Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings has taken time to recollect his predecessor and icon Alex Trebek on the anniversary of his demise, sharing recollections of his final time visiting the previous host on the set of the sport present.
“At this time on the anniversary of his passing, I’ve been considering loads in regards to the final time I ever got here right here to observe him host,” Jennings started within the video posted to Jeopardy!‘s social media accounts. “It was shortly earlier than the pandemic and he had introduced his most cancers analysis. And he truly requested if I might come backstage.”
“I used to be slightly apprehensive about this,” he admitted. “I’d by no means been to his dressing room, you realize, as a contestant.” Finally, what Jennings recounted of the assembly was that Trebek hadn’t been in the very best form behind the scenes of the quiz present. “He wasn’t feeling nice that day—typically he would look and sound improbable whereas doing the present however he wasn’t in the very best form backstage—however he greeted me warmly and I requested how he was doing,” he continued.
What impressed the present host most was Trebek’s potential to maintain his composure, in addition to the emotional state he’d reached as followers despatched their love in his course. “I used to be actually touched by how emotional he was in regards to the outpouring of affection he was getting from Jeopardy! followers. You wouldn’t imagine simply the tens of 1000’s of letters and notes and afghans and emails and every part that poured in and he went by and skim every part.”
When it got here to that individual day on set, Jennings remembered Trebek had informed him, “‘Ken, you realize most individuals don’t get to listen to the good issues about themselves as a result of individuals don’t say it till after they’re gone. they are saying these issues on the funeral… I received to listen to all these issues whereas I’m nonetheless right here.’”
In different phrases, Trebek knew how liked he was by viewers and Jennings received to see first-hand the way it impacted the legendary sport present host. “It was simply candy how genuinely considerate and grateful he was for that chance,” Jennings added. “It struck me then that perhaps he had by no means thought a lot about how a lot he meant to individuals as form of a light-weight entertainer, a quiz present host. He didn’t understand how essential he was to individuals who watched Jeopardy!.”
Jennings recalled that he gave Trebek a hug backstage, although he wasn’t certain that Trebek was a hugger, and famous that it was good to see the host’s response to the love and assist followers despatched his manner. “He didn’t understand what he meant to us, which was every part,” Jennings concluded.
See his full message, above, and tell us what you considered Jennings’ transferring story, beneath.
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