Okay, so here’s my LeVar Burton story. I’ve definitely told it before and will probably tell it again. Back in the day, when Next Gen was airing on TV, I used to go to the comic conventions, which I believed were Sci-fi conventions at the time. The used to have these conventions conveniently on 34th street. I loved it.
At the time I lived in the projects on 26th street and that of course, made 34th street walking distance.
So, going to a convention was like a family outing for my sisters and I. They would come down from the Bronx with children in toll and we’d usually take up a row plus. It was great and is still one of those things I remember fondly.
One of my favorite memories of going to the conventions features LeVar Burton. Some celebrities (definitely not New Yorker) come to these events with some idea in their head that includes assimilation.
Resistance is futile.
Whatever.
I remember one Next Gen actress going on stage and seemingly going out of her way to make on going rude comments. Perhaps she thought it would make her one with us of the bad reputation. Me, I just wanted to sing a Joan Jett refrain.
Unlike his costar, LeVar Burton was not of that ilk. During the question and answer potion someone in the audience, I kid you not, asked, “What does it feel like to get transported?”
Kindly and patiently, Mr. Burton explained, how the illusion is created by editing and film cuts. It really was sweet.
That was up unit no more than five minutes had elapsed, and another person asked, “What does it feel like to get transported?”
These are the moments. These are the times where my own knee jerk reaction wants me to live up to my bad reputation without a care.
Mr. Burton looked dumbfounded for a hot second. He even looked around to the second where the previous person had been. Then he smiled, without malice without guile, and said, “Great. It feels great.”
It was shortly after that, that my niece Jessica asked him a question. I really don’t remember what year it was, but Jessie who’s married and a mom, was, I believe, no more than five at the time.
It was cute. She asked her question and he answered. Not five minutes later she raised her hand to ask another question. My sister, Nelly, her mom, kept trying to get Jessie to put her hand down. Only Jessie kept raising her hand again and again.
Soon enough, a man in the audience was called, and he said something like, “could you call on this little girl. She kept trying to get your attention.”
For a second, Mr. Burton tried to explain that he’d already called on her. Shrugging it off he called on Jessie again.
Being all bashful after all the fuss, Jessie said, “I want a hug.”
LeVar Burton just called her up to the stage and gave her a hug.
Back in the day, we didn’t have cameras or anything, but I so wish I had a picture of that moment.
For this and many other reasons, LeVar Burton is welcome to read aloud anything and everything I’ve ever written.
