nice things

Alex Trebek Gets Choked Up Over Contestant’s Sweet Final-Jeopardy Answer

Photo: Alex Trebek hosting Jeopardy!

As he is both your dad and someone you have watched on television your entire life, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek has a special place in the TV-viewers’ pantheon, a fact that has only become more clear during his ongoing public battle with stage-four pancreatic cancer. Just as Trebek has opened up about himself for what feels like the first time, fans have opened up about their love of Trebek. For example, on Monday night’s Jeopardy!, Tournament of Champions semifinals, contestant Dhruv Gaur slipped a sweet note to the host instead of a Final-Jeopardy answer, writing in its stead: “What is: We ❤️ You, Alex!”

Blindsided by the message, Trebek chokes up before moving on. “Oh, that’s very kind. Thank you,” he gets out. A message clearly worth $1,995 to send, in part because Dhruv clearly had no idea what the “groundbreaking 1890 exposé of poverty in New York City slums” was anyway, in part because love is always a great answer, no matter the question.

Alex Trebek Gets Choked Up Over Contestant’s Jeopardy Answer