Alex Trebek was the popular host of one of the most famous American quiz shows in television history. However, the “Jeopardy!” host wasn’t born in the United States. He was originally from Canada.
And like many other people who came to America, Trebek had things to learn about the country’s culture. One element of that culture was centered around religion. The beloved host talked about this during an interview with ABC7 journalist David Ono in 2019. Trebek passed away in November 2020 from cancer.
Trebek prefaced his comments about religion in the United States by talking about the loyal fans of his popular quiz show.
“The viewers of ‘Jeopardy!’ are like family to me. I mean, we’ve been together for 35 years,” Trebek said. “They know me very well and I know them very well because of all the mail I’ve received. I’ve received hundreds of thousands of cards and letters over this current health situation. That has blown me away.”
So, why was Alex Trebek “blown away” by the support he received from fans? There were two reasons.
“One, because I realize that America is a more religious society than I had given it credit for,” he said. “And two, that there are so many good people out there who want to express themselves to you in a positive way if you’re hurting. And, if you’re somebody who is friendly on television and appears to be a nice guy, they want to do so even more, and, gosh, there’s no downside to that.”
‘Jeopardy!’ Host Alex Trebek Said His Wife Was Much More Spiritual Than Him
Ono then asked Alex Trebek to elaborate on his thoughts about religion and spirituality. The journalist wanted to know if the “Jeopardy!” host turned to faith for comfort while battling cancer.
“No. Not too much,” Trebek said. “I say that my wife is the spiritual one in our family and she always argues and says, ‘No. You’re spiritual also. You just don’t want to admit it.'”
Trebek then elaborated more on his view of the world.
“I’m more of a fatalist,” he said. “I deal with the realities and I try cope as best I as I can with what’s going on as it is happening. And, I try not to allow worrisome thoughts into my brain about what could happen. Hey, I’m not going to let you live rent-free in my head. So, I’ll deal with whatever it is when it happens.”
You can watch the late “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek talk about his experience with religion in the United States below. His comments on this subject begin around the one minute mark of the video.
