Jeopardy! has officially entered the post-Alex Trebek era with two permanent hosts splitting duties behind the podium for the biggest trivia game show on the planet. But Trebek’s impact on the show remains, and two years after his death the syndicated show paid tribute to the longtime host on Tuesday.
The moment came not during actual play, but as a warmup game of sorts between Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach, and Amy Schneider. As a bit of an interlude to the Tournament of Champions, three of Season 38’s biggest winners played each other to keep their skills sharp despite all getting automatic byes into the tournament’s semifinals.
It's the one you've been waiting for! Ken Jennings runs through everything you need to know about tonight's #JeopardyToC exhibition game. pic.twitter.com/3othM0Otr5
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 8, 2022
It also, smartly, meant that any election coverage cutting into syndicated airings would not have viewers missing action crucial to the tournament’s results. That lack of stakes meant the game had a bit looser of a feel, and the trivia for some categories was more, well, trivial, than is often the case. Which is why the show had an entire category about Trebek’s life.
The man, the myth, the legend. We miss you, Alex 💛
We're honoring Alex Trebek's memory in tonight's special exhibition game. #JeopardyToC pic.twitter.com/lZnw9goZ7B
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 8, 2022
Some of the questions were pretty standard: about his hometown (Sudbury, ON) and where he attended university. But one question actually stumped the trio, probably because it was about obscure tools called woodruff keys. That’s OK, though, as host Ken Jennings pointed out Trebek apparently didn’t know what they did, either.
Regardless, it was a nice tribute to the man who largely made Jeopardy! what it is today, and it was nice to see that — woodruff keys aside — some of the biggest stars of the show today certainly know its roots.
