what actor levar burton wants you to do, if you remember him at all.n will jimmy kimmel live , stage a presidential debate? could this tweet be the ticket to talk with trump? fernando: do you hate remakes? so does levar burton, the actor many know from his role as geordi leforge in "star trek," and from his renowned performance as kunta kinte in the epic television mini-series, "roots." but the black lives matter movement and the impact of barack obama's presidency changed his mind. so burton turned from skeptic to producer with the hopes of starting another national conversation on race. nearly 100 million people watched the final episode of "roots" in its original airing. despite that success, levar burton says he and co-executive producer, mark wolper, were told early on that new audiences couldn't relate to the original series. levar: he tried to show it to his children and while they watched they found it dated and they said it was their dad's music. it didn't really speak to them. so mark recognized that if we wanted to share this story with a ne

television icon levar burton joins us on panel tonight. i'm very excited. know what time it is. time to check in with america's efforts to de-negrofy the white house. that's right. let's see what's happening with the unblackening. big news today! >> donald trump has now clinched the republican nomination for president. 1,237 delegates are needed and mr. trump now has 1,238. >> larry: coincidentally, 12:38 is the time i'm going to hang myself after the show. ( laughter ) i'm not going to miss "@midnight." no, no. so here's the deal. so last summer, i made this stupid bet. i said that if trump became the republican nominee-- which was a ridiculous idea-- i would drink a bottle of trump vodka on the air. well... ( cheers ) that day has come! i am a mad man of my word. don't feel sad for me. this is my own fault. i brought this upon myself. i feel like i need to punish myself, kind of like that albino in "the da vinci code" right now-- self-flagellation. and since i'll never be able to get through a trump presidency sober, i guess i may as well start now, right

levar burton here. we'll be right back. music: "sex machine" by james brown ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ the goalie has studied every one of your shots. she knows you're going for her left corner. she even teases you, calling the shot. but her legs are the ones trembling, not yours. time to shine. orbit. kenneth, are they closing the stage this afternoon for auditions? what's on that piece of paper? oh, miss maroney... your forehead! it should not be doing anything. i just had botox! i know exactly what's happening-- happening. whoa! this is a bad streaming experience. it really shows a real fun... (announcer) don't let bad streaming ruin a good show. don't look at me! (announcer) only verizon has the largest, most reliable 4g lt network. can your network say that? switch now, buy a galaxy s7, and get one free. plus up to $650 back, only on america's best network. ...your starting lineup. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ( cheers and applause ) >> larry: thanks to my panelists, jordan carlos, holly walker, and levar burton. we're almost out of time, but before we go,

. >>> later -- one-on-one with lavar burton. why the new roots is more relevant than ever in the age of obama. as you'll see, when shoppers add an item to their jet carts, they automatically shrink the prices of millions of other products. very impressive. whoo, it's got a little kick to it. sorry, i can't hear you?? nice shirt craig. at jet.com, we always find innovative ways to save. get 15 percent off your first order. hi! hey! i've made plans for later in case this date doesn't go well. same here. wouldn't it be great if everyone said what they meant? the citi double cash card does. earn 1% cash back when you buy, and 1% as you pay. double means double. i'vand i'm doing just fine. allergies. claritin provides 24-hour relief of symptoms that can be triggered by over 200 allergens. yeah, over 200 allergens! with claritin my allergies don't come between me and victory. live claritin clear. fight heartburn fast. with tums chewy delights. the mouthwatering soft chew that goes to work in seconds to conquer heartburn fast. tum tum

robert burton at nats park. he looks great! [laughter] we used to have a blhead here robert: i'm going to say this. i know i look great in the poncho. we are taking shelter now. you see people lining up. i don't know if it's for the bobblehead here or if it's for the game. the nats playing the tigers today. we know bob is here for a bobblehead, actually. bob, we were talking about it earlier. i have this one right here. so, how many are left? >> 24,999. robert: if you don't get one you will be -- >> upset. robert: very upset. >> with you. [laughter] robert: come find me if you don't get one. >> exactly. robert: where did you come from today? >> lovettsville, virginia. robert: for the bobblehead or baseball? >> both. robert: thank you for talking to us. good luck. hopefully you get a bobblehead and you don't have to come running after me. let's take -- sorry. walk to this line. people might be here for baseball or bobblehead. who is here for a bobblehead? >> we are. robert: you're here for a bobblehead. i have a bobblehead now.

. >> reporter: burton is the co-executive producer of the new series and the two men formed a close bond. >> to be given the opportunity to portray him is a huge responsibility. i can't imagine doing what it is he did. >> but you did it first? >> but it's easy to be the first in that sense. because then no one has anything to compare you to. >> reporter: much like the character he plays, kirby found inspiration by drawing on his own roots. >> this felt very much like my story. my last name is kirby. i'm from africa, but my name is not african. >> reporter: when it aired, the country stood still. an unheard of 85% of american households caught a part of the series. >> i think it's important that you saw this picture. >> reporter: sparking debate in classrooms and in homes. >> the black people were trying to accomplish that men for equal. >> it tore the blinders off. we could not go back to the way we were before. >> i remember i went to a predominantly white high school, and i was pissed going to school. >> and we had to work through it. >> many of the character's names made it onto real

at the center was kunta kinte played by levar burton. get his thoughts on why the time is right for a new "roots." levar burton, thank you for being here. >> it's a pleasure, joy. >> and congratulations on a really masterful remake of a classic. >> i am really proud of this. yeah. >> you know, in watching it, i was actually taking myself and transporting myself back to when i saw it first when i was a kid. and wondering, number one, why did you feel you had to remake it because the first one was so classic. why do you think it was important to remake it. >> initially i was not. when i heard about the remake, i was like this is not a good idea. but then i got a call from mark wahlberg and he told me his story and it changed my mind instantly. he said he had shown the original to his children and it was difficult to get them to sit still. they thought it was old, it felt dated. it didn't have relevance to them in their lives. they said, you know, dad, we get why it's important but it's kind of like your music, it doesn't speak to us, right

robert burton is there. robert: i hope that you are breathing easy now because tuesday in pittsburgh we will be breathing heavy again. sports is coming up.

co-produced by the original star lavar burton, this 4-night, 8- >>> a remake of the epic series "roots this four-night, eight-hour version hopes to bring the "roots" story. >> reporter: one of the stars of the original and now co-executive producer of the remake, lamar burton says race is still a controversial topic nearly 40 years later. >> i'm continually surprised that we haven't made more progress where racial tension in america is concerned. i'm really hoping that with this retelling of the roots story that we can once again revisit this conversation and this time perhaps absent some of the guilt and certainly some of the shame that was associated with the conversation this time around. >> reporter: there are similar cast members and repricing roles that stir up an emotional connection. >> i think that all of the actors involved are -- have come to this project with a real sense of import and responsibility to get it right and to do the original honor to uphold that legacy and move it forward. >> reporter: the same role that made burton safety, it was initially intimidating to tak

congressman burton, thank you for coming on.seems to me, there's a couple areas where bernie's got a good argument. one is the ways that the debates were scheduled in saturday night or sunday morning. the way the dnc put those debates together was to make sure nobody watched them. and the other one is to try to get an even-handed policy on the middle east. a lot of democrats would like to see that. so there's a lot of fish in this barrel. a lot going on in terms of negotiations. how do you think it's going to work? is bernie going to deal or fight? >> well, first of all, i know the answer was joe clark, okay? >> thank you. the last liberal from pennsylvania, right. >> you got it. >> i think that sanders is going to fight for issues in the platform. he wants some reforms were future democratic primaries, as far as debates are concerned. and other issues. and i think there will be fights on the floor over platform, but that happened, you know, in '68 with the peace plank. the important thing for us as democrats, is when it's all o

i it seems like a tim burton mov movie.movi >> totally james brogan pickingp up what burton did and rematchfinitely feels likf a tim burton movie.n the film deals with idea of timm travel, and i'll pose a questiot to you i don't know how much d time we have to do it tonell mei you could relive a moment int i your life and watch it from thaa perspective.perspectiv go back in time and watch any moment of your live from thatlia perspective and see it. which moment would you want to watch? >> so i asked that question to elaine lana carter and the girlg who plays allison in the film. why do some films film on blue e screen versus green screen. scr. check this out. >> i love the idea the, washington i found fascinatingai great moment you kind of do getg to see a moment from the other perspective.spti i won't give away what thathat a moment s when you get to thehene doorway and you see thatt momem i'm wondering is there a momentn in your life that you would lovl to watch?at >> go back again. >> oh. >> just to watch from the perspective.to that's an interesting one. o >> anything from like -- >> fr

. >> i have already spoken with legendary director tim burton, and samuel l jackson i have spoke when him as well. >> as kid say where she at. >>> a lot of people are guessing canada. i think it is canada. >> we have one paris too. >> well, she's in the here is all i know, we will guess any more about the number of the day, first of all, yesterday, you know, yesterday, and, bus stop buddy, phillies won yesterday, smiling, he has his shades on, it is dry but it is cool, because we have clear skies, overnight, and, throughout the day, right new, rain out to the west of us not expected to arrive until tomorrow, so plenty of sunshine, look at that, 53 degrees in the city, and plan on, temperatures, rising quickly by lunchtime in the upper 60's. we should top out at 72 degrees with increasing included cover but still, a pretty wonderful day, at least weather is bob kelly, not so much on those road. >> definitely all that rain bringing down big old oak tree here on the lincoln drive, here's a live look at the city crews out there with the big old, chain saws, chopping up what is left of it.

it was gallile high school versus burton high.nts showed off their culinary skills and knowledge of nutrition. >> so when we go to college we'll ne how to make delicious, heart healthy meals and live a healthy life style, after. >> we have learned a lot about how cooking healthy isn't a hassle as it's made to be. >> the team with the best dish, burton high. the american heart association and whole foods sponsored the event. >>> a cosmetic technique is a method of creating semi permanent eye brows without the marking pen look of traditional tattooing. >> trim joiner has a problem with her eye brows. >> i don't have any. >> trin is hoping to close the gap a uniquation with a procedure called micro blading. she's preparing the tools to thicken the look of her eye brows. with the technique using ink, she says the results are a world with a way from the flat tattooing in the past. >> old methods you look and it's a big line on the face. >> the technician feathers delegates cuts in the skin to create the illusion of individual hairs. >>

it was gallile versus burton high.showed off their culinary skills and knowledge of nutrition. >> so when we go to college we'll ne how to make delicious, heart healthy meals and live a healthy life style, after. >> we have learned a lot about how cooking healthy isn't a hassle as it's made to be. >> the team with the best dish, burton high. the american heart association and whole foods sponsored the event. >>> a cosmetic technique is a method of creating semi permanent eye brows without the marking pen look of traditional tattooing. >> trim joiner has a problem with her eye brows. >> i don't have any. >> trin is hoping to close the gap a uniquation with a procedure called micro blading. she's preparing the tools to thicken the look of her eye brows. with the technique using ink, she says the results are a world with a way from the flat tattooing in the past. >> old methods you look and it's a big line on the face. >> the technician feathers delegates cuts in the skin to create the illusion of individual hairs. >> so

she likes that kind of creepy tim burton -- she'll like it. >> does she sleep with thes sleh lights onhe sleeps with mee which i love.. >> sam jackson was in there as w you know it will be craziness. e sam jackson is involved as theda bad guy. >> i wonder how many cuss wordsr he'll get out.get ou >> it looks peculiar.uliar >> peculiar.>> pulia >> still ahead at 9:00 this morning, speaking of adult themes, bryce harper provingrpe he's a hot head again. heaagai what he had to say to an umpireu that could cost him little bit t of his paycheck. pch >> plus the edge of glory.f glo wait until you see this ridiculous layup attempt by b dwayne wade during last in it's heat/raptors game. g ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> that's not bryce harper's version. that's the version we can use on tv. let's take look at some today' y sports headlines we'll beginlleg with that f bomb sports fanss nationwide are all talking abo about. bryce harper losing his coolcool once again we could find out o actual daal if he'll be fined bb the league for yelling somegue choice words at an umpiryeeir followi

burton: with us is that -- matt burton. we have to start with the dramatic questions.er-to-peer lending doomed? >> i think starting out yesterday, we call the lot of the investors who are on lending platforms,any of the not one of them is pausing their buying today, which is a vote of confidence. there was obviously an issue to be dealt with and was addressed in a way that buyers felt comfortable that they will continue to be partners with lending club. i do not think it is a crisis yet today. alix: you look at loans from many peer-to-peer lenders. in your best judgment, was this an isolated issue wher or do you see hints of this elsewhere? >> i think the treasury just put out their white paper today which calls for more transparency within the space, which i think has been a common -onee over the past x months year. we need to institutionalize this nascent asset pass, and bring in more transparency to make sure the process, both for buying the loan and servicing of it, is done at the same quality as other asset classes before. this is an emerging asset class. it has h

robert burton is there. robert: i hope that you are breathing easy now because tuesday in pittsburgh we will be breathing heavy again. sports is coming up. >> and now the toyota sports desk, brought to you by your local toyota dealers. robert: welcome back to verizon, where the monkey is not completely off the capitals' back. we have to wait until tuesday's game six. at verizon tonight, a big one, the caps get on the board early. in the first, the caps on the power play, nicklas backstrom to ovie, 1-0. in the second, the game tied at 1-1, ovechkin shoots the one-timer, t.j. oshie lights the lamp. they win 3-1. >> when we have pressure, it is kind of our time. the guys respond well. we have a great group of guys here, we believe in each other. robert: braden holtby had a fire in him tonight, always has a fire, but a little extra tonight. he was really great. the really stepped up when we needed him, especially in the second period. it was awesome. >> the pressure is on this team until somebody has four wins.

i've seen it happen.ve s >> good luck trying to find timt burton.ou can you will finda him.n i wouldn't be surprised if we b see a picture of you and him h later this morning.ni >> thanks, kev.>> >> i'll be back 8:45.k 8 see you soon, buddy. >> awesome. let's check in with ticker b we get to tucker -- tke >> we got big news. we got big w very exciting.very a lot of response to last week'' empire finale party give away. a if you didn't win, guess what, w you can try again today. today. you could win a admission foron you an guest to fox5 big empiree season finale party it's goingti down may 18th at the howard theater.te. >> magic 102 donny simpson plusp little mo and quick silva off 93.9 will be along along withngt fox5 hosts allison seymour ander holly morris. you might see a few other foxox pfeiffers drop by from time to time throughout the evening.t tn just go to the contest page on foxdc.com between now and 11:59 p.m.119 p. enter tour for your chance tohae win much this not one, two, or o five people winni 250 winners will be selected by random d

robert burton has the latest. robert: yeah.t's bryce harper bobblehead day and bryce harper suspension day. we will give you details on that coming up later in sports. horace: got the fickett for $250 for parking -- ticket for spot. but the viewer said they had a placard. not fair. they turn to "7 on your side." the lesson we can learn from this next on " leon: "7 on your side" viewer returned to us after getting hit with a $250 ticket for parking in a handicap spot. but the problem is she had a handicap ticker and her -- sticker and her handicap client was in the front seat of the car when the officer wrote the ticket. they contacted troubleshooter horace holmes. >> it's terrible that someone needs to park in handicap disabled parking spot does so without any bad spent gets a ticket for $ -- bad intent gets a ticket for $255. horace: that is what happened to margaret burns or her full-time care-giver driving the bergendy honda -- burgundy honda. the ticket is given because the care-giver parked in the handicap space in front o

his marriage advice for our own robert burton is coming up. dear god. >> hundreds of thousands of flags placed across arlington national cemetery for memorial day. i'm mike carter-conneen. coming up, a massive job alison: as abc7 salutes, each memorial day the hillside of arlington national cemetery become a sea of red, white, blue with american flags placed in front of each and every headstone. as mike carter-conneen reports, soldiers soldiers fromd have the task of distributing the flags. tradition that started in 1948. mike: more than 230,000 marble headstone line the landscape of arlington national cemetery. across 624 acres a sight to see. >> to see everyone before you that has gone, fought and died, it makes you real proud. mike: in preparation for memorial day weekend, the thousand soldiers went in different directions marching in unison. >> they have 300 to 400 flags. mike: this is an annual tradition but experienced by many of the young soldiers for the first time. a number of them newly enlisted. >> honorable day. almost teary eyed.

robert: robert burton, abc7 sports. michelle: she looks great either way. 24 hours ago after this deadly plane crash in orange county we are learning who was on board. the pilot charles caldwell of florida and passenger 81-year-old john quinn jr. of culpeper, virginia. they were both killed. the single engine aircraft crashed in the road along tender lane 24 hours ago. we mentioned the f.a.a. and the ntsb are investigating the cause. jonathan: from the gee whiz tech file. check this out. new tool for underwater searching. this is like a drone but it does everything below the surface of the water. howard county fire and rescue debuted the equipment today explaining that the remote control device fixed with a camera and it allows rescuers to go to part of a lake or a waterway that drives can't get to. they unveiled device to use sonar to scan the terrain. that is one cool thing, now the next. the next is cool. bendable phone. that should help you if you prone to drop it. a lot of people are. this one actually if its aroun

>>> a remake of the epic 1970s mini series "roots" tonight coproduced by the original star levar burtonit hopes to bring the "roots" story to a new generation. >> you understand me, toby? >> reporter: one of the stars of the original and now co-executive producer says race is still a controversial topic nearly 40 years later. > that we haven't made more progress where racial tension in america is concerned. i'm really hoping with this retelling of the "roots" story we can once again revisit the conversation, but absent some of the guilt and shame that was associated with the conversation the first time around. >> reporter: this version of the mini series has an all-star cast as did the original with big names like forest whittaker, laurence fishburne, and anna paquin. >> i think all of the actors involved have come to this project with a real sense of import and responsibility to get it right and to do the original honor, to uphold that legacy and to move the story forward. >> reporter: newcomer malachi kirby is starring in the same role that made bu burton said it was initially intimid

and stick around because abc 7 "sports sunday" with me and robert burton is next. always say don't go to bed yet. coming up next -- a look at what was at the box office this weekend. in a group of gladiatorseum prepare for battle. carrying on their shoulders the legacy of a nation, and... enormous heads. go! [whistle] ♪ ♪ winning a presidential race is hard, but saving money with geico is easy. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. what if we made a paint that was so special that was such a jewel among paints that you had to seek it out. nope, even easier than that. more like taking a left on that street where you usually take a right that wasn't so hard. and if finding that paint made you and your walls beam with pride, is it still paint? benjamin moore. paint like no other. find one of our 5,000 authorized retailers near you. kimberly: tonight, a dog owner in item for helping her find a missing dog all the way across the country ani

maureen: robert burton there for the nats game. leon: hey, robert.obert: it looks like they are still passing out the bryce harper bobbleheads. and it looks like the league is still passing out suspensions. we have details up next in sports. leon: tonight on newschannel8 at 10:00 -- a big fight brewing over school buses. residents in montgomery county upset over proposal to bring a new bus depot to the middle of their neighborhood. why they are calling for a change in plans and what the school district is saying about it. that's tonight at so:00 with jonathan elias stroand restoring aing a newbfather's faith. it's standing tall after one surgery... not six. stronger is being a typical kid... despite a rare disorder. stronger is finding it earlier... and coming home sooner. stronger is seeking answers... and not giving up, until you find them. because we don't just want your kids to grow up, we want them to grow up stronger.