What is “perseverance”? A word that can describe the beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek and James Gilligan, a participant in the final episode of Trebek.
Gilligan is an assistant professor of English Language and Literature at San Francisco State University who has tried for 30 years to become a contender for the iconic program.
“I’ve been trying since I was a sophomore in college,” said Gilligan during an interview Friday night on “The News with Shepard Smith”.
Trebek’s final episode airs on Friday night. He ran the show for 37 seasons, starting in 1984. He was nearing the end of his nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer when Gilligan recorded the episode. Gilligan praised Trebek’s tenacity.
“It was pretty obvious that he missed a step, but, you know, once the cameras started rolling, he became a consummate professional,” said Gilligan. “This guy was a titan in the industry and never gave anything less than 100%. It was just remarkable to see a level of performance that he was able to achieve, despite the battle he was fighting.”
Trebek died on November 8, 2020, at the age of 80. A new permanent host for “Jeopardy!” has not yet been named.
“Alex always insisted that he was not the star of the show, that it was the game itself and the contestants that were the real draw and draw,” said Gilligan. “I think whoever is going to host after him needs to have the same attitude.”