Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton is speaking out against Mitt Romney's flippant remarks about "killing Big Bird" and cutting the funding for the Public Broadcasting System, beloved by parents and educators alike.
He told TMZ:
I am personally outraged that any serious contender for the White House would target as part of his campaign the children of America in this fashion."
"Educators across the country, as well as millions of children and adults know that the programming on PBS has been responsible for significant improvements in education, literacy, math, science and life skills for generations of our children."
. . . He adds, "Defunding PBS directly punishes the less fortunate by removing this trusted and extraordinary educational resource available to all."
He also did an interview with Soledad O'Brien on CNN
O'BRIEN: -- on Facebook afterward. PBS lovers, "Sesame Street" lovers were very, very angry including actor Levar Burton. He hosted "Reading Rainbow." Thanks for talking with us. The CEO of PBS said that nearly fell off the couch while watching the debate and heard that particular part of the debate. What was your reaction? Did you have the same reaction?
LEVAR BURTON, ACTOR: I was outraged. I couldn't believe the man actually fixed his mouth to say that. I interpret it as an attack on children. It is an attack on children and attack on children who come from disenfranchised, you know, background. PBS is the nation's largest classroom. It guarantees equal access to the wonderfulness that PBS has provided for almost 50 years in this country. And to callously, blatantly, say that it is on the agenda to cut is just -- it is not OK, because, look, clearly this candidate -- and I don't believe that Mitt Romney is a bad guy. But I do believe that he believes what he said the other night. And I believe that his comment about the 47 percent is actually what he believes.
O'BRIEN: Let me ask you a question, because Mitt Romney would say -- if you listened to the last part chunk he said I'm not going to keep spending money to borrow money to pay for it. And when I spoke to Sherry Westin before the debate, she said that sometimes people confuse funding for PBS and "Sesame Street." I will play a little bit of what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERRY WESTIN: A "Sesame Street" workshop receives very little funding, through corporate underwriting, sponsorship. Quite frankly, you know, you can debate whether or not there should be funding of public broadcasting but when they always tout out big bird and say we will kill big bird that's misleading, because "Sesame Street" will be here.
O'BRIEN: Big bird lives.
WESTIN: Big bird lives on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: What is the argument for funding public broadcasting? One argument I would think it is such a tiny percentage of the federal budget conversations about cutting it does not save you money and bring money back into the budget. Why do you think that PBS should not be on the cutting room floor or whatever? Cutting table? Whatever the phrase is.
BURTON: Again, goes back for me to the issue of access. It is -- it is a commercial free environment and it is -- it is -- universally accessible to anyone with a television, which is everyone in this country. And if you can't afford cable, if you can't afford premium content, you can rely on the public broadcasting service.
Is PBS perfect? No. Have they provided through their children's programming for almost 50 years some of the finest educational content worldwide for our nation's children? Absolutely. Does it deserve to be on the chopping block?
O'BRIEN: That's the word I was looking for, "chopping block." Thank you for helping me out.
BURTON: The chopping block. Here is -- here's something I would like to point out, Soledad. I know in this current economic climate we have to make different choices. However, I was raised by a woman whose philosophy it was to give her children the best education she could not afford. Do you understand what I'm saying?
O'BRIEN: There is value in the free.
BURTON: Not only is there value in the free, we have to make the investment in our children if we expect for them to pay off on that investment through their realizing their most full potential. So there are places where you can cut. There are places that you just don't cut because it is not right.
O'BRIEN: For you that would be PBS. Levar Burton, of course, was host and producer of "Reading Rainbow." Thank you for talking with us this morning.
BURTON: Thanks, Soledad.
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