Alex Trebek had a minor heart attack. Thank goodness they said “minor,” cuz I might have been broken down otherwise.
We’re all defined, to an extent, by irrelevant things about ourselves. It’s not a big deal in the grand scheme, but Michael Jordan is known for being a boss basketball player. Doesn’t matter what he does for starving African children. Bono can write songs like “One.” That’s what’s crucial.
Me? I am a bit of an endless repository for useless trivia. I’m not the boss I used to be about sports, but my brother was stunned over Thanksgiving that he couldn’t randomly throw out the number of a Packers defensive tackle and I didn’t know the dude’s name. Said that had never happened before.
On other stuff, I just know things that, quite honestly, are holding up space for more important stuff, some of which is the rack of stuff my fiancee swears she told me of which I have no recollection. I know so much of that stuff that I’m in a Hall of Fame for it. Seriously, check it out (scroll to the bottom).
Much of that is because of Alex Trebek. See, I went to school 25 miles from where I lived. There wasn’t any going home after school. There was riding the school bus, getting off at the barber shop, sweeping the floor to get enough dough for a snack and, eventually, going to my mother’s office.
That normally happened after Jeopardy! went off.
Usually didn’t get to the barber shop until after the start of Double Jeopardy, but you’d be amazed how much minutaie you can pick up just watching Jeopardy! It hasn’t been good for but so much, but people have stood over my shoulder at bars while I play the trivia games by myself. It’s a pretty cool parlor trick, I must say. Better than being the dude that threw up and entire shot of Jager through his nose, lemme tell ya.
Losing Alex Trebek would be like losing a mentor, really. Part of the draw for Trebek is that he’s actually pretty cool. I don’t think Alex Trebek has much trouble with the sexy young ladies…and he conveys this while rattling off the nerdiest stuff there is! That’s pimpin’. His game is premium like octane.
Not a bad dude for a kid to watch every day after school, I have to say.
So keep on truckin’, Alex. Things wouldn’t be the same without you.
9 thoughts on “C'mon Alex…”
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I totally feel you on this.
I just wanna know what it was like to meet Clint Holmes.
One of my goals in life is to be on Jeopardy. I don’t even care if I win, just to say I did it would be major. Also, the opportunity to engage in witty banter with Alex Trebek would be worth the trip. I love the scene in White Men Can’t Jump, where Rosie Perez’s character is introduced as “a former disco queen from Brooklyn”.
He is the reason that my dad and I have something to be nerds together about and it will be a cold day in hell before they march someone like Drew Carey in to replace Trebek.
How odd was it to see him for the first time sans ‘stache? It was like seeing a family member after a big weight loss or losing a fingers.
On the subject…whom do you guys think would be a quality replacement if Trebek decided to retire? The person would have to be believable and with legit academic credentials.
My vote : Neil deGrasse Tyson, the world’s coolest astrophysicist.
Excellent, excellent topic Evan. I have 3 possiblities.
1) The Rock. Not Dwayne Johnson, and not Rocky Malavia. The Rock, in character. Final Jeopardy alone would be priceless. “Let’s see what you….It doesn’t matter what you wagered!” Cue music.
2) The guy that plays Dwight from “The Office”. Cheaper version: Cliff Clavin.
3) Richard Branson. No idea why, just because.
I personally think Don Cornelius would be a natural.
I used to be a huge Jeopardy fan. I even did Quiz Bowl in High School because of it. I’ve never liked Alex Trebek, though. Smug bastard. He takes pleasure in pointing out when someone doesn’t know an answer or makes a stupid mistakes due to nerves. I hope he’s OK, though.
Bo, Don Cornelius, a.k.a. the WORST interviewer in history? At least it’d be interesting.
I say Dave Chappelle. Remember “I Know Black People?”
Jeopardy is a great show and one of the few quiz shows that I really miss now that I live in London.
Good God I’ve been missing the news over here! Alex is one of the few people that makes nerdy look sexy. And he even is classy (yet a bit condescending) when he tells folks they’re wrong and have lost all of their money cuz they missed one word. Thank goodness he’s okay.
Don’t feel bad. I can’t name anybody on the Packers aside from Bret Favre. (Wait, does Ahman Green still play there?)
Anyway, I think it’s time to reopen our discussion on who’s the better big man, Shaq or Tim Duncan. I have several graphs that validate my opinion!