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LeVar Burton Says He Was “Wrecked” By Losing Bid for ‘Jeopardy’

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In an exclusive interview with Newsy’s “In The Loop,”LeVar Burton tells host Christian Bryant he was “not just disappointed, but wrecked” by losing the bid to become the host of “Jeopardy.” Burton also talks about hosting this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee, broadcasting live on ION and Bounce from 8-10pm ET on Thursday, June 2.

On feeling “not just disappointed, but wrecked” by not getting the job as host of ‘Jeopardy’:

“Experiencing a very public defeat, humiliation, if you will, was sobering. And what I learned from the experience, really, is that it reinforced my belief that everything happens for a reason, even if you cannot discern the reason in the moment. In the fullness of time, everything will be revealed. And like I said, it was I think in that first week of feeling really sort of not just disappointed, but wrecked. I didn’t expect that I would not be their choice for host. And the doors have been opened. Windows have been opened. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing, and I never would have experienced those things that I’m experiencing, like hosting the Scripps Spelling Bee, had I gotten that job. So I think it was a big lesson for me and just being willing to sit in the discomfort long enough to find out what was really supposed to happen for me around this game show thing.”

On the ‘Jeopardy’ host search being “fixed”:

“The truth is it was my favorite game show. It really was. I mean, I watched that show since I was in the third grade and Art Fleming was the host. And I honestly thought that I was well-suited for it. As it turns out, it really wasn’t a competition, after all, the fix was in.”

The full interview with LeVar Burton will air on Newsy’s “In The Loop” at 9p ET on Wednesday

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