Chapman community reflects on Alex Trebek’s legacy
Television personality Alex Trebek, who earned seven Emmys for Outstanding Game Show Host for his work on “Jeopardy!,” died of pancreatic cancer Nov. 8. WikiCommons
For the past 37 years, millions of American families have tuned in to ABC to shout answers in the form of a question at their television sets, prompted by the witty, suave and iconic “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek. He was a model of consistency, earning the world record for most game show episodes hosted with over 8,000 and becoming synonymous with quiz show trivia while sporting his classic blazers.
The official “Jeopardy!” Twitter account announced the morning of Nov. 8 that Trebek had passed away. He died at the age of 80 after a lengthy battle with stage IV pancreatic cancer.
John Compton, a political science professor at Chapman University, appeared as a contestant in a 2002 episode of “Jeopardy!”
“Trebek went out of his way to try and make a human connection with the contestants, rather than treating it like an assembly line,” Compton said. “I appreciated that. He seemed like a warm, genuine person.”
Originally, Trebek announced his cancer diagnosis in a video March 6, 2019, remaining transparent with the public about his progress throughout his entire treatment. Charlize Stein, a freshman mathematics and civil engineering dual major, called Trebek an idol, describing his legacy as long-lasting.
“People in the public sphere shouldn’t be obligated to share things like that, but I think it was really brave of him to do that,” Stein said.
Despite excruciating stomach pains that would leave him withering on the floor, Trebek chose to continue filming new episodes for 18 months after his diagnosis. The show’s production stopped in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned for its 37th season in September.
“He was a badass … He spent the majority of his career focused in this one area and he didn’t let it go because of a diagnosis,” said Jacob Hoxie, a freshman screenwriting major. “It’s really venerable in some aspects, to push through and keep doing what you’re doing in the face of adversity.”
For many years, “Jeopardy!” held the spot for the highest rated quiz show and was typically ranked second as the highest rated game show behind “Wheel of Fortune.” Hoxie, who described Trebek’s legacy as timeless, called “Jeopardy!” the first game show of its kind.
“It’s a test of knowledge and it was one of those first original shows to do that, rather than just spinning a wheel or guessing how much a vacuum cleaner costs,” Hoxie said. “It’s become ingrained in the American psyche that ‘Jeopardy!’ is a staple of pop culture, and the face of that is Alex Trebek.”
Trebek is survived by his wife Jean Trebek, as well as his three children Matthew, Emily and Nicky. The show has yet to announce a replacement host. However, new episodes featuring Trebek will continue to air until Christmas Day.
“He’s an American institution at this point,” Compton said of Trebek. “‘Jeopardy!’ is so much more than a game show. It’s a touch-stone in our culture and I’m sure it probably will go on, but it won’t be the same without Alex Trebek.”
