Reading Rainbow Revisited

Today, I was inspired. No, it wasn't the students, it wasn't the sense of accomplishment that comes with grading 100+ assignments, or the improvement in the stock market. It was my Reading Rainbow shirt and the very emphatic conversation I had touting the show's merits to a semi-jaded individual who has never seen it, nor seemed very impressed by my description. What? Now in awe of the Rainbow and LeVar? Unacceptable! Hence, inspiration to do some Rainbow/LeVar research.

Confession: When I picture LeVar he's always wearing his Star Trek visor, which I guess let him see because he was blind? Or... I don't even know. All I remember is once he took the visor off on Star Trek and it creeped me out.



Anyway, what is our dear LeVar up to these days?

First of all, he's gotten pretty old, in fact even older than my mom, who's no spring chicken. LeVar is a whopping fifty-four years old, complete with grey hair- a far cry from his youthful exterior back in the day. Not that looks matter. Since the show ended in 2006 it appears like he's been up to a whole lot of nothing important. Guest appearances here, a few attempts at directing, blablabla- what could even remotely measure up the The Rainbow?


But, it gets better. Sort of.

He's relaunching Reading Rainbow through his company called RRKidz (LeVar, seriously, if you're teaching kids literacy you should spelling "kids" correctly). Much like the show, it will include voice overs for stories, but also LeVar on different locations and... games. That's the one caveat- it's an iPad ap. First of all, I don't have an iPad, and if I did I wouldn't let my future child touch it (that or anything else remotely of value- and do not give me any of that "it will be different once you have kids" crap). Second of all, it's a subscription based service, which is a far cry from PBS. But, at least the show has been semi-resurrected.

People like to remake the opening song:

There is nothing better than a crowd of drunk people singing the theme song to Reading Rainbow...