LeVar Burton Criticized A Journalist On Twitter Over His ‘Jeopardy!’ Hosting Comments

LeVar Burton says he’s done with Jeopardy! and he’s calling out people on Twitter who say otherwise. The actor got a shot at guest hosting the show earlier this summer and some very vocal followers say he should work full-time for the beloved game show. But Jeopardy! went a different direction with Mike Richards, who lasted a single day as full-time host before scandal and controversy forced him to resign.

The job is still up for grabs, and Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik will split guest hosting duties while the show figures things out. But Burton was adamant that he’s not interested in the job and just didn’t really enjoy hosting all that much. That news circulated on Friday, and considering the chatter that Burton’s potential hosting duties got on social media it got plenty of attention. Including from Los Angeles Times journalist Steve Battaglio, who argued that despite his comments Burton would take the job “in a heartbeat” if he were offered it.

That comment got a lot of attention from fans and the host he was speculating about as well. Normally that kind of speculation would simply come and go, but Burton himself was apparently irked by the comments and responded to him on Twitter.

“No Stephen, he wouldn’t!” Burton responded. The writer said that he believed him and apologized for making people upset. But Burton later said that the writer doesn’t simply “get a pass” for making assumptions about him publicly.

“Throughout this entire ordeal I have done my utmost best to take the high road in spite of the amount of vitriol and bile some folks have felt it necessary to post on my timeline,” Burton said.

Burton also said he had “perspective” on the whole ordeal that he’s choosing to keep quiet about right now. So while he’s given up on hosting the show, it doesn’t sound like he’s done talking about his week behind the podium just yet.