For years, the biggest debates about Jeopardy! weren't related to the "greatest" champions were or the best way to approach the clue board. Rather, it was all about whether or not host Alex Trebek should keep his once-signature mustache or go clean-shaven. As fans are well aware, Trebek did indeed shave the 'stache quite a few years ago, and then memorably grew it once more for a short while to let fans decide how he'd handle it. Now, in the midst of the pandemic, Trebek's mustache is back, and it's now accompanied by a beard.
Jeopardy! released a "Summer Update" video to give fans an idea of what to expect from the beloved game show in the near future. But as exciting as any and all news is on that front, I think I'm even more enthused by Alex Trebek's beard, which looks as sharp as the host's wit and intellect. Check it out below!
Alex Trebek is no dummy, facing our awe and joy head-on by bringing up his facial hair growth with his first comments, pointing out that he often likes to get a little shaggy whenever Jeopardy! goes on hiatuses during the filming schedule. Maybe it's the lack of new Jeopardy! episodes, or maybe it's the fact that I've only seen a relative handful of people in person in recent months, but I'm totally down with Trebek's mustache-and-beard combo, and I fully hope he keeps it going once the show starts filming again.
Thankfully, Alex Trebek not only sounded positive about being able to film new episodes going into the fall season, but he mentioned that Jeopardy! will be opening its vault to bring out more classic episodes. Not just any classics, either, but Trebek's very first episode. The first time TV audiences got to bond with the proud Canadian host, who'd previously fronted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. Perhaps most importantly for this context, it was the first time viewers familiarized themselves with Trebek's mustache.
What's more, Jeopardy!'s YouTube page offered up another blast from the past by posting an old commercial in which Alex Trebek gets about as sexualized as he's ever been. If there was ever a time for Trebek to enter the conversation for playing a curly-coifed James Bond, it would have been around the time of this ad. Check it out below.
Most importantly, though, the above Jeopardy! update gave fans the current low-down on Alex Trebek's health. The host was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019, and though the first round of treatments seemed to be successful, he ended up having another round later in the year. Whenever COVID-19 outbreaks first began, Jeopardy! opted to film without an audience for a short while, with Trebek's health in mind, before filming stopped altogether. Thankfully, the host appears to be doing well, and was feeling good enough to tackle writing a memoir in his spare time.
For now, Jeopardy! will stick with airing more classic repeats until production gets started up again, which will hopefully be allowed to happen in September. (What is optimistic, Alex?) Stay tuned for more news, and head to our Summer TV schedule and our Fall 2020 premiere guide to see what new and returning shows will be popping up soon.
