Alex Trebek, iconic TV personality and game-show host, concludes his eighth decade on Wednesday.
Known for his wit and ability to crack a joke, Trebek began his hosting career as a young man in the 1960s in Canada before moving to US shows like “High Rollers” and “Double Dare” in the ’70s.
But the Canadian became America’s favorite show host when he began grilling contestants on “Jeopardy!” in 1984 — and we’ve been smitten ever since.
Despite recent health complications as he battles pancreatic cancer, Trebek is contracted as the “Jeopardy!” host until 2022. His new memoir, released Tuesday, details his memorable career on the infamous game show and reflects on his life on-screen as well as off with wife Jean Currivan Trebek, 56, and their two children.
To celebrate another year of being blessed with his humor and quizzing skills, here are some of Trebek’s best moments, and why he’s everyone’s favorite game show personality.
He rapped an entire category
Trebek surprised viewers everywhere when he recited rap lyrics from infamous songs listed in the category “It’s A Rap” in 2014. And to his surprise — his contestants answered every question right. From Notorious B.I.G. to Grandmaster Flash, Trebek proved he can bust a rhyme live.
He showed up pantsless to work
There’s no one who can laugh at themselves quite like Trebek can, especially on live television. Despite his contestants not joining in on the fun, the admirable host broke the competitive tension with a joke on himself.
He shamed a contestant for enthusiastically, yet incorrectly, answering “Hoe”
“Whoa, they teach you that in school in Utah, huh?” Trebek said, poking fun at longtime “Jeopardy!” ace Ken Jennings, who gave a wrong answer to a question when the correct term was rake. While Trebek could be considered an expert with innuendos, this one wasn’t in the contestant’s favor this time.
He used a bullhorn to really get the point across
Trebek’s voice is notable and iconic, and even more so when amplified. In one episode, he used a bullhorn as both a joke and a major clue for the category “Bull,” making the contestants and audience alike laugh with surprise.
He proved he was the biggest football fan in the room
For the category “Talkin’ Football,” Trebek proved he was the only one who could. The contestant being quizzed couldn’t answer a single question right, and Trebek was surprised and a bit disappointed, but all in jest. He joked to the contestant, “Let’s look at the $1,000 clue, just for the fun of it.”
He auto-tuned himself
Trebek disguised his signature voice for the sake of “Jeopardy!” in a category titled “Alex Meets Auto-Tune.” With the help of technology, he performed various well-known songs with different lyrics, to throw contestants off their game and challenge them to guess the tune correctly.
He could have been a thespian
The game-show host proved his theatrical skills in an episode when he read a Shakespearean category with a dramatic flair and impressive voice inflection. Perhaps in another life, he could have pursued a career in theater or acting, but thankfully avid “Jeopardy!” viewers can still enjoy his interpretative reading on-air.
He proved he’s really America’s favorite
After announcing his cancer diagnosis early last year, there was an outpouring of support and condolences on the internet. But perhaps the biggest gesture of love was from a contestant. Clearly a fan of Trebek’s, he wrote “We love you Alex” as his final answer on the show. While the answer left the contestant with only $5, the sacrifice was effective: Trebek choked up over the kind message.
