From USA Today:
“Alex Trebek
of 'Jeopardy!' dies at 80 after pancreatic cancer battle”
Game show
legend Alex Trebek, the beloved "Jeopardy!" host who showed dignity
and perseverance in dealing with a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis in March 2019, died
Sunday. He was 80. " 'Jeopardy!' is saddened to share that Alex Trebek
passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and
friends. Thank you, Alex," according to a statement from
"Jeopardy!" Trebek was synonymous with longtime top-rated
"Jeopardy!," the brainiest of TV quiz shows, which he hosted since
its syndicated revival premiered in 1984 (Art Fleming hosted an earlier NBC
version from 1964 to 1975.). Will Ferrell's "Saturday Night Live"
impersonation both underlined and burnished Trebek's exalted cultural status.
The Sudbury,
Ontario-born host, who gained U.S. citizenship in 1998, enjoyed a substantial
game-show career before taking on "Jeopardy!," hosting shows such as
"The Wizard of Odds," "Double Dare," "High
Rollers," "Battlestars," "Classic Concentration" and
"To Tell the Truth." But Trebek, who won seven Emmys, will forever be
remembered as the erudite, sharply dressed presence who offered an air of
dignified formality to a scholarly quiz show that turned answers into questions
and transformed Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer from brainiacs to rock stars. Trebek
had a rare dual gift. He conveyed a reserve that put him at a dignified
distance above the contestants and the audience, even causing some fans to
think he knew all the correct responses. At the same time, he had an ability to
bond with viewers through a quip – he deftly threw shade – a knowing glance or
the ability to calm a competitor nervous about being on the national stage. For many years, game show host Alex Trebek,
seen here in 1988, sported a signature mustache. When a contestant proposed
marriage and his girlfriend accepted without hesitation during a 2018 taping,
Trebek joked: “I was about to say we’ll have the answer to that question right
after this commercial break.” The man had such a hold on his audience that even
his facial hair choices sent shock waves, as when he shaved a trademark
mustache or grew a beard during a summer hiatus in 2018.
When Trebek
received the staggering cancer news, he shared it with the public in an online
video that didn't sugarcoat its serious nature but still conveyed hope and
determination: "Just like 50,000 people in the United States each year,
this week I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Now normally the
prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I'm going to fight this and I'm
going to keep working." He was back at work less than a week later. Most recently, Trebek hosted the start of the
show's 37th season in September. Trebek's last day in the studio was Oct. 29,
and episodes hosted by Trebek will air through Christmas. Trebek's
ability to connect, multiplied by more than 30 years of familiarity, made his
cancer feel personal for millions who never met the host. And those who knew
him, including champ Jennings and fellow hosts Pat Sajak of "Wheel of
Fortune" and Chris Harrison of "The Bachelor," immediately
offered support when he announced the news. Jennings recounted a "perfect
moment" with Trebek after he lost a "Jeopardy!" tournament in
2014. "I went into the after party a little bit shell-shocked. As Alex was
on his way out, he walked by me and I just wanted to say, ‘Hi, thank you,’ and
how much he meant to me. So I said, 'Alex, I don’t know what to say.' I
literally couldn’t say anything from my mouth," he told Vulture. "He
just looked at me with that reassuring, avuncular gaze and put a hand on my
shoulder and went, 'I know, I know.' Like, 'We’re men, you don’t have to say
how much me and "Jeopardy!" mean to you, I understand what you
mean.'"
Trebek
acknowledged the public support in a video: "I just want to take a few
moments to say thanks to the, believe it or not, hundreds of thousands of
people who have sent in tweets, texts, emails, cards and letters wishing me
well following my recent health announcement." "Jeopardy!" host
Alex Trebek, right, shares a moment with the brainy quiz show's recent
long-running champ, James Holzhauer. He bravely dealt with illness, sharing the
ups and downs, acknowledging waves of "deep, deep sadness" and joking
about wigs in interviews. He set an example of how to deal with serious
illness. Trebek is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jean, and children
Matthew, Emily, and Nicky. The family has announced no plans for a service, but
gifts in Trebek's memory could go to
World Vision.
^ This is so
sad. I used to watch “Jeopardy” all the time when I was younger. ^
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