In Memoriam: Why We Love Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek

2020 has taken a lot of beloved figures, now adding Alex Trebek to the list. At the age of 80, Canadian-American television host Trebek has passed away due to his battle with pancreatic cancer. Trebek hosted the popular game-show Jeopardy! and was a long-standing part of pop culture. Though many of us didn’t know him personally, we tuned in every night to watch this man promote education, fun, and the sport of competition. There’s been few TV hosts who have touched us the way Trebek has and his loss is something I think a lot of us are feeling.

Why do we love Alex Trebek? For years, the game-show host has provided us entertainment. Many families have gathered around their television sets to shout out answers alongside the contestants – testing out their knowledge and wondering could I be on Jeopardy!? Trebek wasn’t the first host of the popular game-show. Actor Art Fleming actually served as the host from 1964 to 1975 and 1978 to 1979. Trebek took over in 1984 and had hosted since then. With Trebek’s help, Jeopardy! became popularized throughout the world. It’s become a staple in our conversations, our pop culture, and many of us probably know some fun-facts due to the show.

Avid watchers will recount Trebek’s beautiful pronunciation of places we’ve never heard of, his reciting of literature, and even…his rapping skills.

Trebek was quick-witted and beloved by many. His shows reached audiences of all kind and even helped some more than others. Recent contestant Burt Thaker attributes Trebek and Jeopardy! for helping him learn English at an early age:

https://twitter.com/gowithdennis/status/1325510630804082688?s=20

Trebek was like our Canadian uncle who was always telling us to stay in school. Trebek was born in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1998. His work in television is a long-list of accomplishments and he won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host seven times. For years, I would sit with my parents at seven to watch Jeopardy! Any time I’m at my grandparents’ house around that time, I’d stay for Jeopardy! He was a kind man, who everyone loved.

A big reason why this loss also hurts is due to the fact that Trebek had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago. We were sad over this news, but Trebek faced his illness with dignity. A dignity that I think inspired many people. Then Trebek went into remission…then his illness came back. I think we’ve all had loved ones who have dealt with this same situation, so it hits close to home.

I’d like to think Trebek knew how loved he was by so many. I certainly hope so. Jeopardy! plans to release Trebek’s final episode on December 25th. Ken Jennings will serve as the interim host for the time being but I think we all know no one can replace someone like Alex Trebek.

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