LeVar Burton is proving that we can actually have good things by scoring that Jeopardy! guest-hosting gig, even if it’s not actually happening until July 26 (boooo). Still, he gave fans a little taste to tide them over by appearing on The View. Naturally, this meant that we got to see how LeVar handled a Meghan McCain question. Those tend to lead to controversies, yet that really didn’t happen here, and it wasn’t because of any grand effort on McCain’s behalf. Nope, she asked him (starting at 4:15 above) all about what he thought about the pulling of six Dr. Seuss titles (by Dr. Seuss Enterprises) due to insensitive messaging and the potential effects of so-called “cancel culture.”
The Reading Rainbow host, who recently did some voiceover work for the Seuss Foundation, was prepared. As he told McCain, Dr. Seuss isn’t simply a publishing house that’s making arbitrary decisions. “That man, Theodore Geisel, is responsible for generations of wholesome, healthy, wonderful, creative content for children of all ages. So, I think we need to put things in perspective,” he remarked. He also believes that “cancel culture” is misnamed. Instead, “I think we have a consequence culture, and that consequences are finally encompassing everybody in this society, whereas they haven’t been ever in this country.” (Man, Donald Trump Jr. is not gonna like to hear that one.)
Burton added that he felt optimistic about the positive upswing with such consequences, which he believes “has everything to do with a new awareness by people who were simply unaware of the real nature of life in this country for people who have been other-ed since this nation began.”
Aaaaand Burton also articulated his desire to become the next permanent Jeopardy! host. Make it happen.