LeVar Burton Receives Massive Government Honor
popculture.com
Star Trek star LeVar Burton just received a pretty big government honor. The beloved Reading Rainbow host was one of the 2023 National Humanities Medalists. For his impact as an actor and literacy advocate, Burton joined an elite group of people who have received the National Humanities Medal. He hosted the PBS Kids educational television […]
  • mipadaitu@lemmy.worldEnglish
    31·
    6 days ago

    I grew up on reading rainbow, then spent the last decade-(ish) having him read adult literature to me too.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeVar_Burton_Reads

    Looks like his podcast website is mis-configured, but you can find it on any regular podcast catcher.

    It’s crazy that this guy has been a teacher to me literally my entire life (and I’m pretty old.)

  • I'm back on my BS 🤪@lemmy.autism.placeEnglish
    13·
    6 days ago

    I’m so embarrassed by this, but here it goes. One time, me and my gf-at-the-time got free tickets to Epcot to see LeVar Burton speak. My ex and I weren’t doing well at the time, so we were drinking a bit too much. We showed up to Epcot early and pre-gamed at the Mexican pyramid. By the time we showed up to the Burton speech, we were pretty buzzed. My ex had a habit of disrespecting people in a passive-aggressive manner that is hard to define and point out. But this time, she was too drunk to pull it off right. My stupid self would go along with everything she would do because I just assumed she was right about everything since I’m so socially dumb (turns out I’m autistic 🤷‍♂️).

    While we’re there, she starts with her remarks complaining about everything: the weather, the audio, where we were sat (even tho we showed up drunk and late!), that we had to go to the talk (we didn’t have to), etc. Since I’m too buzzed to think right and I was submissive to her lead, I’m going along with it instead of helping her calm down like I would do most times. I’m pretty sure Burton could hear us in the quiet breaks between his words. People around us start complaining. I finally come to and realize that we need to go. I convince my ex that we should leave by pointing out how unhappy she was. She’s something like, “Yeah, let’s go. I don’t want to be at this stupid talk anyway.” When we get up to leave, people around us start cheering and clapping. While this is happening on the way out, I’m acting like I don’t exist while my ex is complaining back a la Karen. After that, I had to hear about how unhappy she was for like an hour. So embarrassing!

    One day, Burton did an AMA on reddit, so I made a comment apologizing for that in case he remembered. He didn’t respond to my comment tho. If you’re reading this Mr. Burton, I’m really sorry for being so rude! 😞

  • frigidaphelion@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    6 days ago

    Reading Rainbow was HUGE to me and my siblings as a kid and as an adult TNG is also legendary status so I’m really glad to see him get any and all recognition of how cool he is. I just watched the episode of Community that he was in a few days ago lol

    • mipadaitu@lemmy.worldEnglish
      814·
      5 days ago

      I’d rather they wait than give it to someone and find out they are really a garbage person.

      edit: clearly people misunderstood this statement. LeVar Burton is obviously a fantastic person, and I’ve never heard a bad word said about him. See my other post in this same thread to see how I feel.

      I am saying that in general, we should hold off on showering celebs with praise. All too often people let that fame get to their heads and start abusing their position.

  • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    5 days ago

    I was walking up to take photos with the Star Trek cast when LeVar Burton noticed how I walked and commented on how much swagger it has. Totally made my decade.

  • Illuminostro@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    5 days ago

    The man is a treasure.

    In 2005, I went to DragonCon in Atlanta. I was in a bad place mentally, after a bad breakup, a bad move, and taking a bad job. I was feeling really low. My friend at the time asked me to go to DragonCon, an attempt to get me out of my funk.

    Anyways, I’m sitting outside one of the entrances to the hotel where the Q&A’s are held. I’m smoking. Burton and Sirtis come out, down the stairs, glace over at me, and then stare for 4 or 5 seconds while walking away. I’m 6’1", and at the time was around 200 lbs., slim for me. I’m a brunette, and had a close cropped beard. and short hair. I don’t know if I looked threatening, or looked like Frakes but that’s always stuck in my mind.

    If either of them ever read this, I was the guy sitting to the right with the orange shirt. I didn’t mean any harm.

    At the same event, I was on the other side of the hotel, outside, smoking, and David Carradine came out, dressed all in black, and just glanced at me, then kept walking, He was the same height as me.