What is “perseverance”? A word that can describe the beloved “danger!” host Alex Trebek and James Gilligan, a contestant on the latest episode of Trebek.
Gilligan is an assistant professor of English language and literature at San Francisco State University who has tried for 30 years to become a contestant on the iconic program.
“I’ve been trying since I was a sophomore in college,” Gilligan said in a Friday night interview on “The News with Shepard Smith.”
The latest episode of Trebek airs Friday night. He hosted the show for 37 seasons beginning in 1984. He was about to end his nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer when Gilligan recorded the episode. Gilligan praised Trebek’s tenacity.
“It was pretty obvious he had missed a step, but, you know, once the cameras started shooting, he was the consummate professional,” Gilligan said. “This guy was an industry titan and never gave anything below 100%. It was remarkable to see a level of performance he was able to achieve despite the battle he was fighting.”
Trebek died on November 8, 2020 at the age of 80. A new permanent host of “Jeopardy!” has not yet been appointed.
“Alex always insisted that he wasn’t the star of the show, that it was the game itself and the contestants that were the real attraction and the draw,” Gilligan said. “I think whoever is going to host it has to have the same attitude.”