This man set a record for hosting 'Jeopardy!' Who is ... Alex Trebek? - Los Angeles Times
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This man set a record for hosting ‘Jeopardy!’ Who is ... Alex Trebek?

Alex Trebek has served as the host of the "Jeopardy" quiz show since 1984.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
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If you host a game show long enough, eventually you will become a trivia question. That’s what has happened to “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek, who set the Guinness World Record for “most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter (one show)” on Friday.

As of Friday, Trebek has hosted 6,829 episodes of the game show, which has been on the air in its current form since 1984. The show is in its 30th season and will begin its 31st season in September.

“It’s an honor to hold the Guinness World Record for hosting ‘Jeopardy!,’ which I’ve often said is the best of reality TV,” Trebek said in a statement.

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Trebek is “Jeopardy’s” second host. The original incarnation ran from 1964 to 1979 and was hosted by Art Fleming. When it relaunched in the ‘80s, Trebek was the host.

The 73-year-old Trebek’s current contract runs until 2016, but last year the host said that reports of his imminent retirement were unfounded.

“Everybody’s speculating on my retirement, and I don’t know why,” Trebek said. “It’s silly. Somebody asked me if I’ve given any thoughts to retiring. Well, yes, I’ve given thoughts to retiring.... Everybody assumes from my having said that, that he’s retiring. Well, no. I’ve been thinking about it. So allow me to think about it.”

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However, when the time does come, Trebek said it would happen without a lot of buildup.

“There won’t be any fanfare,” he said. “It’ll be like the time I shaved my mustache on a whim. I’ll just ask the director to leave me 20 or 30 seconds at the end of the program to say a few words and I’ll say a few words and thank people and be on my way.”

With every episode he hosts from here on out, he makes the record that much harder to beat. When it comes to the hosting game, Trebek is operating on a Ken Jennings level.

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