t be the new host of Jeopardy!, award-winning director Ava DuVernay may be cooking up something even better.

The Selma director sent out a tweet on Wednesday indicating she wanted to find a way to work with the former Star Trek actor. “Me trying to create a show right in this moment for @levarburton to host and make an international hit,” she tweeted.

Burton himself seemed excited by the prospect as he replied to the message telling DuVernay to “check her DMs.”

This isn’t the first time the two stars have interacted. In 2019, Burton, who earned an Emmy nomination in 1977 for playing Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries Roots, praised DuVernay for her work on the Netflix series When They See Us, which tells the story of the Central Park Five.

“I had to keep breathing,” he wrote. “Episode #1 nearly broke my heart, however I’ll keep watching. This is essential viewing for EVERY American! As essential to your understanding of America as was, ROOTS! Brava, @ava.”

DuVernay was overwhelmed by Burton’s message, responding, “Goodness, that last line got me. Coming from you. Thank you, Mr. Burton.”

Fans are also excited about the potential collaboration, especially after the Reading Rainbow host was denied the Jeopardy! gig. Burton had campaigned tirelessly to become the new host of the long-running CBS game show, with fans even creating a petition to land him the spot. However, despite getting to guest host for a week, a decision was made Wednesday for Mike Richards and Mayim Bialik to share hosting duties.

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“I have said many times over these past weeks that no matter the outcome, I’ve won,” Burton tweeted last week. “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.”

Check out some of the fan reaction to DuVernay’s tweet below, including some of their suggestions for show ideas.

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  1. R

    RedBulb

    No way It should be Mr LeVar Burton!!

  2. G

    GoldTeepee

    You all should all be ashamed Alex is not even cold yet and everybody is fussing and fighting over his job.

    1 5

    1. C

      CyanDog

      It's not like he's coming back. Life goes on 🤷‍♀️

  3. G

    GreenSeahorse

    Burton was ok. Not his best performance.

    1 6

  4. R

    RedButton

    Make it a kid's show and you have the right guy. He was terrible with adults.

    3 8

  5. R

    RedCarrot

    On his best day, Burton was a 5 out of 10 hosting Jeopardy

    2 8

  6. O

    OliveFan

    What heartbreak? He and his fans pushed his way on the show. He stumbled at the beginning and then was just OK, IMO.

    2 9

  7. B

    BlueHelmet

    They can try. Right now the game show market is over saturated with black hosts; out of all proportion to the population percentages. Steve Harvey, Wayne Brady, Jamie Foxx, Anthony Anderson and Michael Strahan etc. all host prime time game shows. As for Mr. Burton, it seemed to me that his time on Jeopardy suffered from his lack of experience in non scripted work. Roots, Star Trek and Reading Rainbow never called for spontaneity and it showed.

    3 14

    1. G

      GoldBlowdryer

      Oversaturated? Are you sure that’s the direction you wanted to go with that? Why? Because there is more than one black person hosting a game show? God forbid the majority be black instead of white for the first time in any television situation ever in history.

      23

    2. R

      RedRocket

      Keep the black show hosts coming!!°

      3

      1. B

        BlueBandAid

        What about Latino, Asian, Indian hosts? How decisive! Instead of unite, you divide people with your comments. Why does everything have to be about race?!?!

        2

    3. B

      BlueHelmet

      Oh game shows are oversaturated with blacks hosts ? Well the entire tv industry is oversaturated with whites actors....since the 1920's. How about that?