*On Monday, LeVar Burton took over as the guest host of this week’s “Jeopardy!”
As previously reported, fans of the former “Reading Rainbow” star launched an online campaign calling on producers to hire Burton to take over following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek.
Burton’s Monday debut was overshadowed by contestant Patrick Pearce, who recorded the lowest score in the trivia game show’s history. He ended the first round with $200 and ended “Double Jeopardy” with -$7,400, subsequently making him ineligible for “Final Jeopardy,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
READ MORE: LeVar Burton Admits ‘It Will Hurt’ If ABC Doesn’t Hire Him to Host Jeopardy!
Burton, meanwhile, recently opened up to The New York Times about his push to turn the guest hosting into a full-time gig.
“It will hurt. I’m not going to lie,” Burton told the publication. “But if that happens, I will get over it. I will be fine. Remember: Everything happens perfectly and for a reason. That is my default. It’s all going to be OK. Because it always is.”
Burton has long campaigned to be made a permanent host.
“More than anything, I am eager to put my skills up against those of anyone else in contention and then let the chips fall where they may,” he said.
Consider @levarburton the first member of the Matt Amodio fan club! pic.twitter.com/0A49IVBSL3
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) July 30, 2021
Burton took his pitch to producers during his debut on Monday’s episode.
“As a longtime viewer of the show, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to guest host ‘Jeopardy!’ and I’m proud to be here to honor Alex’s legacy, and I’m going to do my best to make sure that these talented ‘Jeopardy!’ contestants enjoy their moment here as well,” Burton said.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
