For decades, Alex Trebek became more than just a game show host; he’s a staple of American television. His face and mannerisms are known around the world as ideal for aspiring game show hosts to have. He became the very face of the iconic game show known as Jeopardy. Since he first started hosting the show, countless programs have referenced his role as host in making Jeopardy as popular as it is. Though he's been on the air for decades and is beloved by millions, there are many fascinating Alex Trebek facts his fans don't know. When the world found out that Trebek was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, everyone began to worry about the future of Jeopardy. Pancreatic cancer is known for having low survival rates, but Trebek remains strong enough to continue treatment. Truth be told, Alex Trebek’s legacy is one that is just as strong as he is. If you don’t believe it, you might want to learn these fascinating facts about everyone’s favorite game show host. If your friends love Alex Trebek as much as you, be sure to SHARE with them these stories of Trebek's life!

Alex Trebek has been hosting the game show Jeopardy for the past 36 years. In all that time, nobody made him feel the way this one contestant did with a single answer. But why would a contestant do that to him? To fully understand, we first have to look back on the iconic career of the man himself.

Though it’s hard to imagine, Alex Trebek wasn’t always a game show host. Prior to getting his start in the game show world, Trebek worked as a news host and journalist. It didn’t take too long for Canada’s studios to notice his magnetic personality and foist him into the game show world. He got his big break into game show hosting in 1963, with a show called Music Hop. Fans loved him for his good looks and incredible charm. From there, the rest is history.

Few game show hosts will ever have as much staying power as Bob Barker. For years, The Price Is Right host gained a reputation for being a part of American television. In fact, he even broke the record for the number of shows hosted in his career. The only person to ever overcome Bob Barker is Alex Trebek himself. In 2014, the Emmy Award-winner broke Barker’s world record for hosting shows, proving that he has massive staying power.

Everyone recognized Alex Trebek by name and by face, but you might be surprised to find out that it’s not technically his real name. “Alex” is actually his middle name! His full birth name is Giorgi-Suka Alex Trebek, or more plainly, George Alex Trebek. Changing your name for celebrity purposes isn’t that uncommon. Trebek chose to use his middle name when he started to get into journalism, possibly because it’s easier to remember and more marketable.

Among actors and models, it’s fairly rare to hear of people who actually will take time to review their own work once it’s been produced. Believe it or not, Alex Trebek is one of the very few Hollywood legends who regularly watches his own show. This doesn’t seem to be an “ego” thing for the game show host. Rather, it’s actually because he genuinely enjoys the competition and likes to learn the trivia his contestants have to answer!

Most people are aware that Alex Trebek isn’t American, but Canadian. What most people don’t realize is that he is very heavily influenced by his Canadian upbringing. His parents raised him in a completely bilingual home, which made him totally fluent in both English and French. This isn’t actually too uncommon in Quebec, but Trebek wasn’t raised there. He was raised in Ontario by his Ukrainian father and French-Canadian mother.

It’s safe to say that Alex Trebek’s work hosting Jeopardy will forever make him a part of the show’s history. But, he didn’t just lend his name, face, and show host stylings to the program. A little-known secret about the show’s creation is that Trebek had a lot to do with its design. During the show’s first three years on air, Trebek also worked as one of the show’s producers. He would have continued, but wanted to pursue hosting other shows alongside Jeopardy. Had Trebek not worked as a producer, it was likely that the show would have failed.

Being a game show host and television personality requires a certain skill set few have. Alex Trebek was a natural, and to a point, his wickedly good stage presence made him a natural for the screen. All things considered, it’s kind of surprising he never did any acting… Or did he? Trebek, being a sneaky actor, found himself in multiple cameos. One of the more well-known is his recurring role as a Man in Black on The X-Files.

Alex Trebek attended the University of Ottawa in his youth, and ever since then, the "U of O" always remained proud of their most trivia-friendly graduate. The university became so enthralled with Trebek’s post-grad success, they gave him the ultimate honor in 2015. Trebek graduated with a degree in philosophy back in 1961, and people still love to hear about his college life. The alumni hall where grads congregate during events is now named after him. Rumor has it that it’s one of the most popular buildings on campus.

Like most Hollywood bigwigs, Alex Trebek isn’t a one-trick pony. He has plenty of other endeavors and interests that exist outside of his life on Jeopardy. One of his off-show interests is fine wine. He’s not just interested in consuming it, either. He’s a huge fan of making it. You might have even tried Trebek’s wine without knowing it. If you ever tried a bottle of Creston between 1986 and 2002, you have Trebek to thank for that tasty flavor. Later on, a deadly plant virus wiped out Creston’s vineyards, which made Trebek’s wine times come to a close. Even so, 20 years as a vintner isn’t bad.

To a point, one could argue that Alex Trebek’s famed time on Jeopardy was fated to him. The way he got his most famous gig was actually by a stroke of luck. Wheel of Fortune host Chuck Woollery fell ill one day and needed a stand-in. Trebek volunteered, and the show went swimmingly. What he didn’t know was that producers were watching that particular episode when it aired. They were so impressed, they asked him to become a host of a new game show concept they wanted to make: Jeopardy.

Because of his fame in the United States, Alex Trebek was given a unique honor that would make others turn green with envy. In 1996, he was given the honor to carry the Olympic torch through a portion of its course. He ran with the torch in Jacksonville, Florida, as it made its way to Atlanta. The Olympic torch travels through almost three dozen different countries until it makes its way to its “home” during the competition.

If you are starting to get the feeling that Alex Trebek has a sporty side, you’re absolutely correct. One of his other major interests is racing horses. In fact, he doesn’t just avidly watch races; he bred racehorses as a hobby. His favorite colt, Reba’s Gold, is a foal of award-winner Slew O’Gold. In 2008, he decided to sell his racehorse operation, but he still is a major fan of everything that has to do with racing.

Alex Trebek’s record for his long run on Jeopardy isn’t the only record he holds. The other record he successfully shattered has to do with his paycheck. He currently holds the title of being the most well-paid game show host in history. How much is he paid, you ask? According to sources, studios pay Alex Trebek $10 million per season these days. That’s not a bad payday, no matter how young or old you are!

Alex Trebek is pretty athletic for a man of his age, and one burglar found that out the hard way in 2011. After a burglar broke into his hotel room to loot his items, Trebek pursued the thief down the hotel’s hallways. He kept running until he tore his Achilles’ Heel during the chase. The thief was caught, and Trebek’s items were returned to him. We imagine that wild experience definitely taught the thief a lesson!

With the luxurious and glamorous life that Alex Trebek lives, it’s kind of hard to imagine what other career a man like him would have chosen. Believe it or not, there was a period in his life where he almost chose a far more spartan career. Crazy as it is to think, Trebek once was on track to become a priest. After spending a whole summer in a Trappist monastery, he decided to change his mind. Hollywood is forever thankful for that.

Though Jeopardy is definitely Alex Trebek’s main claim to fame, it’s not the only long-term game show host gig he’s had. His second, more obscure gig was being moderator of the National Geographic Bee. For 25 years, he was the man who greeted young kids who wanted to wow the world with their knowledge of faraway lands. Kids must have gotten such a kick out of him.

Remember when we mentioned that Alex Trebek had a lot of cameos on television? Some are pretty obvious ones you can spot on Orange Is The New Black and The X-Files, but some are a lot more obscure. That’s because these cameos all were done in cartoon form. In various points throughout his career, Trebek’s voice was lent to a pretty large array of shows, including The Simpsons, Arthur, and even The Magic School Bus. (Bet you didn’t see that last one coming, did you?)

In 1999, Jeopardy broke ground by having its first blind contestant. His name was Eddie Timanus, and Alex Trebek made a point of giving Timanus the right accommodations to give him a fair shot at winning. Timanus ended up being one of the most popular guests on the show, not to mention a five-time winner. The American Foundation for the Blind made a point to thank and praise Trebek for the help he offered Timanus.

With all the money that Alex Trebek earns, one would hope that some of it would go to a good cause. Thankfully, the game show host didn’t let us down with this one. He’s a well-known philanthropist who has donated over $2 million in property to the Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy. He also is the head of the Trebek Foundation, which works to promote a wide range of different socially responsible causes including funding educational programs, funding World Vision, and promoting a better environment.

Though Alex Trebek is an absolutely amazing game show host, those skills don’t always translate into other realms. When the state of Pennsylvania asked Trebek to moderate a political debate, he ended up bucking the traditional format of the debate in favor of a more casual conversation. This gaffe offended locals and political figures alike and placed Trebek in hot water. He ended up having to issue out a formal apology to the people of the state.

When it comes to wine, racehorses, and charitable giving, Alex Trebek clearly enjoys the finer things in life. Food, on the other hand? Not so much. Fordham magazine held an interview with his son, Matt Trebek. Matt Trebek’s claim to fame is being a co-owner of Harlem’s ultra trendy Oso. The journalist doing the interview assumed Alex Trebek was a fellow foodie, but was quickly corrected. According to Matt Trebek, his father would be “fine eating chicken, white rice, and broccoli the rest of his life.”

Everyone knows Alex Trebek to be a major fan of suits. After all, he wears them on every show and seems to have plenty of them. The game show host claims he has “a hundred suits” in his closet, each with their own accessories. Part of the high suit count has to do with the way Jeopardy is taped. The studio tapes a week’s worth of shows in a single day. To make it seem like a daily affair, Trebek has to change into a different suit before each show.

Everyone loves to see a little friendly rivalry, and that’s especially true when you’re talking about two major television personalities. At one point, Late Show host Stephen Colbert decided to challenge Alex Trebek to a trivia match after noticing a change in the game show host’s facial hair. The challenge came after Colbert wanted Trebek to shave his beard, claiming that Trebek was “copying” his look. The loser would have to shave their beard off. Joke’s on him….Both Colbert and Trebek ended up going beardless not too long after!

Thanks to his career success, tons of major television shows have involved impersonations of Alex Trebek’s hosting role on Jeopardy. It’s been joked about on Saturday Night Live, poked fun of by major comedians like Will Ferrell, and even been the topic of standup comedy jokes. Some of those impressions have been watched by Trebek himself, and he sometimes adds his own two cents to the portrayal. Word has it that he’s a bigger fan of Eugene Levy’s impression than he is of Will Ferrell’s.

If you were a wealthy celebrity, what would you eat for breakfast? Crab omelette? Lobster salad? In a shocking interview, Alex Trebek revealed that his typical breakfast could be found at a local gas station. The meal he choses to kick off his day is one that’s simple, cheap, and totally devoid of nutrition. He explained, “My breakfast of champions for years was a Snickers and a Diet Pepsi, and this past year I ran into a nutritionist who said, ‘Oh, Alex that’s terrible! You’ve got to be eating better than that at the start of the day.’ So I changed. I stopped eating Snickers and Diet Pepsi and I replaced them with Milky Ways and Diet Cokes, so you’re not going to catch me eating properly in the mornings.”

Following Trebek's sorrow announcement revealing his cancer diagnosis, a fan and contestant rose to the occasion stealing America's hearts and a few thankful tears from the host himself. The contestant, Dhruv Gaur, wrote, "We (heart) you Alex!" instead of a Final Jeopardy answer. The sweet gesture caught Alex off guard and had us all welling up.