In a sign of humble graciousness that reflects why he was the center of a well-received fan campaign to become the next permanent host of Jeopardy!, LeVar Burton has responded to reports that the honor of succeeding Alex Trebek will most likely go to Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards, who is the frontrunner for the job.
On Thursday morning, Burton tweeted out a message to fans thanking them for their overwhelming support and expressing his happiness with the entire experience even if he (probably) won’t become the new host of Jeopardy! Via Twitter:
I have said many times over these past weeks that no matter the outcome, I’ve won. 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.
I have said many times over these past weeks that no matter the outcome, I’ve won. 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. 🙏🏾
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) August 5, 2021
Of course, there were some fired up and passionate reactions to Burton not getting the permanent gig, but the former Reading Rainbow host is clearly choosing to go out gracefully, and his fans would have expected nothing less.
On a bright note, Burton’s short one-week stint did pull in a sizable haul for Reading Is Fundamental. Going back to the ’80s, Burton has been a longtime advocate for childhood literacy, and his Jeopardy! appearance brought in a $204,800 donation for the charity organization. While Burton may not have gotten the top job, he did walk away a champion for a valuable cause.
(Via LeVar Burton on Twitter)
