No Gold at the End of the Rainbow… Farewell LeVar!
Today marks the air date of the final episode of Reading Rainbow. After 26 years it seems the show is the victim of not only an educational programing shift, but of a financial crunch. This quote below sums up the tragic and fatal flaw that lead to the show’s cancellation.
Grant says that PBS, CPB and the Department of Education put significant funding toward programming that would teach kids how to read — but that’s not what Reading Rainbow was trying to do.
“Reading Rainbow taught kids why to read,” Grant says. “You know, the love of reading — [the show] encouraged kids to pick up a book and to read.”
How sad is that? Encouraging reading is no longer a sound educational investment. I don’t know a single person who didn’t fondly remember the show and love it. Of PBS’ big three (Sesame Street & Mr. Rogers being the other two) it was by far my favorite show and even the one I’d take pleasure in watching well after I was too old for it!
I leave you with LeVar Burton taking Reading Rainbow on a visit to his double life as Geordi LaForge.
- My Pal the Crook
August 28th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo fucked. American bureaucracy, the easiest way to get your foot in your mouth and your head in your ass at the same time. I am saddened.
August 28th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Holy shit, I didn’t know this show was still on. Now I feel fucking responsible for it dying, like I could have saved it or something.
But yeah, we don’t need Reading Rainbow. All of our pop stars will help the kids learn how to read and spell. I can already see corporate memos twenty years from now:
“UR review zi up 4 consideration 2day”
August 28th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Never watched it in the first place…Sesame St., Mr. Rogers, Pinwheel, 321 Contact and Electric Company for life.
August 28th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
I have no idea what the hell Electric Company is – does that make me young or old?
August 28th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
August 28th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Peep Morgan Freeman
August 28th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Holy shit, these shorts are amazing. I don’t know why Spidey has to hate though, Blue Beetle is the man. Beetle should have been like “Spider-Man totally saved his uncle from being shot because he wasn’t a selfish douchebag.Wait, UNTRUE.”
August 28th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
The fuck?!?! I used to love this show, and it really saddens me that it’s no longer necessary to teach children the joys in reading. another step closer to Idiocracy.
August 30th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
This show used to be awesome………Good luck getting a kid to casually pick up a fucking book-without death threats-these days.