The beloved game show host Alex Trebek will live on forever. The United States Postal Service (USPS) honored him with his very own "Forever stamp."
The "Jeopardy!" host departed the popular show after 37 seasons. He announced his pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2019. Trebek died on Nov. 8, 2020, just 10 days after filming his final episode.
The new honorary stamp was released in Culver City, California. The ceremony celebrated the 60th anniversary of the game show. It also marked Trebek’s 84th birthday.
"My family and I were completely surprised," said Jean Trebek, Alex's widow. "It is such an extraordinary honor and a wonderful way to recognize what Alex meant to so many people," she added at the ceremony.
"Alex would be over the moon about this distinctive honor," she continued. "I think the stamp design is very creative because Alex Trebek is the answer to all the clues."
The stamps pay tribute to the show’s classic "answer-and-question format." They feature the recognizable font and coloring of the game.
The answer on the stamp states a fact about Trebek's time on the show. "This naturalized U.S. citizen hosted the quiz show 'Jeopardy!' for 37 seasons," the stamp reads.
Underneath the blue and white homage is the correct question: "Who is Alex Trebek?"
The sheet of 20 stamps has four categories listed at the top. They resemble the game play screens from "Jeopardy!" The categories are: Entertainment, Game Show Hosts, Famous Alexes, and "Forever Stamps."
"It's so appropriate that the stamp illustration commemorates Alex with a 'Jeopardy!' clue," said Ken Jennings, Trebek’s successor as host. "He loved the game so much."
"Alex Trebek was an American institution," Jennings continued. "It makes perfect sense to honor him on a postage stamp. And of course, I had to geek out when I saw that the full sheet of stamps looks like a 'Jeopardy!' game board."
Trebek first started hosting Jeopardy in 1984. He continued until 2020. His last episode had a record 14 million viewers. It aired three months after his death.
"Millions of Americans invited Alex Trebek into their living rooms each weeknight," said Michael Elston, secretary of the USPS Board of Governors. "He made it cool to be smart."