LeVar Burton: Kunta Kinte or Geordi LaForge?

[yurbud]

Sometimes the role we associate with an actor tells us exactly how old we are. I could never figure out why my dad referred to Gilligan as Maynard.

I'm wondering if other people fall on the same side of the Kunta/Geordi generational divide as I do.

Kunta Kinte:





Geordi LaForge:

[Xipe Totec]

1. Reading Rainbow!

A children's show, one of the best on PBS. He was my children's introduction to science. He is a hero to my children and by extension mine as well.

PS: I also loved him as Geordi in STNG.

[BigMcLargehuge]

I'm with you there

Reading Rainbow!!!!!

[Idylle Moon Dancer]

20. Liver Barton

there was a Reading Rainbow where he was going through his junk mail. It still cracks me up inside.

[progmom]

29. Yep!

:thumbsup:

My favorite kids show. :) We have a spreadsheet of books progspawn wants to read after seeing them on that show.

[LeftyMom]

2. Geordi

There really ought to be a Reading Rainbow option though.

[yurbud]

4. see edit--you guys are making me feel older than shit

Love,

LaVar

[LeftyMom]

5. I can't help it.

I'm 25. I've never even seen Roots (bad liberal, I know.)

[StellaBlue]

7. Hey, I haven't either.

Scratches head.

Netflix! Netflix!

[yurbud]

15. So you don't know what"Behold, the only thing greater than youself" means?

[yurbud]

9. No way! You got to go rent it--OJ is in the first episode

There are a couple of scenes in the first few episode that will make you cry and gasp.

Lou Gossett improvised some lines the first time Kunta Kinte gets whipped in America that are just dead on perfect.

Later on, his daughter is sold to Chuck Connors, and that is chilling in another way and doesn't pull any punches.

Maybe I just saw it at an impressionable age, but it made me feel like that was my family even though I'm a white guy from Portland, Oregon.

PS: After you watch Roots, Sponge Bob will still be waiting for you.

[LostinVA]

28. And, you'll never look at Sandy Duncan or Robert "Mike Brady" Reed

the same again...

[yurbud]

31. Every once in a while when someone is being stubborn, I'll say...

"Your name is Toby. It's a good name, the name the master gave ya..." in Vic Morrow's fake Irish accent.

And of course no one knows what the hell I'm talking about.

[LostinVA]

32. I forgot that was Vic Morrow! Oh, and the evil Ed Asner!

[yurbud]

33. He was tormented about being captain of his first slave voyage...

then Pa Walton brought him a woman slave for a "belly warmer" and he freaked out.

It was great.

[LostinVA]

36. But, he wound up raping her -- Pa Walton was really good as an evil racist

Especially knowing he's a good Lib!

[yurbud]

39. did he rape her or just keep her in his cabin?

[LostinVA]

40. I remember inferring he raped her

Because of the way he acted afterward.

[yurbud]

41. Now I'll have to watch it again, or call in to Reading Rainbow.

"Hey, Geordi, remember when Ed Asner...."

[LostinVA]

43. giggle

[LostinVA]

37. I rewatched this about two years ago -- it often seems so camp now

Although, I am NOT saying it wasn't a powerful, moving experience... then.

[yurbud]

38. it was TV.

[StellaBlue]

3. Seconded - Reading Rainbow!!!

My favorite show as a kid!

Love LeVar!!! Love him!

[realisticphish]

6. Reading Rainbow

I grew up with it, one of my favorite shows

[ghostsofgiants]

8. Check this out...

http://www.newgrounds.com/collection/readingrainbow.html

[Radio_Lady]

12. I checked it out. You gotta see what I found next to it. Wow... gasp!

[ghostsofgiants]

23. Don't just take MY word for it...

:P

[fortyfeetunder]

10. all three

and I seen 'em all when they were out. Fine man, that LeVar...

[Mutley]

11. All three really.

But if you want to pigeon-hole me into a generational thing I suppose it'd have to be as Geordi.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

13. I love LeVar!

His Reading Rainbow shows are a pleasure to watch with my son.

I enjoyed watching him kick ass on a Celebrity Jeopardy tournament several years ago. He's a smart cookie, and the image he presents is of a genuinely warm and caring person.

[yvr girl]

14. Tough call

Roots was appointment TV if there ever was any. I was only about 10 when it aired, but I saw bits of it. Later on, when we studied slavery in school, we saw a bit of roots in class.

I also love ST-TNG.

Can I say both? (I'm not sure we got the Reading Rainbow here.)

[bridgit]

16. Geordi, for the long run 'put the money in the bank, Levar' factor, but...

you have to shout out to: Reading Rainbow :-)

[SeattleGirl]

17. Geordi, Geordi, Geordi!

Though he was great in Roots (and I never saw Reading Rainbow), he will always be Geordi to me.

[Robeson]

19. Me, too! I'm with you SeattleGirl....

...:thumbsup:

[SeattleGirl]

21. Hey you!

Nice to see you! Hope you are doing well! :hug:

[Robeson]

22. Thanks. That goes ditto for you!....

...:loveya:

[hfojvt]

18. I thought it was

Toby :hide:

[ContraBass Black]

24. Ha. I came in here last night, and Reading Rainbow was winning.

Now Star Trek is way ahead. What does that say about night Loungers?

[hunter]

25. I'd say Geordi, but then I had kids.

So Reading Rainbow wins.

[LostinVA]

26. You forgot "both"

When he started on TNG, I knew him as the young Kunta Kinte. Now, I think of him as Geordie.

[Lorien]

27. What's really amazing is how little he's aged between all three! n/t

[LoZoccolo]

30. Butterfly in the sky

I can go twice as high
Take a look
It's in a book
A reading rainbow.

Good show. Kind of the after-Electric Company to get kids to read books after they learned how to read.

[Magrittes Pipe]

34. Toby could kick Geordie's ass.

:hide:

[LostInAnomie]

35. Reading Rainbow would smoke both their asses.

Take a look
It's in a book

[yurbud]

42. yeah, but Geordi could beat him at video games--he has a gameboy

on his face.