In the midst of the post-election news blitz, a different kind of story got my attention. Burt Thakur, November 5th’s Jeopardy! champion gave this emotional response when asked by Alex Trebek if there was anyone at home cheering him on: “Here’s a true story, man. . . . I learned English because of you. My grandfather, who raised me . . . I used to sit on his lap and watch you every day. So, it’s a pretty special moment for me, man. Thank you very much.” Did that ever bring a smile to my face as I thought about how that show had been a staple in our household as my kids grew up, everyone shouting out the answers. I think I hold the household worst record of right answers to the number of shouts.

Just two days later, Alex Trebek lost his battle with cancer. As I read the obituary and tributes, I noticed that the same words kept coming up over and over again — not just words, but timeless values — describing Jeopardy! and Mr. Trebek: integrity, consistency, respect, dignity, high standards, knowledge, work ethic, and even humility. “He adapted his style for a show in which the star was what was between the contestants’ ears,” James Poniewozik wrote. And, from all accounts, the show’s reach spanned from helping inmates endure prison to people finding their true loves.

“As we get further into the 21st century, and we become more aware of the relativism of truth, there is something very satisfying about Alex telling you it’s right or wrong,“ Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture as Syracuse University, said.

Well over 20 million people tune in each night, and while the average viewer clocks in at over 60, the contestants are mostly decades younger, making its appeal multi-generational. Mr. Trebek hosted over 8,000 episodes for 37 years after it’s restart in 1984, captaining every show except a 1997 April Fools’ Day episode where he traded places with Wheel of Fortune’s Pat Sajak. Jeopardy! won 35 Emmy Awards, more than any other game show, and is the only game show to win a Peabody award for “...consistently encouraging, celebrating, and rewarding knowledge . . . a model of integrity and decorum.” Mr. Trebek personally received six Emmys and a lifetime achievement award, and he worked to the end, often in terrible pain from his cancer. The obituary quoted Sam Anderson, from an earlier and touching piece as saying, “it was a dignified refusal to surrender to doom.”

So much is written (and shouted from rooftops by me) about the essential core of vision, mission, and values in building a great organization that will stand the test of time. I just love that Jeopardy! is an exemplar in the form of a game show that has been a welcome regular in our living rooms for almost four decades.

Et tu, Jeopardy!?

2020 has called on us to notice things we might not have had on our radar in the past, even with innocuous delights like Jeopardy! It’s the unnoticed little things that add up to big systemic “isms.” The Jeopardy! Hall of Fame is not a picture of diversity, and the three mega winners are white men. Slate looked into the gender angle several years ago. This doesn’t mean we need to be shamed out of enjoying it, or that those values don’t stand. It’s a call to action across so many of our cultural elements to welcome all walks in and help them thrive. Wouldn’t it be more fun to see a greater variety of brains facing off?

Thoughts are welcome