Clue: A cultural icon loved by all.
Answer: Who is Alex Trebek?
TMZ reported Wednesday that Trebek, who has hosted the game show "Jeopardy!" since its revival in 1984, has stage 4 cancer of the pancreas. The outlet reported he intends to finish out the present season of the TV show and to begin chemotherapy.
Trebek posted a message on the show's Twitter page Wednesday afternoon, saying, "Normally the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I'm going to fight this. And I'm going to keep working, and with the love and support of my family and friends — and with the help of your prayers, also — I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease."
"Truth told, I have to!" Trebek said, "because under the terms of my contract, I have to host ‘Jeopardy!' for three more years!"
Trebek's nightly game show, syndicated on NBC, has become an American cultural icon, as has Trebek's deep voice and even his mustache. Folks from all faiths and persuasions came together on Twitter Wednesday after hearing about the news to express their support and their love for the Canadian-American TV figure, who on "Jeopardy!" must always pose his questions answer-first.
Ken Jennings, a 74-time champion of the cash-awarding trivia game show who was once its highest-ever monetary winner, talked about that cultural importance that the 78-year-old Trebek has, saying his "authoritative, reassuring" voice made him "in a way" the last Walter Cronkite, an iconic 20th century American newsman who was hailed in polls for decades as "the most trusted man in America."
Folks expressed their willingness to pray for Trebek:
Even if they aren't religious:
Others offered up their own organs to the host:
One person even said that Trebek is simply "not allowed to die."