Who is Alex Trebek? ‘Jeopardy!’ icon inspires new USPS Forever stamp
Late “Jeopardy!” legend Alex Trebek has eight Daytime Emmy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, as of next month, a U.S postage stamp celebrating his TV legacy.
The longtime trivia master who hosted America’s favorite quiz show for decades has inspired a new Forever stamp, the U.S. Postal Service announced Friday. The new print will be available starting in July, four years after Trebek died of pancreatic cancer in 2020.
The stamp mimics the trivia program’s iconic dark blue screen. On it is a clue: “This naturalized U.S. Citizen hosted the quiz show ‘Jeopardy!’ for 37 seasons.”
The response, written in the form of a question (obviously), can be found printed upside down underneath the blue card: “Who is Alex Trebek?”
Trebek, who was born in Ontario, Canada, but was naturalized as a United States citizen in 1998, hosted “Jeopardy!” and its various iterations from1984 until his death in November 2020. During his tenure, Trebek won over audiences with his quick wit, easy smile and helped turn “Jeopardy!” into a pop culture staple.
In 2019, Trebek revealed he was battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and told fans at the time, “I’m going to fight this.” In the time between his announcement and his death, Trebek kept his “Jeopardy!” community in the loop about his health, including with the release of his memoir “The Answer Is ... Reflections on My Life” in July 2020.
Public concern for Trebek amid his cancer battle yielded touching moments, including a viral show segment when one contestant, stumped by a Final Jeopardy question, wrote on his answer board, “What is, ‘We love you, Alex!’ ”
Trebek died Nov. 8, 2020, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 80.
In his decades on “Jeopardy!” Alex Trebek, who died Sunday from pancreatic cancer, became more than a TV host: He was, in his way, a leader.
The Postal Service announced its commemorative stamp as “Jeopardy!,” currently hosted by Ken Jennings, celebrates its 60th anniversary. The stamps won’t be available until July 22 but can be pre-ordered starting Friday at usps.com.
To celebrate the Trebek-inspired stamp, “Jeopardy!” producer Sony Pictures Entertainment Studios will host a first-day-of-issue ceremony at its John Calley Park in Culver City on July 22. The celebration, set for 4 p.m., is free and open to the public.
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