To deny LaVar Burton the job as the new host of the popular game show, Jeopardy, would be a slap in the face but certainly in line with America's fear and rejection of talking about white privilege and teaching true history, hers and that of Black people.
There is no way that this guy should get the job over LaVar Burton except that seeing a Black man in a roll of intelligence day in and day out would be too reminiscent of Barack Obama and the rage his presence caused for America such that he was succeeded by a true imbecile! As we are seeing played out in the Olympics, Black excellence scares the hell out of some people committed to a narrative of Black inferiority...
LaVar, "Kunta Kinte" Burton, showing up in this role goes against the very narrative of how this country wants Black people, who she formerly enslaved, depicted as brute, animalistic, uneducable and denied the right to learn to read and write, to be depicted. We can't be smart and sophisticated as is the persona Trebek created for this position. We can run, jump, dribble, sing and do physical labor but we are not to be articulate, learned and intelligent. Whatever would be the result of such a positive image of Black folks? Another of America's lies would be exposed! Black folks being proud, emboldened, awakened, inspired and possibly empowered by an image of Black positivity? So give the job to an unknown, unskilled, mediocre white guy. Its not like we haven't seen that happen before!
There's no real surprise here. This is but another example of America's fear of Black excellence! Let's see how this shakes out. If they give the job to this unknown, mediocre white guy, I hope the show flops!
LaVar Burton did such a good job!
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