Canada and the rest of the world lost a legend, but his legacy lives on. Alex Trebek not only was the longest-running game show host in history, but he was more than that. A Canadian treasure, educator, celebrity, and a simple down to earth guy.
Alex Trebek made his way to Hollywood as a young man trying to figure out what he wanted to do. Before settling on Jeopardy!, Alex hosted many game shows, including hosting three shows all at the same time.
Since 1984 Alex has educated people, made them smile, and even stolen their hearts. Especially when the beloved host of 36 years revealed that he was diagnosed with stage 4 Pancreatic cancer in early 2019. This came as a shock to many fans, but Alex stood tall and revealed that he planned to beat the odds, and still host as his contract did have him as the host for another three years.
Through his humour and wit, Alex kept the show alive. Alex always kept up with the times, including fun lingo from kids in the teen tournament, or even gestures and signs like dabbing from the students in the college championship.
It was Alex who really kept the show going all these years, making the idea of the answer/ question game more than just an educational program, but a true work of entertainment.
Alex was also a man of style. Throughout the years Alex kept up with the trends, from funky suits to killer mustaches. Some of his suits were so iconic they were older than some of the contestants of the show, and who can forget when Alex debuted a goatee just a few months back in July, and everyone raved about this new style for him.
Alex and Jeopardy! were hand and hand. They brought people together. Jeopardy! Will always be known as Alex Trebek’s show, and it is he himself who really created his own legacy. From kind words, life lessons, and humorous stories, Alex was always there for his viewers and contestants. He showed compassion when someone was struggling and showed joy when someone won in a unique way.
This legacy that Alex leaves behind will be one for the history books, along with this world record and stars on the Canadian and Hollywood walk of fame.
Jeopardy! probably saved Alex’s life many times, and it was probably because he knew that he himself needed to keep going for the viewers. Without Alex, the show will never be the same, and it is going to be hard for a lot of people to watch the show without Alex hosting.
With Alex gone, we can only hope that his suffering has ended, and thank him for everything he has done. After 36 years Alex put his all into this show right until the end, all we can do now is thank Alex, and miss him dearly.