He found gold at the end of his ‘Rainbow’
LeVar Burton got kids reading — now he wants to do the same for adults
LEVAR Burton looms large for generations of television fans, from his turn as young slave Kunta Kinte in “Roots” (1977) to “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987 to 1994) to his decades hosting “Reading Rainbow” (1983 to 2006). His podcast, “LeVar Burton Reads,” released its first season this summer. We caught up with him ahead of podcast festival “Now Hear This,” where Burton, 60, is appearing Saturday at the Javits Center.
How do you pick the short stories for the podcast, which is essentially “Reading Rainbow” for grown-ups?
My favorite genre of fiction is sci-fi, but I like bouncing around from genre to genre because it keeps things interesting. Some authors I am familiar with, like Neil Gaiman; some are ones my producer Julia Smith brings to my attention, like Lesley Nneka Arimah’s “What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky.”
Have you ever taken speech lessons, or is your voice just naturally mellifluous?
I studied theater at USC. That’s what I was doing when I was cast in “Roots” at age 19. So I have vocal training. Also, reading aloud is something I was exposed to at a very early age. My reading voice and persona comes from years and years and years of oral storytelling.
“Star Trek: The Next Generation” marked its 30th anniversary this year. Do you keep in touch with your co-stars?
Most of us were together last weekend. When I got married, 25 years ago this year, my best man was Brent Spiner and my groomsmen were Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes and Patrick Stewart. We’re incredibly close and always will be.
Do you get stopped on the street?
Several times a day. I am reminded that I was a part of childhoods — a part that’s fondly remembered. Every day, someone comes up to me and tells me they learned English as a second language by watching PBS.
Who are your biggest fans?
Oh my God, that’s such an unfair question. “Star Trek” fans are very enthusiastic, but I gotta say, it’s the “Reading Rainbow” generation. You guys are very vocal, very expressive. You sing the [theme] song to me when you see me. I love y’all. What was it like revisiting “Roots” in the 2016 remake? I couldn’t be more proud. The entire reason was to introduce “Roots” to folks who hadn’t seen the original. In the current social and political climate, it’s a story that needs to be kept alive. We need to remember this nation was founded on the work and literally the backs of people of color. Until we do, we’re not going to make any appreciable progress. Best tip for reading aloud? Pay attention to the text. Express what the author is telling you is going on in the narrative. But the most important thing is to be present. Be engaged. Have fun, and the audience will, too, whether it’s of one or 1,000.