When Alex Trebek lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on November 8th, 2020 robbed us of yet another treasure. It isn’t an exaggeration to say Trebek was easily one of the most respected and likeable personalities in Western entertainment. The tributes that poured in from his Hollywood brethren was dimmed only by the tsunami of public support and grief. He will be sorely missed by entire generations.
But the grim truth is the show must go on, which begs the question, how do you replace an icon? And who could possibly step into the titanic shoes Trebek left behind. Turns out some Jeopardy fans came up with the perfect answer to both questions.
Jeopardy has always been a license to print money. When Merv Griffin revived it in 1984, Trebek was there from day one and he helmed the game show for the next 37 years. He even taped his final 35 shows before succumbing to his cancer. So while it is virtually impossible for us to imagine anyone other than Trebek hosting Jeopardy, you know the powers behind the show will do everything in their power to keep the gravy train rolling.Â
Cancellation, as sentimentally justified as it may be, isn’t on the table. So they might as well get the choice right and some of Jeopardy’s fans have already chosen the perfect candidate.
In the days following Trebek’s tragic loss, fans immediately began circulating a petition demanding Sony hire Levar Burton as his replacement. Best known as Lt. Commander Georgi Laforge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Burton was also both host and executive producer of PBS’s The Reading Rainbow for 23 years, building a loyal fan following and embedding the educational show in the hearts of millions of kids. Kids who are now in various stages of adulthood (more on that later). This idea didn’t originate in a vacuum; Burton has expressed genuine interest in the job for the past few years, particularly when everyone assumed that Trebek would retire.
Burton isn’t the only name in the mix and the person many people feel will land the gig is former Jeopardy super champion Ken Jennings (who has been a producer on the show for the last few years and was Trebek’s choice as a replacement). But Burton has two big things going for him.
The first is his experience. Burton worked both sides of the camera during his twenty plus years with Reading Rainbow, turning a low-budget public access show on reading (hardly the sexiest subject for its target audience) into a cultural powerhouse that persisted over two decades. No small feat, especially in North America.
The second is his profile. Burton occupies a unique place in North American pop culture. He is a fixture in Star Trek mythos and his place in that particular pantheon will be raised when he reprises his role in the second season of Star Trek: Picard. He has also directed episodes of other Trek shows as well, meaning he has plenty of branches in Trek’s growing family tree. More than a few Trekker eyeballs would be drawn to Jeopardy, eyeballs who could become loyal fans.
And don’t forget, Burton was a big part of a lot of childhoods. Most of those kids are all grown up now and making their own viewing and spending decisions. They could also become regular Jeopardy watchers, if for no other reason than to be re-united with one of their favourite childhood idols.
Burton is no slouch in the IQ department either. You’d have to have plenty of brains to have the career he’s had. He has appeared on a number of celebrity editions of game shows and even won his appearance on a 1995 episode of Celebrity Jeopardy. So while he may not be quite as smart as Jennings (and honestly, who is?), he can more than hold his own in Jeopardy’s cerebral world.
Make no mistake, Ken Jennings definitely has the mental muscles for the job and has been getting his feet wet as a consulting producer for the last few years. But he has no experience in front of a camera outside of being a contestant. And if he did get the job, would both he and the show just emulate what it was under Trebek? Would it try to replicate the old formula with Jennings as host instead of Alex, who was a huge reason for the show’s success? Because if that turns out to be the case, Jeopardy could wind up limping along for a season or three before declining interest and ratings forced its cancelation.
But Burton possesses the savvy necessary to transform the show into something just different enough that it was still recognizable, that it was still the same product that people have known and loved for the past 37 years, but something that wasn’t Trebek’s Something that didn’t try to just copy Trebek’s signature charisma and presence. Something with an identity all its own.
It’s similar to when Trevor Noah, a virtual nobody in North America, took over The Daily Show. During his 21 years as host, John Stewart transformed The Daily Show into a political and cultural force to be reckoned with. When he retired in the summer of 2014, no one thought he could replaced (especially by someone nobody had heard of this side of the ocean).
But Trevor Noah didn’t try to replace Stewart. Instead he slowly forged his own identity as the show’s host, making it something different but with him in the big chair. And while no one could ever forget John Stewart, The Daily Show definitely belongs to Trevor Noah now.
Burton would do the same with Jeopardy. Instead if trying to be Alex Trebek 2.0, he’d transform the Jeopardy into his own version while respecting the show’s history and Trebek’s considerable and insurmountable legacy.
(Burton’s new clout as Jeopardy host may also finally give him the opportunity to relaunch Reading Rainbow as well, something he’s been trying to do the past few years).Â
No one can replace Alex Trebek and Burton would be smart enough to not even try. And he may bring some fresh eyeballs to the show simply by virtue of who he is and what he’s done.
But one thing is certain. When Trebek’s final episode airs on Christmas Day, an ocean of tears will fall as millions of fans say one final farewell. New shows with a new host would be well to hold off until next September. Give people some distance and time to grieve the loss of a cherished fixture in their lives. Air a few tribute shows in the meantime and use those to introduce a respectful new host. Give Trebek’s memory some space to stretch its legs while easing the public into a new stage of the show’s history. Ripping this particular band-aid off after putting it on so soon is a recipe for failure, no matter who the new host is.
But that new host should be Levar Burton. He has the brains, the vision and the name to carry it forward while respecting it’s past. And that would be the tribute Alex Trebek’s memory truly deserves.
Image www.today.com
