Author Topic: Trebek in car accident (Read 4989 times)

WilliamPorygon · « **on:** January 31, 2004, 05:38:19 AM »

I found this on the Jeopardy! message boards:

The Ottawa Citizen reports:

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek escaped injury when he apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his pickup truck and it drifted off a road, sideswiped a string of mailboxes and crashed into a ditch, the California Highway Patrol said.

The 63-year-old television host was driving alone on a rural road in the Central Coast town of Templeton Friday, Officer Scott Koolman said.

After sideswiping the mailboxes, Trebek's truck became airborne for about 12 metres, sailing over an embankment and landing in the ditch, Koolman said.

"The vehicle came to rest against a utility pole," the officer said.

Trebek owns and manages a horse breeding and training farm about 13 kilometres southeast of Templeton.

A message left after business hours for Jeopardy! senior producer Rocky Schmidt was not immediately returned.

The Canadian-born Trebek has been host of the popular TAB Quiz show Jeopardy! since 1984. He also hosts the annual National Geographic Bee

inturnaround · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2004, 08:20:04 AM »

Wow, he's lucky it wasn't more serious. Still, I wonder if he'll be charged with reckless driving.

At the very least, free mailboxes for everyone!

ChrisLambert! · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2004, 11:42:13 AM »

The question on everybody's mind, I'm sure, is:

Alex Trebek drives a PICK-UP TRUCK?!

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2004, 12:20:59 PM »

[quote name=\'ChrisLambert!\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 11:42 AM\'] The question on everybody's mind, I'm sure, is:

Alex Trebek drives a PICK-UP TRUCK?! [/quote]
Yes, and the gas tank is measured in litres, not gallons.

Clay Zambo · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2004, 12:39:34 PM »

Sure. And the smart money says nothing's ever been in the back. After all, how many SUVs ever go off-road?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2004, 01:18:36 PM »

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 12:39 PM\'] Sure. And the smart money says nothing's ever been in the back. After all, how many SUVs ever go off-road? [/quote]
I don't know about that, according to the CBC profile a few weeks ago, he does a lot of stuff around the house (ranch, really). If he hadn't succeeded in broadcasting, he would have become a lawn sprinkler repairman.

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2004, 03:43:49 PM »

He's 63??? I thought he was in his 50s still.

I know he talks about his "two children" on J! occasionally. How old are they now?

zachhoran · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2004, 03:54:09 PM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 03:43 PM\'] He's 63??? I thought he was in his 50s still.

I know he talks about his "two children" on J! occasionally. How old are they now? [/quote]
The kid that was born while Trebek was hosting TTTT91 is 13 or will be in the next few weeks, and his younger child(by his current wife Jean) is 10 IIRC. His stepdaughter Nicky(from his marriage in the 70s) is about about 40(as per Randy Amasia, she was babysitting contestants in the green room in the mid 80s when he was a contestant).

curtking · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2004, 03:56:39 PM »

Quote

I know he talks about his "two children" on J! occasionally. How old are they now?

Actually, I think he has three.

He's got a daughter, Nicole, who is probably in her late 30's - early 40's by now -- I believe she was working on J! in some capacity when I did the Teen Tournament back in 1986.

Oddly enough, she was signed to host demonstrations of a gameshow concept -- TV Trivia Bingo. The website has some movies of the demo:

TV Trivia Bingo

I don't know if she appears in any of the clips.

The official bio on the J! website says he has two others -- Matthew and Emily -- by his current wife, Jean. IMDB says he married her in 1989.

Here's the website for Alex's farm:

Creston Farms

Another interesting IMDB fact:

"He has framed a bounced check for $49,000, which he received from a game show he worked at in the 1970s that failed."

Wonder which one....?

Curt

zachhoran · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2004, 03:58:40 PM »

[quote name=\'curtking\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 03:56 PM\']

Quote

I know he talks about his "two children" on J! occasionally. How old are they now?

Actually, I think he has three.

He's got a daughter, Nicole, who is probably in her late 30's - early 40's by now -- I believe she was working on J! in some capacity when I did the Teen Tournament back in 1986.

Oddly enough, she was signed to host demonstrations of a gameshow concept -- TV Trivia Bingo. The website has some movies of the demo:

TV Trivia Bingo

I don't know if she appears in any of the clips.

The official bio on the J! website says he has two others -- Matthew and Emily -- by his current wife, Jean. IMDB says he married her in 1989.

Here's the website for Alex's farm:

Creston Farms

Another interesting IMDB fact:

"He has framed a bounced check for $49,000, which he received from a game show he worked at in the 1970s that failed."

Wonder which one....?

Curt [/quote]
Maybe there were problems with paying contestants and staff on the $128K Question as well as Pitfall.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2004, 04:01:23 PM »

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 03:58 PM\'] [quote name=\'curtking\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 03:56 PM\']

Quote

I know he talks about his "two children" on J! occasionally. How old are they now?

Actually, I think he has three.

He's got a daughter, Nicole, who is probably in her late 30's - early 40's by now -- I believe she was working on J! in some capacity when I did the Teen Tournament back in 1986.

Oddly enough, she was signed to host demonstrations of a gameshow concept -- TV Trivia Bingo. The website has some movies of the demo:

TV Trivia Bingo

I don't know if she appears in any of the clips.

The official bio on the J! website says he has two others -- Matthew and Emily -- by his current wife, Jean. IMDB says he married her in 1989.

Here's the website for Alex's farm:

Creston Farms

Another interesting IMDB fact:

"He has framed a bounced check for $49,000, which he received from a game show he worked at in the 1970s that failed."

Wonder which one....?

Curt [/quote]
Maybe there were problems with paying contestants and staff on the $128K Question as well as Pitfall. [/quote]
It was "Pitfall." There never were any problems for Alex on $128,000 K Q, according to the docu. on Alex.

clemon79 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2004, 04:26:53 PM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 01:43 PM\'] He's 63??? I thought he was in his 50s still.

I know he talks about his "two children" on J! occasionally. How old are they now? [/quote]
His first US show was Wizard Of Odds in 1972. For him to be even 59 today, he would have had to have been no more than 27 when he did that one, and let's not forget he'd already established himself in Canada before he came here.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2004, 08:18:44 PM »

[quote name=\'curtking\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 03:56 PM\'] Oddly enough, she was signed to host demonstrations of a gameshow concept -- TV Trivia Bingo. The website has some movies of the demo:

TV Trivia Bingo

I don't know if she appears in any of the clips.
[/quote]
Would Dish network have anything to do with this TV Bingo? I've been seeing commercials for some new TV Bingo game debuting in February, to air on one of the Dish interactive channels and I think this is the one.

Michael Brandenburg · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2004, 09:10:11 AM »

I saw the story in this morning's Cincinnati Enquirer, which brought to mind what I think today's newspaper reporters are always taught to mention when it comes to writing their stories concerning auto accidents. See if you can guess them from these Jeopardy-type clues:

1. Alex Trebek was uninjured in his accident because he was most likely wearing these -- and most state laws require you to wear them when you drive.

2. Perhaps Alex Trebek should have made his "one for the road" a cup of coffee -- but at least the police didn't find him with more than 0.08% of this in his blood.

3. They are the 19th, 21st and 22nd letters of the English alphabet -- but in this case, they do not describe what Alex Trebek was driving when he had his accident.

Michael Brandenburg
(Oh, and one more Jeopardy-type clue for you while I'm at it: They are the largest tow-trailer rental company in the United States -- but they won't rent one to you if you plan to tow it with a Ford Explorer.)

Thad Dixon · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2004, 01:26:23 PM »

[quote name=\'Michael Brandenburg\' date=\'Feb 1 2004, 09:10 AM\']I saw the story in this morning's Cincinnati Enquirer, which brought to mind what I think today's newspaper reporters are always taught to mention when it comes to writing their stories concerning auto accidents. See if you can guess them from these Jeopardy-type clues:

1. Alex Trebek was uninjured in his accident because he was most likely wearing these -- and most state laws require you to wear them when you drive.

[/quote]
What are seat belts?

Quote

2. Perhaps Alex Trebek should have made his "one for the road" a cup of coffee -- but at least the police didn't find him with more than 0.08% of this in his blood.

What is alcohol?

Quote

3. They are the 19th, 21st and 22nd letters of the English alphabet -- but in this case, they do not describe what Alex Trebek was driving when he had his accident.

What is SUV?

Quote

Michael Brandenburg
(Oh, and one more Jeopardy-type clue for you while I'm at it: They are the largest tow-trailer rental company in the United States -- but they won't rent one to you if you plan to tow it with a Ford Explorer.)

What is U-Haul?

Did I get 'em all, Michael?