‘Jeopardy’: Alex Trebek Compares Champion James Holzhauer to Pancreatic Cancer Charities

Alex Trebek dropped a reference to record-breaking Jeopardy! winner James Holzhauer while speaking at a pancreatic cancer charity event.

The Jeopardy! host, who opened up about his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, spoke at an event for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at the Los Angeles Zoo Saturday morning.

“Like most of you, I gathered some inspiration from Angie’s comments a little while ago. A 22-year cancer survivor,” Trebek said, recalling a previous speech from another speaker at the event. “As you all know survivorship starts on the day you are first diagnosed so in that regard, my God I’m a 62-day survivor.”

“But I promise you this, if I became a 22-year survivor, you will all be welcomed at my 100th birthday,” Trebek said to the crowds in a clip captured by TMZ.

After getting all the cancer survivors at the event to stand on stage with him, Trebek said everyone in attendance is committed to finding a cure for cancer, comparing all involved to the famous Jeopardy James.

“All of you guys have done what Jeopardy James has done on our television show… you have exceeded expectations,” Trebek said of the organization’s fundraising efforts.

Holzhauer made headlines earlier this year after breaking the second-longest inning streak in the game show’s history. Holzhauer most recently came out on top of his 21st game in a row on Thursday night. He also broke show records, including most money won in a single regular-season game, taking home $131,127.

Trebek broke the news of his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis back in March. Despite the heartbreaking prognosis, the game show host assured fans he was doing well and said in April he would return to Jeopardy! next season in the fall.

In an interview with Good Morning America this week, he told Robin Roberts his treatment is going well.

“I’ve discovered in this whole episode, ladies and gentlemen, that I’m a bit of a wuss. But I’m fighting through it. My platelets, my blood counts are steady, my weight is steady… the cancer indicators are coming down. So I’ve got another chemo next week and then we’ll do a review to find out where things stand.”

“People all over America have been sharing their good thoughts, their advice, their prayers,” he continued. “And I feel it’s been making a difference in my well being.”

During the interview he also praised Holzhauer’s performance on the show, saying: “It’s exciting, it’s fun, I watch it every night like most of America. He has forced me to change a view that I’ve held for many years, and that is that the Ken Jennings record would never be broken. But I look at James and I say, ‘Oh my gosh, look at what he’s doing.’”