Key Takeaways
- Tina Fabrique, the original singer of the Reading Rainbow theme, made a surprise appearance on The View during LeVar Burton’s interview.
- She performed an impromptu rendition of the iconic song from the audience risers during a commercial break, delighting viewers and the studio crowd.
- Burton reflected on his career, noting how Reading Rainbow fits within a broader narrative that includes his work on Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
- The reunion highlighted the lasting cultural impact of the PBS series, especially as recent Howard University graduates sang the theme to Burton at commencement.
- Goldberg, Burton’s longtime friend and former Star Trek co‑star, moderated the segment, reinforcing the show’s tradition of reuniting Star Trek alumni.
During a recent episode of The View, former Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton sat down with the show’s cohosts to discuss his multifaceted career. While the conversation primarily touched on his groundbreaking roles in the 1977 miniseries Roots and his long‑running stint as Geordi LaForge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, the discussion inevitably drifted back to the beloved children’s program that made him a household name for a generation of viewers.
As the interview progressed to a commercial break, an unexpected moment unfolded in the studio audience. Tina Fabrique, the vocalist who originally recorded the Reading Rainbow theme song when it debuted on PBS in 1983, stood up from her seat and, with a handheld microphone, launched into an impromptu rendition of the tune. Singing the familiar lyrics—“Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high… Take a look, it’s in a book, a reading rainbow”—Fabrique’s voice filled the studio, prompting applause from both the audience and the show’s hosts. Her performance was spontaneous, unscripted, and served as a nostalgic reminder of the show’s enduring melody.
Burton’s conversation with the hosts offered a broader context for why the theme resonates so deeply. He described Reading Rainbow as occupying a pivotal place in the continuum of his career, linking his portrayal of the Black experience in Roots to his later explorations of futuristic optimism in Star Trek. “It’s extraordinary to think that, throughout the course of my career, I’ve been able to portray the Black experience in America from our enslavement, to the stars,” Burton remarked, emphasizing how the educational mission of Reading Rainbow sits squarely between those two extremes.
The discussion also highlighted a recent, heart‑warming occurrence at Howard University’s May 2025 commencement ceremony. As Burton delivered his address, graduates spontaneously broke into a chorus of the Reading Rainbow theme, singing the lyrics back to him. Burton confessed that the moment moved him profoundly, underscoring the song’s ability to unite audiences across decades and contexts.
Goldberg, who moderated the segment, shared a longstanding friendship with Burton that dates back to their time together on Star Trek: The Next Generation, where she portrayed the enigmatic bartender Guinan. The View has a history of bringing together Star Trek alumni for reunions—previous episodes have featured Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, and Michael Dorn alongside Goldberg. This episode continued that tradition, blending the worlds of literary education, television history, and interstellar adventure.
The surprise performance by Fabrique not only delighted the live audience but also quickly spread across social media after being clipped and shared on The View’s Instagram page. Fans of all ages praised the spontaneous homage, noting how the simple yet uplifting melody continues to inspire a love of reading and imagination. The episode serves as a testament to the lasting power of Reading Rainbow—a program that, through its theme song and its host’s earnest advocacy, has managed to bridge generations, genres, and even the final frontier.