You know the game show. It’s that digital blue board where Alex Trebek asks three different contestants answers where they “answer” with the question that would’ve been proposed. This is “Jeopardy!” It’s one of those staple shows that airs every weeknight on ABC at 7pm Eastern Standard Time.
But several months ago, Alex Trebek revealed he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. And in an awesome twist of fate, Trebek revealed this week he was on his way to remission after his tumors shrunk by fifty percent.
And on Thursday, “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek revealed the one person who helped him the most during his cancer battle.
The average American might only get a select few correct and that’s what has made “Jeopardy!” one of the most exciting game shows on television.
Watching some contestants bury the competition or flat-out embarrassing themselves like when a sports category comes up and none of them have any idea about the simplest questions is one of the most wonderful things to watch. Sometimes it’s electric and sometimes it’s painfully awkward.
It’s one of those shows that makes viewers feel stupid one minute and like the smartest person in the world the next – that’s the largest part of its intrigue over the last thirty-plus years.
Recently, longtime host, Alex Trebek, revealed he had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, which unfortunately has only a nine-percent survival rate once it reaches that point.
Speaking to “People” this week, he praised his wife of 29 years, Jean Currivan, 54, for standing by his side and caring for him at his lowest points. He even revealed that they both cried tears of joy upon hearing that his tumors are already shrinking.
In an interview with the Outlet he said, “Jeannie is wonderful. She cried, of course, this morning when she got the [good] news [about my tumors shrinking]. But it’s been a lot. It’s a lot of pressure. My heart goes out to caregivers. Because they have to deal with their loved ones suffering and they also don’t always know how to help because there’s not much they can do, except try to make you feel more comfortable, at ease and not worry about ordinary stuff.”
But Trebek is no ordinary guy. He has one of the most popular game shows in American history and a staple in homes for nearly forty years.
The 78-year-old also said the chemo has caused a depression and although it looks like he’s perfectly fine while hosting the game show, there were moments when he had to rush back to his dressing room because of how physically ill the chemo made him.
He said on “Good Morning America” while in the early stages of his chemo rounds, “What I’m not used to [is] dealing with the surges that come on suddenly of deep, deep sadness and it brings tears to my eye. I’ve discovered in this whole episode, ladies and gentlemen, that I’m a bit of a wuss.”
Trebek might think that of himself but nobody thinks that about him.
Most people would probably take a sabbatical from their job while coping with a cancer diagnosis but not Alex Trebek.
On Wednesday night, Holzhauer won his 30th consecutive game and added another $69,033 to his total.
Holzhauer’s 30-day winnings total is $2,323,971, which puts him less than $200,000 behind “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings, whose all-time regular play winning record is $2,520,700.
It took Jennings 74 games to earn that much in 2004 and if all things stay consistent with Holzhauer then he’ll blow right past the reigning money leader in just a little over half the time.
There is no better time to be a diehard “Jeopardy!” fan than right now.
