Denton County Living Well Magazine Summer 2014 | Page 9

WHO is

ALEX
TREBEK?
BY Barry Rogers

P

EOPLE FOR $400: He is sharp, knowledgeable, iconic and a
clue-giver. Who is Alex Trebek? The world obviously knows that
Trebek is the longtime host of Jeopardy! He’s become synonymous with the game show that embodies knowledge over luck.
While you may consider Trebek a lucky man, it’s also his drive
and talent that’s put him where he is today. Driven early on in life, the
young Canadian landed a news and sports broadcasting job, while still in
college. His skill and destiny continued to paved the way, as he went on
to host Canadian TV programs, including Music Hop, Vacation Time and
Reach for the Top. Up next, were American game shows.
Trebek has now been in the broadcast and entertainment business for
over fifty years, but it is the last thirty that have ultimately defined his
career. He set foot on the Jeopardy! stage in 1984. Audiences have tunedin each week day since, as Trebek oversees the rapid-fire “answer in the
form of a question” game show format. The formula seems to be working,
as Jeopardy! continues its run, some 6000+ shows and 30 daytime Emmys
later.
Longer than Trebek’s time behind the podium on Jeopardy!—is his
enduring friendship with entertainment legend Ruta Lee. The two of them
co-hosted the game show High Rollers in 1974. Since then, they’ve remained loyal friends—always there for one another if called upon. In fact,
he was quick to say yes when Lee asked him to do this interview.
Alex, I’ve heard Ruta Lee say that as a friend, you are very low
maintenance. What are you thoughts?
I guess she means that I don’t need a lot of reassurances; a lot of coddling.
Will you give us commentary on her as a friend?
Ruta’s a delight. She has the kind of exuberance, which I don’t always
demonstrate. Together, we’re an awesome twosome in social situations.
She’s also very loyal, very loving, very caring, very generous—plus she’s
a fellow Canadian.

Denton County Living Well Magazine • Summer 2014

7