Ken Jennings kicked off his first episode as the guest host of “Jeopardy!” on Monday night by honoring the game show’s late host, Alex Trebek.
Jennings spoke about Trebek’s significance to him and “Jeopardy!” fans, and even got a little teary-eyed.
Jennings said, “You know, sharing this stage with Alex Trebek was one of the greatest honors of my life. Not many things in life are perfect, but Alex did this job pretty much perfectly for more than 36 years, and it was even better up close. We were dazzled by his intelligence, his charm, his grace – really, there’s no other word for it.”
As the first guest host since Trebek’s death, Jennings acknowledged that no one can do the job better than Trebek, but suggested that continuing to play the game is a way to honor him.
“Like all ‘Jeopardy!’ fans, I miss Alex very much, and I thank him for everything he did for all of us. Let’s be totally clear: no one will ever replace the great Alex Trebek. But we can honor him by playing the game he loved.”
Trebek’s final episode as host aired on Jan. 8. The legendary host died on Nov. 8 at the age of 80.
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