Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 23, 1994                   TAG: 9411230093
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GAIL SHISTER KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`JEOPARDY!' HOST SAYS HE WOULDN'T BE A GOOD CONTESTANT

Question: When will Alex Trebek be a contestant on ``Jeopardy!''?

``I wouldn't do particularly well,'' says Trebek, 54, host of the hugely popular syndicated game show that airs at 7:30 p.m. on WDBJ-Channel 7.

``My reflexes have slowed down,'' says Trebek, who's logged more than 2,500 episodes over 11 seasons. ``A good 30 year-old will always beat a good 50 year-old. I'm no fool. I recognize my limitations.''

Maybe with quiz shows. Not with fatherhood.

Trebek broke into that game less than four years ago when his wife, Jean, now 30, gave birth to son Matty 10 months after they were married. The couple also has a 15-month-old daughter, Emily. Both arrivals were pleasant surprises, he says.

At his age, Trebek keeps up with his babies ``by drinking a lot,'' he says with a chuckle. ``I've learned to live with interrupted sleep patterns. Emily's teething. I call her Miss Slobberette. Matty wakes me up during the night to help him find his Power Ranger stickers.''

Trebek, whose previous marriage ended after seven years in 1980, says he wasn't intimidated by the prospect of late fatherhood, because he was so crazy about Jean.

The lovebirds met through a mutual friend. At first, Trebek thought the 20-something florist was too young for him. She wasn't particularly smitten, either. Now, he says, ``we're kindred souls. We're very lucky. Obviously, we were together in a previous life.''

``Jeopardy!,'' the No. 2-rated series in syndication behind only ``Wheel of Fortune,'' hits about 20 cities a year in search of contestants. Trebek tags along eight to 10 times. In each city, ``Jeopardy!'' wannabes are given a 50-question written test in such areas as history, science and current events.

A score of at least 35 is needed to advance to the next round of auditions. In every city except one, about 10 percent pass, Trebek says. The exception is Washington, with a 20 percent success rate.

``There are bright people everywhere you go, but a lot of bright people gravitate to Washington because there are important jobs there, whether in government or in trying to influence the government. We want bright people there. It tells me we're OK as a country.'' (We're OK, you're OK, Alex.)

Trebek ``has no idea'' how President Clinton would do on ``Jeopardy!'' No elected official has ever been a contestant, and the idea holds no intrigue for him. ``There's nothing special about elected officials. There are bright people in all walks of life.''

Including the military. Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf won $28,000 last week in the ``Jeopardy!'' celebrity tournament. Trebek wasn't surprised.

As a member of the USO's board of governors, ``I've been exposed to a lot of military personnel. You do not get to be a four-star general in any of our armed services by accident. These guys are extremely sharp, on top of their stuff. They're students of history, past and present.''

\ ``Entertainment Tonight'' co-host John ``Music Man'' Tesh will hit the road for most of next month. But not for ``ET.''

Accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra, Tesh will start a 12-city U.S. tour to promote his new album, ``A Family Christmas'' (GTS). (Tesh and his wife, actress Connie Sellecca, had their first child, daughter Prima, on June 2.) ``ET'' correspondent Bob Goen will sit in with Mary Hart.

Tesh's recent appearance on QVC to hawk ``Family Christmas'' and last year's ``A Romantic Christmas'' was a monster hit. The segment, scheduled for two hours, ended after 22 minutes when the home-shopping network had exhausted its supply of 120,000 CDs and tapes. (That's alotta holiday cheer.)