In a case of mistaken identity, beloved American actor LeVar Burton – best known for “Reading Rainbow” – was flooded with angry social media posts from U.S. President Donald Trump's supporters.
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Burton was blasted as being “ungrateful” by the commander in chief's base. But for one letter, the actor shares an almost identical first name with Ball, who spoke to CNN and Fox News on Tuesday.
The TV host has been sporadically mistaken for his sometimes-controversial almost-namesake vocal helicopter dad, LaVar Ball, became popular. Many tweets, reprimanding Ball, were mistakenly aimed at the actor's timeline.
He responded to one tweet calling it “one of the many sleights I am having to endure these days.”
The actor made the best of a bad situation, he responded with humor to a New York Daily News article about Ball with the hashtag #theyputhiminthevisor – referring to the iconic eyewear from “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Burton has previously been confused with Ball. In March people were angry at Ball because of comments he made about beating Michael Jordan one-on-one.
@levarburton LeVar you averaged 2.2 PPG, stop running your mouth about MJ. #shutup @MichaelJordaan
— Dot Matrix (@TheDot_Matrix) March 16, 2017
And though the thespian starred in one of the most watched miniseries of all time, “Roots” – which was based on a book by celebrated author Alex Haley – it was not a distinguishing factor.
LaVar Ball is the father of LA Lakers guard Lonzo Ball and UCLA basketballer LiAngelo Ball. Trump brokered the release of the younger Ball, LiAngelo, who was caught and held after he was found shoplifting in China.
Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
A very public ongoing feud developed between the elder Ball and the U.S. president following several testy exchanges.
Trump expressed annoyance that Ball did not personally thank him for helping his son, though the latter expressed gratitude.