There’s nothing more satisfying to me than watching an episode of Jeopardy! and clearing the board with what I tell myself is an impressive knowledge of miscellany. (And none of that Celebrity Jeopardy stuff. Real, honest-to-goodness trivia.)
And since 1984, the answer-and-question quiz show has been fronted by Sudbury, Ont., native Alex Trebek – with bushy moustache and without.
Though we see shards of his personality on the show (a cheeky impression here, a sly joke there), he’s mostly a consummate professional shepherding the game along.
Which is why I love parodies of the guy that have popped up in pop culture over the years. Will Ferrell on Saturday Night Live, Ike Barinholtz on MadTV, and Eugene Levy’s character "Alex Trebel" on Second City Television – they all seek to exaggerate the stoic guy’s essence.
So my interest was piqued by Trebek’s appearance on the Bravo! original reality show Star Portraits, now airing its debut season.
In each episode, three Canadian artists get only a few hours to meet with a national icon before painting portraits of the high-profile participant, who then must choose a favourite to take home. The pieces that aren’t chosen either join the Portrait Gallery of Canada or are auctioned off, with proceeds going to charity.
Portraiture is such an intimate and revealing medium, and Trebek showed glimpses of whimsy and cheekiness during his sitting. At one point he posed with his head upside down; at another he asked if the artists would prefer him pose nude. Yup, Alex Trebek got saucy!
Shunning the cutthroat approach to reality shows and choosing to focus on the art and the subject, Star Portraits is an informative and intriguing hybrid. The silver-haired and ever-poised actress Louise Pitre, who played Donna Sheridan in the musical Mamma Mia!, hosts.
Upcoming stars include Canadian astronaut Dr. Roberta Bondar (Nov. 14), ace fiddler and Cape Breton native Ashley MacIsaac (Nov. 21) and Senator Pamela Wallin (Nov. 28).
Alex Trebek’s episode of Star Portraits airs Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 p.m. ET on Bravo!
melissa@tvguide.ca
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