‘Jeopardy!’ Host Alex Trebek Warms Fan’s Hearts With His Take on Lizzo’s ‘Truth Hurts’

While he’s pretty good with facts, Alex Trebek has never been known for his musical talent, that didn’t stop him from warming fans’ hearts with his rendition of a pop music chart-topper. As Entertainment Tonight noticed, Trebek’s a capella reading of a Lizzo tune on Friday’s Jeopardy! turned out to be the bright spot in a lot of viewers’ days. Especially given many of them are likely at home under self-isolation over coronavirus concerns.

As a contestant selects a clue in the “Lyrics of Today” category, Trebek reads the answer. However, given that the answer itself is a passage from Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts,” the longtime host simply read the words with a distinct lack of rhythm. It didn’t throw off anyone off, though. After “Who is Lizzo?” was offered as the correct question, Trebek quipped “Yep, and I did it exactly like she does, didn’t I?”

“My parents and I were watching this last night and I just about died,” replied one fan.

“The look he does to the camera at the end,” added another.

“If only he sang the part about the DNA test…,” joked a third.

It’s been just over a year since Trebek first announced he has stage IV pancreatic cancer, and on March 4 of this year, he offered a somber update on his health.

“The one-year survival rate for stage four pancreatic cancer patients is 18 percent. I’m very happy to report I have just reached that marker,” Trebek said at the time. “Now, I’d be lying if I said the journey had been an easy one. There were some good days but a lot of not-so-good days. I joked with friends that the cancer won’t kill me, the chemo treatments will.”

After talking about how the pain made him question whether it was worth fighting on, he said that would have been “a massive betrayal.”

“A betrayal of my wife and soulmate, Jean, who has given her all to help me survive. It would have been a betrayal of other cancer patients who have looked to me as an inspiration and a cheerleader of sorts, of the value of living and hope.”

Also in March, both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have temporarily suspended their productions, just days after each began taping without a live studio audience. While the practice has become increasingly common due to coronavirus, fans have been especially worried about Trebek, given his condition.