Today will be the last time that fans of Jeopardy!'s Alex Trebek can see a new and previously unaired episode with the legendary game show host, who passed away after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer on November 8. Many of Trebek's fans are still trying to find ways to say goodbye to the popular personality, who hosted Jeopardy! for a whopping 37 seasons until his death. One of the most well-known Jeopardy! contestants, James Holzhauer, is doing the same, and posted an epic Alex Trebek throwback photo to go along with his heartfelt farewell message.
While viewers can look forward to James Holzhauer's fellow Jeopardy! big winner, Ken Jennings, acting as temporary guest host for a time (with long-time broadcaster Katie Couric also filling in for a week), there's no doubt that fans will miss being able to watch Alex Trebek for many episodes (OK, years) to come. With his final episode airing today, Holzhauer took to Twitter with a tribute that many will understand, but also included what might be the best throwback photo we'll ever get of the late Jeopardy! host. Take a look!
Wowzers! I mean, who doesn't love this? Just look at our Game Show Host King Alex Trebek doing his best James Bond for this Jeopardy! ad. Trebek's curls are poppin'. He's working the salt-and-pepper magic with his iconic mustache. And, Trebek even has the perfect sly but sexy upward look into the camera down pat. Never say that the man wasn't a truly brilliant professional through and through. Can you think of another game show host who'd look this good in an ad from (probably) the 1980s? Nope. I didn't think you could.
Honestly, the fact that James Holzhauer shared such warm and sincere words about his efforts to try and say goodbye to Alex Trebek, but posted this awesome and sorta silly photo of him, is a large part of what makes the tweet so perfect. Fans already know, very well, that Trebek wasn't anywhere near being a staid, square host. Oh, no. The man had a cool sense of humor, and that was about life in general, himself, and the show he led for nearly four decades.
Actually, now that I think about it, it's kind of a shame that Jeopardy! didn't keep up with the movie parody idea for their advertising, just for the fun of it. Can't you easily imagine Alex Trebek as a Michael Bay-style movie character walking away from an explosion in one of these ads? Or, hanging from the ceiling à la Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible? They seemed to have tried it once more, with him appearing as a 1930s / 1940s gumshoe detective, and the result was pitch perfect.
James Holzhauer's feelings about Alex Trebek are, certainly, shared by many of his fans. You can watch his last Jeopardy! episode today, January 8, so be sure to check your local listings. There are also two seasons of the hit game show on Netflix, but if you'd like more to watch, be sure to check out our guide to winter / spring TV.
