# Is Alex Trebek actually that smart? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111 "2014-11-19T22:44:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/1 "2014-11-19T22:44:52Z")
Or is he just a pretentious douche who pretends to be a genius because he already has all the answers? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/2 "2014-11-19T22:57:16Z")
…he’s reading from cards. Exactly what pretending do you think he’s doing? ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/3 "2014-11-19T22:59:59Z")
Yeah, not sure how “doing his job” = “being a douche.” If anything, he’s made jokes about how, without those cards, he wouldn’t know anything. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/4 "2014-11-19T23:05:00Z")
I’ve heard him mispronounce things. Diatom comes to mind. BTW, did anyone else catch the the 3-word rhyming category error a couple days ago? Moles are NOT rodents!! ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/5 "2014-11-19T23:05:04Z")
Sometimes his demeanor when responding to contestants, particularly when they answer incorrectly, has a tone of superiority as though he would have known the answer and that it was obvious. There’s a smugness about it. Or I’m just not “reading the cards” correctly, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/6 "2014-11-19T23:10:41Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Sometimes his demeanor when responding to contestants, particularly when they answer incorrectly, has a tone of superiority as though he would have known the answer and that it was obvious. > > There’s a smugness about it. Or I’m just not “reading the cards” correctly, as it were. When contestant hazards a particularly wrong answer, he has this “Oh, no” stock response. Like, wow, you are so wrong. I’m sure PSXer can dig up a cite. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/7 "2014-11-19T23:20:40Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Sometimes his demeanor when responding to contestants, particularly when they answer incorrectly, has a tone of superiority as though he would have known the answer and that it was obvious. > > There’s a smugness about it. Or I’m just not “reading the cards” correctly, as it were. While I don’t think he is as obnoxious as the internet seems to think, this is the behavior that bugs me. He acts like it’s _obvious_ what he correct answer is. Like he and everyone else knows the answer except you, the complete idiot contestant. That, and when he laughed about the goat that ate the concrete.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/8 "2014-11-19T23:45:57Z")
Here, I dug up a classic “Oh, no.” I swear he does this at least once a week. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tK8Qjo7HCIk/hqdefault.jpg "Guy misses easiest NHL question ever") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK8Qjo7HCIk) ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/9 "2014-11-19T23:58:18Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Sometimes his demeanor when responding to contestants, particularly when they answer incorrectly, has a tone of superiority as though he would have known the answer and that it was obvious. > > There’s a smugness about it. Or I’m just not “reading the cards” correctly, as it were. But you’re watching the show, right? What Is: His Demeanor = Doing His Job. 😃 I’ll take “Pissed Off About Entertainment TV” for $200 Alec… ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/10 "2014-11-20T01:03:03Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I’ve heard him mispronounce things. Diatom comes to mind. BTW, did anyone else catch the the 3-word rhyming category error a couple days ago? Moles are NOT rodents!! Moles? Of course they’re rodents! According to Wikipedia, … umm, hmm. OK, ignorance fought. Anyway, he may occasionally mispronounce things, and he undeniably comes off sometimes as a smug bastard, but my general impression of him is that he actually is smart … more so than other game show hosts. On the other hand, I didn’t even know the truth about moles, so what do I know? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/11 "2014-11-20T01:05:51Z")
Didn’t he do a charity gameshow thing at one point, and came-off pretty well? I have a distinct memory of it, but Google doesn’t come up with anything. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/12 "2014-11-20T01:12:44Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I’ve heard him mispronounce things. Diatom comes to mind. He always pronounces Cape Verde as Cape Vair-Day. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/13 "2014-11-20T01:32:59Z")
I recall reading an interview with him years ago, he said on his show he knew about 60% of the answers on Jeopardy. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/14 "2014-11-20T01:44:26Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Here, I dug up a classic “Oh, no.” I swear he does this at least once a week. > > [https://youtube.com/watch?v=tK8Qjo7HCIk](https://youtube.com/watch?v=tK8Qjo7HCIk) Maybe it’s because I’m Canadian, but that guy deserved a whole lot more condescension than that. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/15 "2014-11-20T01:45:52Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Sometimes his demeanor when responding to contestants, particularly when they answer incorrectly, has a tone of superiority as though he would have known the answer and that it was obvious. > > There’s a smugness about it. Or I’m just not “reading the cards” correctly, as it were. He’s standing in for all of the folks at home who are sure that of course _they_ know better. Assuming he’s being smug, of course. It’s been a long, long time since I watched, but I don’t remember any significant smugness. He always seemed kind of commisserating to me. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/16 "2014-11-20T01:48:28Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Moles? Of course they’re rodents! According to Wikipedia, … umm, hmm. OK, ignorance fought. I love the [opening line](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_%28animal%29): _Moles are small cylindrical mammals_ They are… quite cylindrical, but of all the adjectives one could use to describe an animal that wouldn’t be my first one. Now I’m imagining: _Cow (mathematics) A cow, defined mathematically, is a large spherical mammal that…_ As far as the OP goes: pretentiousness is the whole shtick. The finely calibrated snark is hardly that different from what we expect here on the SDMB, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/17 "2014-11-20T01:57:28Z")
I’ve never understood why people dislike him. Considering the type of show \*Jeopardy! \*is, he seems to be just right. And regarding his mispronunciations, they’re few and far between, considering the things he pronounces correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/18 "2014-11-20T02:05:06Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Here, I dug up a classic “Oh, no.” I swear he does this at least once a week. > > [https://youtube.com/watch?v=tK8Qjo7HCIk](https://youtube.com/watch?v=tK8Qjo7HCIk) > [@Gorsnak](#): > > Maybe it’s because I’m Canadian, but that guy deserved a whole lot more condescension than that. Maybe it’s because I’ve been happily breathing oxygen for the last few decades, but holy shit that answer was embarrassingly terrible. It’s like answering a golf question with Roger Federer. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/19 "2014-11-20T02:05:26Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Maybe it’s because I’m Canadian, but that guy deserved a whole lot more condescension than that. You don’t have to be Canadian to feel that way. (How the hell does someone that stupid make it on the show?) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111/20 "2014-11-20T02:12:26Z")
Missed the edit window, but: Trebek probably wasn’t exceptionally informed when he took over Jeopardy, but holy shit, after 30 years of hosting a trivia show don’t you think he’s picked up a bit of knowledge? Isn’t this how EVERY profession works? I’m pretty sure emergency room doctors, after 30 years experience, know a thing or two they didn’t at the start of their careers? I’m sure Trebek at this point is an extremely informed individual. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-alex-trebek-actually-that-smart/705111.md?page=2)