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Wild Card with Rachel Martin

LeVar Burton is learning to embrace the chaos (encore)

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

NPR

Society & Culture

4.7990 Ratings

🗓️ 7 August 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

LeVar Burton has three roles he'll forever be known for: Kunta Kinte on the TV series Roots, Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and host of Reading Rainbow. Those roles have had profound impacts on people and he now understands, as he puts it, "my job is to be LeVar Burton." He talks to Rachel about the tension of that job, his changing definitions of success and learning to embrace the chaos. To listen sponsor-free, access bonus episodes and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard

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Transcript

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0:00.0

This message comes from the podcast IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson.

0:05.0

From relationships to family to faith, Michelle and her big brother Craig offer their takes

0:10.6

on everyday questions shaping people's lives with plenty of laughs. Find IMO wherever you get

0:17.0

your podcasts. Hey, it's Rachel, and I hope that you're getting some time away from regular life this summer.

0:23.9

Our team at Wildcard is doing exactly that this week.

0:27.7

So, we are re-upping one of our very favorite episodes with Lovar Burton.

0:32.4

Perfect for whatever road trip you might have coming up.

0:35.5

People throw around National Treasure left and right,

0:43.0

but I am telling you, LeVar Burton really is. I talked to him after a new documentary about Reading Rainbow came out. Take a listen. Has your idea of success changed over time?

0:49.2

Yes. I used to embody success unconsciously by how busy I felt and how busy I was.

0:58.7

Now I feel that success is spending my time well.

1:05.4

I'm Rachel Martin, and this is Wild Card, the game where cards control the conversation.

1:12.4

Each week, my guest chooses questions at random from a deck of cards. Pick a card one through

1:18.4

three. Questions about the memories, insights, and beliefs that have shaped them. My guest this

1:23.7

week is actor Lovar Burton. I've come to the conclusion that my job is to be Lovar Burton, and I love my job.

1:33.4

And as it happens, my job requires a lot of energy going out.

1:37.9

And unless I recharge this battery, it's not good.

1:42.3

So we all get this one life, right?

1:44.8

And we're lucky if in this one life we find that thing that truly brings us joy and gives

1:50.8

us purpose.

1:51.9

And if that thing ends up touching other people in some way and making a difference in

1:55.8

their lives, well, that's something to be grateful for.

...

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