Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Who was Alex Trebek?

So now what are we supposed to watch at 7 p.m.? The evening viewing of Jeopardy! is just one of those things that’s a fabric of life for a lot of people. We sit down to watch it most nights once the dinner dishes are done, while our son is playing on his phone and before we all sit down for family TV time.

 

Sometimes I have one eye on the show while I’m reading a book, or we’ll be talking with the answers in the background. I’ve always enjoyed shouting out the answers I know, to feel just a little smarter. I was thrilled that I got the final question right on that Jeopardy! championship they had recently. (I believe it was “Iago.”)

 

We can still watch Jeopardy!, of course, since it’s not going anywhere. But it won’t be the same without Alex Trebek’s inimitable style. He was authoritative, friendly and comforting all at once. His presence was one of those things that never changed for decades of evening viewing for so many people.

 

The tribute last night on Jeopardy! was like a gut punch. It reminded me of when Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve had Dick Clark on shortly after his stroke, and it was so depressing to watch the ball drop with him so frail. It’s sad to lose an icon like Alex Trebek but his is not a sad story. He did something he loved for as long as he could and died with his family surrounding him. What more can anyone ask for out of life?

 

I don’t have a profound take here—just that it’s sad to see Alex Trebek go. He did his job flawlessly for decades and was one of those increasingly rare icons who really cannot be replaced.

No comments:

Post a Comment