It's a cruel twist that Jeopardy! said goodbye to Alex Trebek during a hellish week in America

The Daily Beast

"At a time when 'misinformation' and scandal rule everything—the news, primetime, our collective consciousness—here was a series about facts and stability," says Kevin Fallon. "It was about certainty, and there was a comfort in that, especially in uncertain times. That might sound cutesy, but I promise you it’s been profound. Until I watched Trebek’s final episodes this week, I’m not sure it had struck me just how much so. On Monday, the start of one of the most deeply upsetting news weeks in my lifetime—the pandemic continuing to escalate its tragic death tolls and the violent insurrection at the Capitol, two of the more shameful, darkest events in this country’s history—Trebek opened with a rare address to the audience. He called for a 'gentler, kinder society,' one that he knew we could build together if 'we all just pitch in a little bit.'" Fallon says it was "striking to me that he had the divine wisdom to make it the moment he did, just before he passed, and airing when we need to hear it the most...That speech matters to me because it’s a testament to just how much Trebek knew that his legacy isn’t just as a television personality. He felt a responsibility for upholding the values of an entire world he helped build; where truth is unimpeachable, seriousness can be fun and silly, and, even in a game of intelligence, there was no such thing as elitism or ego. We were all invited into this world of comfort, of safety, of enjoyment, and, as he said in that message, of kindness. If people were going to look up to Trebek for wisdom and kindness, he was going to use the platform to make sure we care for each other."

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