By Rahul Kapur
Alex Trebek, the beloved host of “Jeopardy!” sadly passed away on November 8, 2020. Since the revival of the show in 1984, Trebek impacted many people’s lives by spreading the word of knowledge as well as his love for hosting for over 30 years. After being diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, he announced to the world that the legacy of “Jeopardy!” would continue even after he passed. Outpours of love and kind messages came from Ken Jennings, the show’s top consecutive winner, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and “Wheel Of Fortune” hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White.
“Alex Trebek was a cool dude. I loved him as a kid and still do to this day. May he rest in peace,” said junior Phillip John.
When the show first came back after his passing, current executive producer Mike Richards addressed the show’s audience.
“Over the weekend, we lost our beloved host Alex Trebek. This is an enormous loss for our staff and crew, for his family, and for his millions of fans. He loved this show and everything it stood for. In fact, he taped his final episodes less than two weeks ago. He will forever be an inspiration for his constant desire to learn, his kindness, and for the love of his family. We will air his 35 episodes as they were shot. That's what he wanted. On behalf of everyone here at Jeopardy!, thank you for everything Alex. This is ‘Jeopardy,’” said Richards.
Reproduced with permission from Wikimedia Commons
Alex Trebek will be remembered and dearly missed by all of his fans.
“He was a perfect gentleman. He personified what the host of that show should. He was friendly, intelligent, and he was the show. He fought a good fight and was an example to people in similar situations. He was a true gentleman, universally loved and respected. He didn’t let his own life and tremendous suffering impact his work. He had intellect and demonstrated it without making people feel uncomfortable. He was like a perfect orchestra conductor, not there to be dancing around, there to lead the music. It’s really about the music, not about the attention you want to derive from it," said orchestra teacher Mrs. Tomkiw.
To continue the legacy, a series of interim hosts are planned to host episodes, starting with Ken Jennings. Although the other hosts have not been announced thus far, everyone is excited to continue the lasting legacy left by Alex Trebek. Until then, Trebek's last request will be honored, as all the episodes that he hosted will continue to be released up until January 8, 2021. Trebek left a lasting impact on all who love “Jeopardy!” and he will surely be remembered.
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