The Answer Is...

Alex Trebek

📚 GENRE: Biographies & Memoirs 

📃 PAGES: 304

✅ COMPLETED: July 17, 2022

🧐 RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Short Summary

In The Answer Is…, longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek reflects on his life and gives readers an inside look at some of the highlights of his career. Trebek discusses his upbringing, how he got his start in broadcasting, and what led to the huge success of Jeapordy!.

Key Takeaways

1️⃣ Help People — Charitable work was a big part of Trebek’s life. He spent a lot of time in Africa, Thailand, and other areas of the world lending his time and resources. Focus on making a difference in the world by donating time and energy to causes that mean a lot to you. For individuals that mean something to you, look for ways to be thoughtful towards them. Make helping people a priority. 

2️⃣ Never Stop Learning — One of the keys to Trebek’s success was his commitment to education. He had a curious mind and was always looking to learn. Commit to being a lifelong learner. Work on your skills and prioritize education over entertainment. 

3️⃣ Fight Hard — Even as he was going through laborious chemo treatments Trebek continued to host Jeopardy!. He went through a lot of pain, but continued to do his job to the best of his ability. Regardless of the challenges that come up, always give your best effort. 

Favorite Quote

“There’s a great need everywhere. And if you can afford it, go ahead and help them. You don’t always have to spend a ton of money to make a difference in someone’s life.”

Book Notes 📑

Introduction

  • Jeopardy! — Alex Trebek was the host of Jeopardy! for 37 years. He was asked to write a biography many times, but turned every opportunity down until he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer in 2019. He passed away in 2020.
  • Why Write A Book? — Trebek was a private person. He never wanted to be in the spotlight. But after being diagnosed with cancer, he felt it was right to share more about himself. Many fans loved him. He felt a book was a way to give thanks to them. 

Part I — Chapters 1-30

  • July 2, 1940 — Trebek was born. Full name George Alexander Trebek. He had a younger sister, Barbara. 
  • Sudbury, Ontario, Canada — Trebek’s hometown. Sudbury is located outside the southern rim of the Sudbury Basin, where a billion years ago a comet hit and left a crater filled with nickel, platinum, and gold. The basin is the second largest crater in the world (81 miles in diameter) and is one of the major mining destinations. 
  • The Nickel Range Hotel — Trebek’s dad was a skilled pastry chef who baked cakes and other items at the Nickel Range Hotel located in Sudbury. It was a popular place in town. Trebek grew up helping his dad make food in the hotel’s kitchen. 
  • Military College — After graduating from high school, Trebek applied to the Regular Officer Training Program (ROTP), a program administered via Canada’s Armed Forces that helped kids go to college in exchange for two years of military service. He went through a series of tests and was accepted. He ended up leaving the program less than a year in because the experience wasn’t what he had expected. 
  • Half-Brother — Trebek’s parents divorced and his mom later had a son. Trebek and his half-brother were not close. 
  • First Job — At 18, Trebek got his first summer job working on the maintenance crew at an apartment complex. He was fired before the end of the summer. 
  • University of Ottawa — Trebek attended the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada and majored in philosophy. He played on the basketball team as a senior. 
  • Early Career — As a senior in college, Trebek got his first official job in the broadcasting arena. He was a staff news announcer for the local radio station.
    • Music Hop — Trebek went on to host Music Hop, a live television show. 
    • Quote: “Messing up on live TV taught me a valuable lesson about show-business — learn to laugh at yourself.”
  • Arrive Early — At Jeopardy!, Trebek was known for being early to everything. Early to meetings, live shows, ect. 
    • Quote: “It (arriving early) is a sign of respect for the job — that you want to do it well and you don’t want to leave anything to chance.”
  • The Wizard of Odds — Trebek was invited to audition for the host role for a brand-new NBC game show called The Wizard of Odds, which was taped in Los Angeles. He auctioned twice (once in New York and once in Los Angeles). He was quickly offered the job. He moved from Canada to Los Angeles. 
  • Cursing — Trebek was clean. He didn’t drink, do drugs, party, etc. His ultra-clean record and reputation made it hard for him to fit in occasionally. He decided to start cursing more often. 

Part II — Chapters 31-60

  • Spyder — Trebek was always fascinated by cars. In 1971, after moving to Las Angeles, he bought a 1971 Italia Spyder for $6,000. He later sold it to a guy for $30,000. Today, Spyders sell for around $170,000. Only 500 Spyders were ever made. 
  • 1974 — Trebek marries his first wife, Elaine. Elaine had a daughter from a previous marriage, Nicky.
    • 1981 — Trebek and Elaine divorce. The divorce was without drama. Trebek later went on to buy a house right across the street from Elaine and the two remained close friends. 
  • Musical Chairs — Early in his career, Trebek had seven different hosting jobs in 10 years. Many of the game shows he hosted didn’t last on the air very long. This volatility in the job market is fairly normal in the entertainment industry.
    • Quote: “I never doubted my talent. I never took it personally when a show got cancelled. I knew I was good because I had experience.”
  • Jeopardy! — After making a name for himself as the host on several different game shows, Trebek was asked to host Jeopardy! in 1984. The show was packaged in 30-minute episodes and paired with Wheel of Fortune to create an hour-long game show block on NBC. He also produced the show from 1984-87.
    • How It Works — Contestants can select between categories and dollar amounts on a board, and are given the answer to a question. After hitting the buzzer, the contestant has to respond with the correct question to the answer. 
    • How It’s Filmed — Filming sessions occur twice per week. Five episodes are filmed throughout the day for a total of 10 episodes per week. The episodes usually don’t air for several months after they are filmed. After three episodes, the live audience is switched out. Between episodes, Trebek used to change his suit. 
    • Merv Griffin — Creator of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. He wrote and produced the Jeopardy! theme music (a song called Think that he originally wrote as a lullaby for his son) and received a royalty every time the song was played anywhere. He made over $80 million from royalties on that song alone! 
  • Giving Back — Trebek has always been great about giving back. He was a longtime contributor to World Vision, a global Christian humanitarian organization that helps children, families, and their communities reach their full potential by tackling poverty and injustice. He has traveled to Africa, Thailand, and other parts of the world to help people. He also later started his own foundation. All proceeds from this book were donated to charity.
    • Quote: “When you go through experiences like these over the years and you see how much suffering is out there, it affects you. You can’t stand by passively and say, ‘Well, it’s not going to bother me. It’s OK. I’m going back to LA.’ You want to do something. You want to help.”
    • Quote: “There’s a great need everywhere. And if you can afford it, go ahead and help them. You don’t always have to spend a ton of money to make a difference in someone’s life.”
    • Takeaway — Help people. Make helping people a big part of your life. Find ways to lend time or resources and make a difference in a person’s life. 
  • 1990 — Trebek marries his second wife, Jean. There was a 24-year age difference between the two. He proposed without meeting Jean’s parents. They had two kids (Matthew and Emily) and remained married for over 30 years until Trebek passed away in 2020.
  • The ‘5-Game Rule’ — Up until the 20th season of Jeopardy!, there was a ‘5-Game Rule’ that prevented a contestant from continuing on if they were able to win five games in a row. This rule prevented the audience from really getting to know, and root for, a contestant that was doing well. The rule was slashed in 2003, which gave way to some wild winning streaks.
    • Ken Jennings — A software engineer from Salt Lake City, Utah who won 74 games in a row in 2004. He won more than $2 million during the 16-week run. The ratings of the show went up 22% while Jennings was on his streak. 
    • James Holzhauer — A professional gambler who won 32 straight games in 2019. He had a unique strategy of going for the highest-priced and most difficult clues rather than working his way up a category by starting with the easiest, lowest-priced clues. In many ways, he changed the game. 

Part III — Chapters 61-82

  • 2011 — Trebek was hosting the National Geographic World Championship at Google headquarters in California when a burglar snuck into his hotel room at 2:30 a.m. and stole his bracelet. Trebek heard the intruder while in bed and started chasing her, but tore his Achilles. The person was later caught and charged with felony burglary. 
  • Knowledge — One of the philosophies that led to Trebek’s success was his willingness to learn. He was always a looking to improve his knowledge base and learn new things about the world.
    • Quote: “Curiosity has always been a very important factor in my life. About all subjects. It’s a thirst for knowledge.”
    • Quote: “The more you know and the more knowledge you acquire, the better off you are in dealing with other people. The more you develop an understanding of other people.”
    • Quote: “There’s a thrill connected to curiosity because curiosity leads to discovery, and there’s a thrill that comes with discovery.”
    • Takeaway — Always look to learn things. Commit to being a lifelong learner. Expand your knowledge. Learn new things. Education should be a priority in your life. A few ways to learn:
      • Read Books
      • Listen to Podcasts
      • Learn a Language, 
      • Watch Documentaries
      • Learn New Skills on YouTube. 
  • Adversity — Trebek basically hosted Jeopardy! until he passed away. In the final years of his life, he fought through a lot of pain from the cancer and the chemotherapy treatments, but still hosted every show.
    • Quote: “No matter how I feel before the show, when I get out there, it’s all forgotten because there’s a show to do. Work to be done.”
    • Takeaway — We all face adversity in some form. You have to do your best to prevent it from holding you back and stealing your focus. Keep pushing and fight through the challenges.