Alex Trebek talks about #MeToo, the politics and the kind of player of "Jeopardy!" Who disturbs him

It's a well-documented fact that Alex Trebek can talk for a long time about almost anything.

The situation was no different when the long-time presenter of "Jeopardy!" Spoke to Vulture writer David Marchese about an article that seemed to deal with the highly controversial retirement plans of the 78-year-old. But in reality, it was sometimes a weird interview that went well beyond a discussion about his experience as a beloved presenter of one of the oldest TV game shows on television.

The Q & A, which Vulture noted as having been edited and condensed from two conversations, was published on Monday and erratically displayed between a number of topics. Trebek commented on the #MeToo era – "This must be a scary time for men," he said, and his rival "Jeopardy!" Dreamed was once Kevin Spacey. "But now you can not say it. The presenter also touched on the policy, saying that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was wearing a secret ringtone under his shirt, and gave his opinion on how the game should be played, frowning in front of him. the competitors.

[Read the full Q&A here]

The play was starting innocently, and Trebek was joking about the fact that he knew all the answers to the "Jeopardy!" Question "Because they're written on a piece of paper in front of me." Trebek said that viewers were "always surprised" to learn that he enjoyed is repairing objects around his house and "is not a nerdy who spends his whole time looking for information that could be useful "in the series.

"But it does not bother me to surprise people that way," Trebek said.

"At least, it's a relatively benign surprise," commented Marchese.

Then Trebek proceeded to surprise many people read the interview by giving an unsolicited and generally unpopular opinion about #MeToo.

"You know, when the # MeToo movement started, I had discussions with staff at production meetings," he said. "I said, God, it's a scary moment for men."

The Canadian American continued, "I'm lucky to never have been in a position of power, which would allow me to dominate someone sexually. I said, "But there are guys there. Young guys are stupid in their teens. "There is nothing more stupid than a teenager. They work on testosterone. "

When Marchese responded that youth was not always an "acceptable excuse" and that "young men are not the only ones to be a problem," Trebek started out in an explanation of why it was so bad. a scene from the movie "Disclosure" of 1994, with Demi Moore and Michael Douglas.

"This conversation has taken a turn," said Marchese.

"You took a turn," Trebek replied.

On social networks, Trebek was almost immediately excused for echoing an opinion voiced by Trump, along with his son, Donald Trump Jr., and other conservatives. (Trebek, who claims to be independent, criticized Trump in the 2016 election).

Writer of Elle magazine, R. Eric Thomas slammed Trebek for giving "a terrible and unprovoked take of NotAllMeToos. . . in the opening lines of this interview. "

"In fact, I was screaming," tweeted Thomas.

Jenna Amatulli, HuffPost reporter described Trebek's comments shook his head and called the interview "wild."

Later in the question period, Trebek returned to #MeToo while discussing his potential successor. He assumed that the new "Jeopardy!" Animator could most likely be a woman.

"We are in the #MeToo movement, it's the year of the woman. So I guess producers could seriously consider having a female host, "he said. "She will obviously be younger. she will have to be charming, brilliant and have sense of humor. "

He joked that his recommendation would be Betty White.

More seriously, however, in an interview with TMZ in July, Trebek named Laura Coates, an analyst at CNN, and Alex Faust, presenter of Kings in Los Angeles, as potential replacements.

In another #MeToo reference, Trebek said his dream competitor "Jeopardy!" Was previously Spacey. The double winner of an Oscar and former actor of "House of Cards" quickly fell out of favor after being accused by several people of sexual misconduct last year.

"He is brilliant and there will be so many fun moments because of all his impressions," Trebek said. "But now you can not say that."

Beyond #MeToo, Trebek also discussed the current political climate, which does not have "enough humor," he said. Trebek said the president was not joking but "looting people". When asked later how Trump would do "Jeopardy! "Trebek launched," he might not agree with the correct answers are correct. "

Trebek did not meet Trump, but he already spent "almost an hour" with Trudeau – and he had a very interesting story about the meeting.

"I'm very conscious of the small nuances," says Trebek, "and I noticed at one point, after about 45 minutes, that Justin had done something like this.[[[[scratches under his shirt]and about ten seconds later, someone knocked on the door and one of his assistants came in and said, "Mr. Prime Minister, you have a meeting.

Of course, Marchese was confused, Trebek explained.

"He has a ringtone under the shirt that he can use to signal to his assistants that it's time to pick him up," he said of Trudeau.

Amatulli, the HuffPost reporter, resume the majority of people's reactions to this factoid in one word: "WHAT".

On Twitter, another user wrote, "We ruined Alex Trebek. he is haunted by ringtones. he believes that every person he meets has a ringtone that they use to deceive him. "

On Twitter, Gerald Butts, Trudeau's principal secretary, put everything back in order.

"That's not true, but it's not the worst idea I've ever heard," Butts wrote. "Also, Alex Trebek is a national treasure."

Why then did Trebek believe that Trudeau had a hidden ringtone? A Twitter user has started a theory.

"Alex Trebek has spent the bulk of his professional life around sounding beeps that he can not use and must obey," said the person. wrote. "Maybe that made him mad and he now believes that buzzers are responsible for everything that's happening in the world."

With over 30 years of experience in organizing "Jeopardy!", Trebek also spoke at length about the game show itself, namely, according to him, what it should be played for: no jump in all directions, a strategy known as "Forrest Bounce". Chuck Forrest in 1985.

"What bothers me is that competitors are jumping all over, even after double daily processing," Trebek said. "Why are they doing this? They are doing a disservice. When the writers in the series build categories, they do so in a way that creates a flow of difficulty. If you go to the bottom of the category, you will get a clue that it will be easier to understand if you had started with the high category and saw how the clues worked. "

Trebek added: "I like that there is order in the series, but as an impartial host, I accept the mess."

When asked if there was a formula for winning "Jeopardy!", Trebek replied simply, "Yeah, know the material."

And if you miss an easy question? Get ready for the tone of Trebek's famous "disappointed father". It's intentional.

"It's conscious," he says. "It's not that it's planned – it's a reaction – but I know that" you've been disappointed daddy "is a tone that I hit, it's also:" How not to get that? " is not rocket science. "

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