LeVar Burton Wants Alex Trebek's Job as 'Jeopardy!' Host and He's Not Alone

Get ready for Star Trek and reading Jeopardy! clues because LeVar Burton might be the next host if [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

Get ready for Star Trek and reading Jeopardy! clues because LeVar Burton might be the next host if his dreams come true.

"I've made it very clear... when Alex Trebek retires in two years, I want that job," the former Reading Rainbow host told a crowd at the official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas Sunday.

Burton also tweeted about his game show ambitions last week.

"Sorry, brother! There is only one game show I've ever wanted to host... This Is Jeopardy!" Burton wrote. "Sorry everyone! It was called Reading Rainbow, not Spelling Rainbow."

Burton began making his pitch to replace Alex Trebek after the legendary game show host told OBJECTified host Harvey Levin he plans to retire after his contract is up in 2020. Trebek still said there was a "50/50 and a little less" chance of him re-signing with show producer Sony, but said he could see a life outside the show.

Trebek also provided Sony with ideas on replacements. He suggested Alex Faust, a commentator for the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, and CNN legal analyst Laura Coates.

"Incredibly honored & humbled [Jeopardy] Alex Trebek 1) knows who I am 2) thinks I'd be a great host of my fave game show ever that I grew up watching w/ my family & still watch w/ my own kids (who saw him say this & now think I'm a genius)," Coates wrote on Twitter.

Burton does have a history with Jeopardy! Back in 1995, the Roots actor appeared on Celebrity Jeopardy. He won $14,500 for the Somalia Foundation, according to the J! Archive.

The Emmy-nominated actor's fans would also love to see Burton become the new Jeopardy! host.

"LeVar Burton hosting Jeopardy is something I never knew I wanted, and now I want it more than anything," one fan wrote.

"You were my suggestion for the heir to the Jeopardy host throne. For real. Said it out loud in front of people and everything," another added.

"Gosh, you hosting Jeopardy would be awesome. Please make it so, whoever the heck owns Jeopardy," another fan wrote.

Burton has two Primetime Emmy nominations for Reading Rainbow and has a third for playing Kunta Kinte in the iconic miniseries Roots. He also has multiple Daytime Emmy wins for Reading Rainbow, which launched in 1983 and continued through 2006.

Burton also played Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and will next be seen in Jordan Peele's YouTube series Weird City.

Photo credit: Andrea Bracaglia/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

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