Sunday, November 08, 2020

RIP Alex Trebek

 

Alex Trebek was one of the last of the old guard, from the days when game show hosts were professional emcees and not third-tier stand-up comics or random actors playing the part. He always seemed to enjoy his work, and it seemed like he would always just be there, reading endless daily double clues and making small talk with the regular folk who made it to the stage of that great celebration of knowledge called Jeopardy!.

We all know that one, of course, but there were numerous others (Pitfall and Battlestars, anyone?). Here are a few deeper cuts from Trebek's career to celebrate a great legacy:

Classic Concentration // Buzzr recently began airing the Concentration revival, which is helmed by Trebek with a bit more playfulness than he displayed on Jeopardy!. The episodes hadn't been re-run since NBC dropped the game, and it's a fun show that deserved a longer run than it had on NBC daytime, 1987-1991.

High Rollers // Speaking of fun, I love the dice-based High Rollers (1974-1976, 1978-1980), in which players knocked out the numbers 1-9 to win some impressive prizes. Trebek is in top form in this lighter format.

To Tell the Truth // NBC's 1990-1991 run of Truth went through several hosts, with Trebek arguably turning in the best performance. Episodes can be found on YouTube.

Wheel of Fortune // Yes, Trebek presided over several episodes of the legendary Wheel — once for April Fool's Day in 1997 (while Pat Sajak did Jeopardy!) and also as a substitute in 1980. The April Fool's event is on YouTube.

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