Alex Trebek
Host
With a fifth Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Game Show Host,” Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek is poised to lead the blockbuster series into its 25th anniversary season—firmly establishing Jeopardy! as America’s Favorite Quiz Show®. Trebek has challenged and entertained millions of viewers worldwide with over 5000 exciting shows since Jeopardy!’s debut in 1984. He is a genuine audience favorite and a true American icon.
Trebek has appeared in more than 70 movies and television shows, most often appearing as himself, and he has been honored with a coveted star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame. Additionally, he has been inducted into the California Broadcasting Association’s Hall of Fame and the prestigious Canadian Walk of Fame making him one of only a handful of people honored by both the U.S. and Canada.
A native of Ontario, Canada, Trebek graduated from the University of Ottawa with two degrees in philosophy. Interested in a broadcast news career, he joined the Canadian Broadcasting Company, Canada’s premier network. While there, he specialized in national news and covered a wide range of special events for CBC’s radio and television divisions, earning a reputation as a broadcaster who maintained his poise and composure in the most difficult settings.
Trebek was first noticed by American viewers when he hosted the game show,
“Wizard of Odds.” After several other hosting roles, Trebek was chosen as host of Jeopardy! Now in his 25th season with the show, Trebek remains impressed with the series’ fast-paced nature and the contestants’ sophisticated level of knowledge. “It continues to be unlike any series on television,” Trebek said. “The format is an exciting concept that challenges people to think quickly and make split-second decisions under pressure.”
Trebek particularly enjoys the series’ road trips. “It’s always exciting for Jeopardy! to go into a new city in front of a cheering crowd,” he said. “It gives people the opportunity to see how entertaining this game really is, and it’s fun for us to be in front of enthusiastic fans.”
Trebek is active with a number of educational organizations and charities. With World Vision, he has traveled to many Third World countries, most recently to Bolivia, taping reports on the group’s efforts on behalf of children around the world. In 2007 he traveled with his family to Zambia where he adopted a village and helped build a school, medical facility and a home for the teachers. Trebek also supports The Smile Train, which ensures children from developing countries receive proper medical attention for unrepaired clefts and palates.
In conjunction with the USO, Trebek visits military bases around the world to audition prospective contestants. Since 1987, Trebek has done 12 USO tours, and his efforts have been recognized with the group’s Bob Hope Entertainment Award in 1998.
Another favorite assignment of Trebek’s is hosting the annual National Geographic Bee each spring in Washington D.C.
Trebek and his wife, Jean, and their two teenaged children, Emily and Matthew, live in Studio City, California. They recently spent a family vacation visiting eastern Canada including Nova Scotia, Quebec, Montreal and Toronto.
Photo Courtesy of Jeopardy Productions, Inc.
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