A government agency — the Post Office, no less — is responsive to customers. Who knew?

Three and a half years ago, I sent a letter to the obscure government body known as the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee suggesting a new postage stamp. I received a polite acknowledgment a few weeks later and thought little of it until a few weeks ago when I discovered this:

After going through its internal processes, the Postal Service adopted my suggestion, and the Alex Trebek stamp will get its release Monday.

Unveiling Ceremony

The ceremony commemorating the first day-of-issue Monday afternoon promises to be a touching event. Held on the Sony Pictures Studio lot on what would have been his 84th birthday, the event will feature Trebek’s widow, Jean, and current “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings making remarks.

Trebek died during the middle of the Covid pandemic in November 2020, a time when holding large memorial services and traveling long distances remained difficult. Given the inability of many mourners to gather at the time of his death, it would not surprise me if a fair number of “Jeopardy!” champions, to say nothing of former cast members and colleagues, gather in Los Angeles for a celebration and remembrance.

I, like many, still miss Trebek’s daily presence in our lives via the show he nurtured for decades. But it gives me great joy to have played some small role in bringing about the commemorative stamp and the ceremony that will honor him next week.

Excerpts of my letter to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee illustrate that Trebek himself proved an indirect inspiration for this honor, via a stamp-related “Jeopardy!” category on one of the last episodes he hosted: 

I wish to submit my suggestion for a postage stamp honoring the late Alex Trebek and “Jeopardy!” As a former contestant and longtime viewer of the popular quiz show, I believe Trebek and “Jeopardy!” have made a positive impact on the lives of many Americans, and on American culture in general.

As host of several game shows, including over 36 years at “Jeopardy!,” Alex Trebek consistently demonstrated a professionalism, good humor, and grace that made him recognizable to millions of Americans. Holder of the Guinness World Record for most episodes hosted of the same game show — a record he has held since 2014 — Trebek won seven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host and a Lifetime Achievement Emmy, while acting as himself in guest roles on dozens of other television programs and movies. Born in Canada, Trebek became a naturalized citizen in 1998, by which time he had already become an icon of American television.

The strength of Alex Trebek’s humanitarian work stands alongside his impressive professional accomplishments. He traveled frequently to visit troops on behalf of the USO, and donated generously to his alma mater, the University of Ottawa, and other causes. Upon learning in March 2019 of the pancreatic cancer that would ultimately claim his life, Trebek devoted himself to educating others about the symptoms of the disease, and raising awareness of and funds for pancreatic cancer research, succeeding on both counts. Although I recognize the separate criteria for semi-postal stamps, a postage stamp honoring Trebek could help raise additional awareness surrounding pancreatic cancer.

A postage stamp would also recognize the positive role that “Jeopardy!” has played in American popular culture. Educators across the country have adapted its famous answer-and-question format to quiz their students, and the show fosters learning and discovery among viewers of all ages. A recent “Jeopardy!” champion, Burt Thakur, noted that the show taught him how to speak English as an immigrant to the United States. “Jeopardy!” has affected my own life in ways profound — my half-sister watched me on the show, and we met and developed a relationship as a result — and mundane. In fact, I’m writing this letter only because a Black Heritage Stamps category on the penultimate show Trebek hosted (which aired on Jan. 7, 2021) prompted me to think about honoring Trebek with a postal issue — demonstrating the ways in which “Jeopardy!,” and Alex Trebek, piques the intellectual curiosity of millions.

The fact that many viewers around the country, many of whom never met Trebek, echo these sentiments explains why the Postal Service approved a stamp to commemorate this extraordinary American.