Perhaps one of the more memorable things about Jeopardy! — aside from the long-running game show's lovable host and iconic theme music — was its role in the recurring "Celebrity Jeopardy!" spoof on Saturday Night Live.
As it turns out, the show's late host, Alex Trebek, was fully on-board with the sketches, as well as his portrayal by Will Ferrell, according to a recent tribute penned by former SNL writer Steve Higgins.
"Trebek told Lorne [Michaels] that he loved the sketch. I was always very happy about that," Higgins wrote in a guest column for Variety. "That would have been terrible, if he'd thought it was anything but love. You really can't parody something if you don't love it, or else it's just mean."
Ferrell's portrayal would situate Trebek as a frustrated host who would succumb to his short temper whenever his idiotic guests — parodies of Sean Connery, Burt Reynolds, Marlon Brando and more — would mess up category names and hurl insults across their podiums.
Trebek was a good sport about the sketches, Higgins remembered, describing him as "just so Canadian-nice."
"He was just the best — the best there was," Higgins remembered.
Alex Trebek passed away at the age of 80 on November 8 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. His final episode of Jeopardy! will air on Christmas day.
Watch Ferrell's Trebek in action in the clip below.
As it turns out, the show's late host, Alex Trebek, was fully on-board with the sketches, as well as his portrayal by Will Ferrell, according to a recent tribute penned by former SNL writer Steve Higgins.
"Trebek told Lorne [Michaels] that he loved the sketch. I was always very happy about that," Higgins wrote in a guest column for Variety. "That would have been terrible, if he'd thought it was anything but love. You really can't parody something if you don't love it, or else it's just mean."
Ferrell's portrayal would situate Trebek as a frustrated host who would succumb to his short temper whenever his idiotic guests — parodies of Sean Connery, Burt Reynolds, Marlon Brando and more — would mess up category names and hurl insults across their podiums.
Trebek was a good sport about the sketches, Higgins remembered, describing him as "just so Canadian-nice."
"He was just the best — the best there was," Higgins remembered.
Alex Trebek passed away at the age of 80 on November 8 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. His final episode of Jeopardy! will air on Christmas day.
Watch Ferrell's Trebek in action in the clip below.
