Alex Trebek was the host of Jeopardy! for 37 years. He was one of the longest-tenured game show hosts in the world when he passed away. His legacy certainly speaks for itself.
In all his years as host of Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek saw tons of people win the game. But, in the beginning, the winnings were segregated by gender. There were hardly any women being invited on the show, and very few would ever win the show.
As the years progressed, this began to change, as it should. Jeopardy! fans were not the only ones to notice. This was an important thing for the host of the show and all game shows in general.
When women began to win on the show, it marked a changing of the times. More women began signing up to play on the show. Consequently, more women began winning the game show with Alex Trebek at the helm.
Unfortunately, Alex Trebek died on November 8 of 2020.
While Still Hosting “Jeopardy!,” Alex Trebek Noticed That More Women Were Winning the Show
Alex Trebek was celebrating 30 years of hosting Jeopardy! when a local news station came to interview him. According to CBS 58 News, he was incredibly open and candid with the news crew. Among the things they talk about was the gender gap on the game show.
One of the interviewers was asking him what was shocking about Jeopardy! So Trebek began talking about a very particular subject – women on the game show. He was noticing how, in the beginning, women were rarely winning. He says that it has slowly begun to change over time.
“That’s a good thing. I think, in the beginning, women were intimidated. Until they saw other women missing and said to themselves, I could play like her.”
Although Alex Trebek may not have been the most outspoken advocate to champion women’s abilities, he certainly did his part. For him, it was as simple as being able to share with others the talent that someone else possesses.
