There's nothing earth shattering in this collection of memories. Trebek comes across as a really nice guy who more or less lucked into a great gig which lead to a lovely life. He acknowledges that, too.
My first Jeopardy! memories are early ones. I lived across the street from my elementary school and my mom worked as a substitute teacher at my school so I was able to walk home for lunch every day. Mom, my brother and I would watch Jeopardy! while eating our lunch, before heading back to school. It was the first run of the quiz show (from 1964 to 1978). Art Fleming was the host. Trebek eludes to fans like me in his chapter entitled The Answer Is... COMFORT.
"A lot of young kids at home and college students would watch the show on their lunch breaks. They grew up with it. So when we brought it back in 1984, they were nostalgic for it. And then they raised their own kids on the show."
Apparently the show came back for 6 months in 1978. I was in college and only vaguely remembering thinking that it was back, but I would have rarely had time to watch then. I might not have even been in the United States for part of that time. Then, Alex Trebek brought the show back in 1984. And I was an immediate fan. And yes, I did raise my own kids on the show.
Another two quotes from the book:
"The show has become part of the fabric of American life. People say to me, 'My mother doesn't want us to call her from seven to seven thirty when Jeopardy! is on.' Or 'We have dinner with you every night.'"
"At some point - and it occurred slowly over the years - we made the transition from just being an enjoyable quiz show to being part of your daily life. There's something ritualistic about it. It's special but not in a big way."So true. I knew not to call my parents when they were watching Jeopardy! and my kids (mostly) knew not to call me when it was on here. When I was with my parents, we'd watch it together. When my dad was in the hospital and then in rehab during the final 5 months of his life, he and I (sometimes with my brother, sometimes with my son) would watch Jeopardy. Dad was sharp until the end. My husband and I watched it every night we're home.
I've traveled close to where Trebek grew up in Sudbury, Ontario, so I could picture some of what he was talking about. And I was able to make some other little connections, too. Trebek writes about listening to far away radio stations on his little Philco radio. I had a transistor radio when I was little and I'd get to spin the dial, trying to see which radio station from far away I can pick up. It was always easier to pick up those distant stations late at night.
The book was just very recently written so Trebek is able to talk about his illness and about the coronovirus pandemic and the intersection of the two.
"With the coronavirus, we can't go out to eat, we can't go out to public places, even the park next door has limited its use. There aren't that many things available for us to do. Here I am wanting to enjoy what might be the last of my days, and what, I'm supposed to just stay at home and sit in a chair and stare into space?"I did read online somewhere that both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune (which I was a bigger fan when it first came on TV) have started their productions back up again. They were put on hold suddenly in late March. We watched all the new Jeopardy! shows and then just randomly watched some of the shows they were replaying. I look forward to new episodes. And I look forward to seeing Alex Trebek again. I sadly realize that he is at the end of his life. I hope he's able to host the quiz show as long as he comfortably can. Then... who will be the new host? Betty White? Really? Ha ha.
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