Jeopardy! is one of the best game shows ever, and it is still going strong after all these years, even after Alex Trebek’s passing. The show has been keeping his legacy alive, however, whether it’s Ken Jennings opening up about hosting after him or keeping the format the same. As one of the best game show hosts, Trebek was the blueprint for a lot of hosts, and after the show celebrated his birthday with a special and funny video, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
On Tuesday, the official Jeopardy! YouTube channel celebrated what would have been his 85th birthday with a video of his funniest moments. The 10-minute video looked back at behind-the-scenes moments, impromptu dances on set, interactions with the contestants, and even pants-less moments, and it’s truly making me miss him more and more:
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Even just watching a few clips in the video, I’m definitely leaning more towards crying because it really feels like I didn’t get enough time with Trebek. Even though he was 80 when he died, and had hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons, I still would have loved to see more of him. But the video just proves how great of a host he was, as if that needed any confirmation.
Emotions aside, this compilation is also a great way to look back at some of Trebek’s best moments on Jeopardy! and it’s enough to get anyone in a good mood. That is, if they aren’t crying that much.
Many fans took to the comments of the video, and they seem to be feeling the same way. Some are happy that Jeopardy! never forgot about Trebek, which would be hard to do, while others are still finding it hard to get over his death and pointing out their favorite moments included in the video. Fans may have had mixed feelings over Ken Jennings taking over as host, but at least they can all agree that Trebek was special.
As previously mentioned, the host’s legacy is still very much felt on Jeopardy! In 2023, Jennings got choked up over a contestant recalling competing on Trebek’s final episode. It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly five years since Trebek died and Jennings has now been hosting the program for years. Even though no one is able to replace Trebek, he’s doing a good job, and the show is excellent at honoring the legacy of his predecessor.
Of course, there are plenty more great Alex Trebek moments, and it makes me wonder how producers were able to choose for the video. Personally, I would have taken an hour-long video of his finest and funniest instances; however, these ten minutes will suffice. And now I feel like crying and laughing once again.