Jeopardy!contestants, past and present, mourn the loss of their legendary host.
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
This article was originally published following Alex Trebeks death in November 2020.
We are republishing it today in honor of the lateJeopardy!hostsfinal episode, airing tonight.
Hell, Trebek even found time to write amemoirand win someEmmysduring his rounds of chemotherapy.
Dammit to everyone and their motherindeed.
No tribute is too long or short, or too silly or serious.
Just a celebration of Trebeks profound legacy, which will never cease to exist.
For me for every contestant being onJeopardy!was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
My favorite was together again, for the very first time.
And somehow, it all felt comfortable.
Thats a testament to what made Alex such an iconic figure.
But more than that, he was good at making the contestants feel comfortable.
He said that his favorite part of hosting the show was getting to spend time with the contestants.
That was very obviously true based on the way he interacted with all of us.
and Whats Alex Trebek like?
Im about to be onJeopardy!for real.
And here is the host ofJeopardy!, Alex Trebek!
Thats the first time contestants meet Alex, when he walks out from backstage.
I mean, why shouldnt it?
Id been seeing and hearing Alex in my living room since I was in grade school.
He wanted you to do well, have fun, and enjoy yourJeopardy!moment.
If he teased you, you knew he thought you were doing well.
When you got something wrong, he was sorry.
When you had a big win, he was happy.
He was the star of the show, but he made you feel like the star.
He wasnt just following notes.
Alex really was funny and kind and as smart as you think.
We too often focus on the words of a host and not on these subtle movements.
Trebek was a master of both.
Hed let his emotions come through in these moments, too.
I felt I had let him down.
Despite his illness, he was fully present for the contestants.
And, even when he announced his diagnosis, we imagined he always would be.
Growing up, I was as devoted as aJeopardy!viewer as there was.
I tuned in every night, without fail.
I could switch to another channel and knew exactly when to change back without missing a moment.
When I finally made it onto the show in 2016, it all exceeded my expectations.
Man, he lived up to it and beyond.
Not just knowing things, but savoring knowledge, enjoying it, taking pride in it.
I thought that was it for my aspirations.
Come on, its not worth the trouble.
Im driving to Kansas City whether you like it or not!
My dad ended up relenting and going with me.
I have memories of seeingJeopardy!on television before I even spoke English.
Who will encourage us to know where Baku is?
Who will double-check we pronounce French words right?
Who will care about things being right?
And who will in the same way make it all fun?
Im missing him, and will continue to miss him, just as the millions of fans will.
Arthur Chu:The show never judged us.
Alex, crucially, never judged us.
Alex, likeJeopardy!itself, was a throwback.
You cant imagine Alex doing that.
He was a celebrity who was content to just be who he was.
He kept his faith with his audience.
It was the one show where, refreshingly, the rules werent made up and the points did matter.
In that small way he was a role model, and his legacy matters.
Hes going to be very missed.
All these things are indeed great.
Your life is irrevocably changed by this unexpected blessing, no matter the outcome.
For the 30 minutes of your episode you have reached the pinnacle of the trivia world.
Alex understood that hell, hes responsible for it being such a seminal moment in so many peoples lives!
The show will endure he would be insulted if it didnt!
but it will never be the same.
I took the opportunity to give him a personal note that Id written and before the afternoon shows started.
Fortunately it didnt turn out that way, but none of us knew that at the time.
He pointed to me, then put his hand on his heart.
I did the same, and then he disappeared backstage.
Tell the people you love and admire how you feel about them, folks.
You never know when it might be your last chance.
After the All-Stars Tournament wrapped up filming, we had a reception to celebrate.
Getting the chance to hear his toast was the highlight of myJeopardy!experience.
I asked Maggie if Alex was dancing.
She laughed a little and I heard the dancing resume at a brisk pace, along with a chuckle.
My next question, Wait, are we micd up to Alex already?
Monica Thieu:I might have accidentally caught Alex off guard during my College Championship taping in January 2012.
I ended up answering the final clue correctly, winning the tournament!
When the signal went up, I gingerly followed the blocking the producers had instructed.
I stepped down from my podium and walked toward Alex, holding out the trophy.
A producer later told me she couldnt remember the last time Alex hugged a contestant.
I never would have guessed.
It felt so natural and warm.
I even took a surreptitious picture as proof because it was so shocking to me!
Alex asked, And who would you be?
I continued, I think the trophies in these pictures are a good metaphor.
Between my first appearance and most recent appearance Ive grown up.
Having success and support from theJeopardy!family really helped me to grow.
Jackie Fuchs (Four-time champion and former Runaways bassist):All I can think about is the woodpecker.
Movie:How Green Was My Valley.
Celebrity crush: Ava Gardner.
But that word intruded into my awareness, snapping me back into the moment.
Why the hell was Alex Trebek talking about woodpeckers?
Woodpecker, I hardly knew you.
I went on to win a few games.
I made some new friends.
I talked about surfing and nuclear submarines and, unfortunately, my marital status.
Maybe it was that he cared about making the audience feel as respected and engaged as the contestants.
So, rest in peace, Uncle Alex.
Thanks for the woodpecker story and for letting me play for a while in your orchestra.
He was the avuncular emcee who would throw in a quip here or there.
The chats after the game had ended were a great place to get unfiltered and extemporaneous Alex Trebek.
I once asked him about a story Id read that he knew Lucille Ball.
He then regaled us with a story about playing backgammon with her in her backyard.
The Lakers or the NHL were also topics he loved to chat about.
Commercial breaks were a lot of fun, too.
Accents, Q&As, and jokes that might not fit into the time slot.
The last time I saw him was at the afterparty for the All Stars Tournament in 2019.
