LeVar Burton Wants to Bring Back Reading Rainbow

[harpere]

LeVar Burton Wants to Bring Back Reading Rainbow

Admit it, you already have that Butterfly in the Sky song stuck in your head.

Reading Rainbow had a long run on public television, airing from 1983 to 2006. But now, LeVar Burton is looking to bring the show back to kids everywhere. Instead of public television, however, he's turning to Kickstarter [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh] (i.e. Viewers Like You) to raise the funding to take Reading Rainbow online. The switch, Burton says, is because he wants to bring RR to where kids are - in the 80s and 90s, that meant television, but today, it means the Internet.

Burton is looking to raise $1,000,000 to take the Reading Rainbow library online and into classrooms to help bring the love of reading to a new generation. It's an ambitious plan, but Burton's optimistic patter kind of makes us want to throw money at him, even though most of us aren't reading at a Reading Rainbow level anymore. Of course, the money throwing could also come from the excellent backer rewards, like a $250 signed, personalized photo of Burton (because you can't disappoint a picture [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhOG3XwX9Yw]); a $400 personalized voicemail message recorded by Burton; or a $1,500 group picnic with Burton... and plenty of ways to support the new Reading Rainbow.

Now if you'll excuse us, we need to start a collection for that picnic.

Source: Kickstarter [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh]

Permalink

 

[Worgen]

I-I cant resist, I have to post this.

Spoiler: Mod edit: Please use spoilers when posting large images

 

[Osaka117]

I was all ready to throw my money at Levars handsome face only to find it's been fully funded on the same day it was started. Not to mention that all the signed head shots are already gone, so short of me striking oil in my bathroom in the next 34 days, my $5 donation will have to do. I haven't even watched The Next Generation (or any Star Trek for that matter...yet) and I still want to blow $10,000 on wearing that visor based on my love of Reading Rainbow and Mr.Burtons natural charm alone.

 

[Zontar]

Kickstarted, you've allowed a lot of crazy, downright stupid things to be funded.

But for this, you are forgiven.

 

[Micah Weil]

It's for a good cause. I approve of it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, and I'm damn happy it's already made its goal with 34 days left to go.
But goddamn, LeVar, way to prey on your former audience!

The stab at Brent Spiner at the end of the vid was awesome as well.

 

[Diablo1099_v1legacy]

Lord knows the kids these days need it, the amount of shit on social media that comes from grammar and spelling...

 

[Vault101]

is the color of his shirt/book placment intentional? (he wore red in season 1)

also the capital V...is that a thing?

 

[Darren716]

This may be one of the greatest things I've seen in a while, this show is going to inspire some kids who had nothing going for them to develop a love for reading and improve themselves ten-fold because of this project. Seeing it destroy its goal in such a short amount of time makes me think this may end up being the most funded kickstarter ever and I couldn't see something more worthy than this. Also with how successful this kickstarter is becoming I'd imagine even more schools that are financially troubled where this will do the most good will be able to get the program for free.

 

[thisbymaster]

I want this so bad for my kids and the visor for me.

 

[weirdee]

you guys better raise money faster, because those picnics are going away (i doubt that anybody has ever raised money faster though)

 

[MCerberus]

Reading Rainbow has already overtaken the Order of the Stick Kickstarter... in one day.
Welp, looks like we're getting a new record holder on this one.

 

[Rebel_Raven]

Levar Burton's a hero, IMO, and it really puts a smile on my face seeing this. We need this show. A fun, worthwhile, educational show. I think the format might need some updating, though. I'm all for physical books, but e-books might need some inclusion.

 

[Leemaster777]

I like to imagine that it went something like this:

*LeVar starts the Kickstarter from his computer*

"Welp, that's ready to go. Guess I better go to the store and get some grocery stopping done."

*comes back a couple hours later*

"Hey, I wonder how the Kickstarter is doing. It's only been a few hours, but I hope it's caught some interest."

*sees it's already fully funded*

 

[Callate]

It went up another $20,000 just while I was watching. This could be the biggest Kickstarter ever.

I'm so glad. I liked Reading Rainbow as a child, sure, but the scope and promise of this project could help an awful lot of people.

This makes me feel good about the Internet for once. So I should probably log off now.

 

[wulfy42]

Ok, I was skeptical at first. I thought to myself "This guy is mega rich...he could easily just make webisodes himself if he really wanted to"...I thought at first he was just grabbing for money based on his fame.

Then I both thought about it more, and watched his video. I can see, considering what they plan on doing, how there would be significant costs involved in the production of the show, and I think now, that he probably is not charging much himself, if he is even charging anything at all.

I've been an avid reader my whole life, but sadly, by the time reading rainbow came around in the 80's I had long since moved on to adult science fiction and fantasy (I read Dune in 3rd grade for the first time and loved both heinliens books and Piers Anthony's books in the late 70's (still in elementary school at the time).

So the show never really was useful for me sadly, but I loved the IDEA of the show.

I just have to believe the people behind it are not greedy, that they are using the money to help children and that supporting this project is a good thing. I might be wrong, I've been fooled before, but if I am, I plain out don't want to know about it.

I will check out the reading rainbow app first though, to get an idea if they charge for it's use etc...and how it will work for kids in general, who are in in class (how much it'll cost a child to have access etc...if anything). I personally would like it to be free for everyone, and just accept donations (Both through kickstarter now, and later from the software after release. Those that can afford to, I am sure, would support it, and those who can't would still be able to use it (and honestly it's those who can't afford it that are most likely to need it!!).

Anyway...I thought I was done with kickstarter (had 2 bad experiences so far with it...out of 2), but this has made me change my mind. I hope I do not regret it!!

 

[octafish]

...and every single one of those voicemail messages are the same... "Cameo! Don't even think about it. Come out with your hands up. We've got the place surrounded..."

Aowwwwwwwwww...

 

[azurine]

"Excellent work, Mr. La Forge."
Kids these days sure could use a good role model, and could definitely use the help when it comes to literacy.

Captcha: tear us apart
Captcha clearly doesn't know what Reading Rainbow is.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

So this Kickstarter has been active for all of one day, and it's already gotten one and one half million dollars pledged.

For Reading Rainbow.

I... I've got this weird feeling inside my chest, guys. I think it... it might be actual hope for humanity.