On Monday, Jeopardy! posted a short clip of new guest host Anderson Cooper calling it “an honor” to fill in for the late iconic Alex Trebek.
Jeopardy!‘s Instagram account posted a video of the game show’s newest interim host. Following Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ two-week stint as host, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper is taking over starting tonight. He’ll be the sixth guest host of Jeopardy! since Trebek sadly passed away in November.
For those that don’t know, Cooper is no stranger on the set of Jeopardy!. The Anderson Cooper 360 host has competed on the quiz show four times. Additionally, he’s left the show a champion on two of his appearances. However, he joked during the clip that he lost terribly on his other two attempts.
“To be on this stage where Alex Trebek hosted Jeopardy! with such grace and intelligence for so long is really amazing and is very humbling. I’ve be a fan of Alex and Jeopardy! since high school,” Cooper says in the clip.
“Getting to guest host these next two weeks, raise money for good causes, and pay tribute to Alex… it’s really an honor. I miss him, and I know that we all do,” Cooper added.
“Having competed on the show four times, guest host @andersoncooper is no stranger to the Jeopardy! stage,” the Instagram account posted along with the video.
‘Jeopardy!’ Guest Host Anderson Cooper Details First and Last Conversations with Alex Trebek
While filming his two-week stint as Jeopardy! guest host, Anderson Cooper opened up about legendary host Alex Trebek. He shared his memories of the first and last time the two spoke.
“I remember the first time I was on Jeopardy!. And I was so excited to meet Alex Trebek. I remember when he walked on the stage, I was like… There was just something about seeing him. And I’ve met a lot of famous people. But for some reason, he was somebody who was just such an integral part of my entire life!” Cooper recalled.
After appearing on Celebrity Jeopardy! multiple times, Cooper and Trebek became friends. As he reveals his final conversation with Trebek, his demeanor shifts. It’s evident that Cooper truly misses the iconic host.
“I got a call from him, probably about a month or two before he died,” Cooper continued. “And… he was asking me about some other stuff, but I used it as an opportunity just to say to him how much I appreciated him and how much, you know… All what he had brought to my life and to the life of so many people… So I was really glad I got the chance to do that.”
“I miss him, as does everybody,” Cooper said earnestly. “Whoever leads the show forward, they’re certainly big shoes to fill. And I know whoever becomes the host of the show, they’re gonna carry on Alex’s legacy.”
