History Series / ReadingRainbow

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. A Website/{{Kickstarter}} [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh project]], for the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal ''before the first day was finished!''. As you can imagine, [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh/posts/858121 Burton is overwhelmed by this support]]. In all, the project received over $5.4 million in donations and set a record for [[http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-reading-rainbow-the-most-popular-kickstarter-ever-20140702-story.html most individual backers]] for a Kickstarter campaign.

** Notably, the entire cast of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' was featured in a 1988 episode that followed ''TNG'' behind the scenes...including a [[HilariousOuttakes gag reel]], which happens to be the ''only'' outtakes of the show that have ever been officially released..

** Notably, the entire cast of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' was featured in a 1988 episode that followed ''TNG'' behind the scenes...including a [[HilariousOuttakes gag reel]].

* SesameStreetCred: Many. Celebrity narrators ranged from Bill Cosby to Hulk Hogan.

->''We'll see you next time.''

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. A Website/{{Kickstarter}} [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh project]], for the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal ''before the first day was finished!''. As you can imagine, [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh/posts Burton is overwhelmed by this support]]. In all, the project received over $5.4 million in donations and set a record for [[http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-reading-rainbow-the-most-popular-kickstarter-ever-20140702-story.html most individual backers]] for a Kickstarter campaign.

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. A Kickstarter [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh project]], for the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal ''before the first day was finished!''. As you can imagine, [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh/posts Burton is overwhelmed by this support]]. In all, the project received over $5.4 million in donations and set a record for [[http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-reading-rainbow-the-most-popular-kickstarter-ever-20140702-story.html most individual backers]] for a Kickstarter campaign.

->I think reading is part of the birthright of the human being.

* TransAtlanticEquivalent: Long running BBC show ''{{Jackanory}}'' which began in 1965 offered virtually the same format to British children.

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. You can help to fund it on Kickstarter [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh here]], but take comfort that the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal ''before the first day was finished!''. As you can imagine, [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh/posts Burton is overwhelmed by this support]] and obviously now hopes more supporters can pitch in to see how much more good his project can do with more money.

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. You can help to fund it on Kickstarter [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh here]], but take comfort that the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal ''before the first day was finished!''. As you can imagine, [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh/posts Burton is overwhelmed by this support]] and obviously now hopes more supporters can pitch to see how much more good his project can do with more money.

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. You can help to fund it on Kickstarter [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh here]], but take comfort that the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal ''before the first day was finished!''. As you can imagine, [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh/posts Burton is overwhelmed by this support]] and obviously now hopes more supporters can pitch to see how much more his project can with more money.

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. You can help to fund it on Kickstarter [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh here]], but take comfort that the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal ''before the first day was finished!''.

Reading Rainbow is making a comeback as an internet-based outreach project. You can help to fund it on Kickstarter [[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readingrainbow/bring-reading-rainbow-back-for-every-child-everywh here]].

-->'''[=LeVar Burton=]''', actor and children's literacy advocate.

American children's EdutainmentShow that aired on Creator/{{PBS}} from 1983-2009, and whose goal was simple — encourage children to read. It was hosted by co-creator Creator/LeVarBurton (yes, ''that'' [[{{Roots}} Le]][[WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers Var]] [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Burton]]).

This show was part of PBS' "triple crown" of children's programming in TheEighties and TheNineties, along with ''Series/SesameStreet'' and ''MisterRogersNeighborhood''. It would be difficult indeed to find an American of a certain age who didn't watch this program at least occasionally, if not regularly. It's in the same DudeNotFunny category as Rogers — rarely parodied (but if it is, it's always [[AffectionateParody the positive kind]]), and insulting it will cause [[FlameWar swift and nasty responses]].

* ChromaKey: [=LeVar=] explains the technique in a 1991 episode about optical illusions
* EdutainmentShow: One of the all-time greats, a TV show encouraging kids to read is not as hypocritical as it may sound.

* LongRunners: Spent 26 years on the air before budget cuts killed it in 2009. Funnily enough, ''Reading Rainbow'' outlived ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' by a few years (when you factor in the movies).

* OutofOrder: Two season 4 episodes that aired in 1986, "Animal Cafe" and "Watch the Stars Come Out", were actually shot during season 3 in 1985. The tell-tale signs are the style of end credits, and [=LeVar=] sporting a mustache and afro (he was clean-shaved and sporting a flat-top in all the episodes that ''were'' shot in 1986).
* Pilot: "Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport", which was shot in 1981, aired as the 8th episode of season 1 in 1983. It featured a completely different credit for a clean-shaved, younger-looking [=LeVar=], and a slightly different 3-note jingle for the book recommendation segment. Not to mention the videotape quality looks noticeably poorer in this episode, in contrast to the rest of season 1.

* ChromaKey: [=LeVar=] explains the technique in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayk5lzxbPhM a 1991 episode about optical illusions]]

* LongRunners: Spent 26 years on the air before budget cuts killed it in 2009. Funnily enough, ''Reading Rainbow'' outlived ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' by a few years (when you factor in the movies).
* OutofOrder: Two season 4 episodes that aired in 1986, "Animal Cafe" and "Watch the Stars Come Out", were actually shot during season 3 in 1985.
* Pilot: "Gila Monsters Meet You at the Airport", which was shot in 1981, aired as the 8th episode of season 1 in 1983. It featured a completely different credit for LeVar, LeVar looking clean-shaved and a bit younger than in the other season 1 episodes, and a slightly different 3-note jingle for the book recommendation segment.

American children's EdutainmentShow that aired on Creator/{{PBS}} from 1983-2009, and whose goal was simple — encourage children to read. It was hosted by co-creator Creator/LeVarBurton (yes, ''that'' [[{{Roots}} Le]][[CaptainPlanet Var]] [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Burton]]).

This show was part of PBS' "triple crown" of children's programming in TheEighties and TheNineties, along with ''SesameStreet'' and ''MisterRogersNeighborhood''. It would be difficult indeed to find an American of a certain age who didn't watch this program at least occasionally, if not regularly. It's in the same DudeNotFunny category as Rogers — rarely parodied (but if it is, it's always [[AffectionateParody the positive kind]]), and insulting it will cause [[FlameWar swift and nasty responses]].

* ClipArtAnimation: Utilized [[OnceAnEpisode one book per episode]].

* ExecutiveMeddling / ScrewedByTheNetwork: An inevitability for any PBS show, considering the lack of funding and constant disagreement about how to secure appropriate revenue streams.
** The cast learned the show had been cancelled just before the night they would accept their 26th Emmy award. Levar Burton was the one who made the announcement during the acceptance speech. He could barely mask the rage and the disappointment in his voice.
** It ends happily, however, as Levar Burton pursued and obtained the full rights to the show afterwards and now owns it. It lives on as a constantly updating iPad app that features all of the show's normal contents.

* TransAtlanticEquivalent: Long running BBC show ''Main/{{Jackanory}}'' which began in 1965 offered virtually the same format to British children.

American children's EdutainmentShow that aired on Creator/{{PBS}} from 1983-2009, and whose goal was simple — encourage children to read. It was hosted by co-creator LeVarBurton (yes, ''that'' [[{{Roots}} Le]][[CaptainPlanet Var]] [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Burton]]).

** It ends happily, however, as Levar Burton pursued and obtained the full rights to the show afterwards and now owns it. It lives on as a constantly updating iPad app that features all of the shows normal contents.

* RogerRabbitEffect: Used in the classic intro, although not to the extent as others.

** "Hi!" (each episode begins with LeVar saying this word.)

* CatchPhrase: Two of them.