One of the world’s most beloved advocates of children’s literacy is giving his lifelong mission a timely update.
In a cheeky “Daily Show” skit that aired Tuesday, actor LeVar Burton alludes to his days as the host of “Reading Rainbow” as he urges youngsters to seek out banned books at their local library.
To illustrate his point, Burton attempts to read from several of the targeted books, but is seemingly interrupted for a “content violation” by off-screen censors before he can make it beyond the first page. The titles causing such a disruption include 2007’s “Rosa,” about civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, and 2015’s “And Tango Makes Three,” depicting a same-sex penguin couple.
Though Burton grows visibly frustrated toward the conclusion of the skit, his stance is clear. “Read the books they don’t want you to,” he proclaims. “That’s where the good stuff is.”
Watch LeVar Burton’s “Daily Show” skit below.
The national discourse surrounding banned books has intensified in recent weeks following several high-profile cases. In January, a Tennessee school district voted to ban “Maus,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel that depicts the persecution of Jews during World War II. Board members are said to have objected to eight “curse words” that appeared throughout the book, as well as an illustration of a woman’s nipple.
Earlier this month, a group of librarians in Wake County, North Carolina, vowed to push back against an effort by some local parents to have a number of LGBTQ-inclusive books ― including 2018’s “Lawn Boy” and 2019’s “Gender Queer: A Memoir” ― removed from library shelves.
“Daily Show” host Trevor Noah touched on such controversies in a monologue that aired moments before Burton’s skit.
“Recently, the number of books being targeted has gotten out of control, and the types of books that are being targeted now are very revealing,” he said. “This is more about ginning up a culture war than protecting kids.”