Alex Trebek, host of television’s most iconic game show, Jeopardy, died this past Sunday at the age of 80. Trebek hosted more than 8,200 episodes, the most by a presenter of any single game show.
Trebek was born in Canada, studied philosophy, became a journalist, and worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He made the switch to game show host in 1966. His big break came in 1984 when Merv Griffin picked him to host a revival of Jeopardy.
Trebek loved that the program popularized intelligence. Mike Richards, the executive producer, told CNN, “It’s just who he was, he craved knowledge.” He capitalized on that credibility, by pitching a bunch of brands over the years. He also had an interesting thought on who should succeed him.
Product Pitchman
Trebek’s intelligence and casual command of the screen engendered respect and trust. He developed the kind of integrity and reputation that brands want to work with. Despite the fact that the average age of a Jeopardy viewer is slightly over 64, his relevance straddled demographic boundaries. He was recognized and accepted by younger generations. It made sense that he could “sell” Colonial Penn Life Insurance and also work with Google.
Trebek contributed to many brands including Alaska Airlines, Consumer Cellular, DirectTV, Exxon Mobile, Holiday Inn Express, and Sony.
Replacing a Legend
Replacing the star of any long running series is, at best, difficult. In the case of Alex Trebek, it’s even harder than usual because of the unique demands of the show. They’ll need someone with gravitas, someone glib but friendly, someone with a good sense of timing and humor. Here are some of the names being mentioned.
George Stephanopoulos, the one-time Communications Director and Senior Advisor to President Clinton, and longtime journalist for ABC News, has reportedly expressed some interest.
Ken Jennings is considered by fans of the program the GOAT of contestants, the greatest of all time. He’s won more than $5 million on the show and had a record of 74 consecutive wins. He currently works for Jeopardy as a consulting producer.
He has the credibility and on camera capabilities. Yale Graduate and 19-year CNN veteran anchor Anderson Cooper is said to be interested.
Alex Trebek often said he wanted someone younger and funnier to replace him. And then he would suggest Betty White.