July 22 marked what would have been the 84th heavenly birthday of Jeopardy! icon Alex Trebek. In honor of the occasion and in tribute to his decades-long legacy in the world of television, Trebek has been honored with his very own postage stamp by USPS.
Trebek hosted Jeopardy! for 37 seasons, from its 1984 revival and overhaul until his death in 2020. Trebek was 80 years old when he died after a strenuous battle with pancreatic cancer. For his work on the game show, Trebek has eight times over won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host. Here is how else his remarkable career is being honored.
Alex Trebek is the inspiration behind a new postage stamp released on his 84th heavenly birthday
On July 22, the United States Postal Service released a new Forever postage stamp that celebrates all things Alex Trebek. The sheet of stamps features the signature blue Jeopardy! background framing the game show’s clues. In identical font as in the show, each stamp has clues worded in the same way.
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They are divided into categories: Entertainment, Game Show HOsts, Famous Alexes, and Forever Stamps. All of them bare the same question: “This naturalized U.S. citizen hosted the quiz show Jeopardy! for 37 seasons.”
The answer can be found in font that looks similar to handwriting a contestant might use to submit their answer: Who is Alex Trebek?
Forever stamped across history
84 years ago, a legend was born. We are thrilled to celebrate the dedication of the @USPS's Forever stamp honoring Alex Trebek today 💙 pic.twitter.com/mqTBWHAb6v
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) July 22, 2024
“84 years ago, a legend was born,” the official Jeopardy! page captioned a social media post announcing the collaboration. “We are thrilled to celebrate the dedication of the @USPS‘s Forever stamp honoring Alex Trebek today.”
The stamps are now available to buy 73 cents apiece or as a sheet of 20 in the gameboard format, the latter of which costs $14.60.
His widow, Jean Trebek, feels that he would have deeply appreciated such a gesture. “His life had such a beautiful impact on so many people around the world,” she said. “And it’s just a real honor for my family and I to be here with all of you to acknowledge that. Alex would have felt overwhelmed with humility and joy to receive such a distinctive tribute.”
For all his stardom in the U.S.., Trebek was, as his new postage stamps imply, not born here. He was born in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1998.
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