What is “persistence”? One word that beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek and James Gilligan, a contestant on the last episode of Trebek.
Gilligan is an assistant professor of English Language and Literature at San Francisco State University who has been trying to become a contestant on the iconic show for 30 years.
“I’ve been trying since I was a sophomore,” Gilligan said during a Friday night interview on The News with Shepard Smith.
Trebek’s last episode will be broadcast on Friday evenings. He hosted the show for 37 seasons from 1984. He was nearing the end of his nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer when Gilligan recorded the episode. Gilligan praised Trebek’s tenacity.
“It was pretty obvious he’d lost a step, but you know, once the cameras started rolling, he was the consummate professional,” said Gilligan. “This man was a titan of the industry and he never gave less than 100%. It was just remarkable to see a level of performance he could achieve despite the battle he fought.”
Trebek died on November 8, 2020 at the age of 80. A new permanent host for “Jeopardy!” has not yet been appointed.
“Alex always insisted that he wasn’t the star of the show, but that it was the competition itself, and the contestants that were the real attraction and draw,” said Gilligan. “I think whoever will host after him should have the same attitude.”