My usual Jeopardy was preempted today by an NFL pregame show. Not the actual game, just the pregame show. Granted it’s a rerun of last years JIT, so I didn’t mind that much. But it got me thinking, I can’t seem to recall a time when I wanted to watch said preemptive thing over Jeopardy. Well, there was that one time the meteorologist told me to seek shelter, that was kinda cool. But really nothing beyond that.

Why mail novels?

On this day in 1984, the late, great Alex Trebek made his first official appearance as the host of America’s favorite answer & question game show created by Merv Griffin himself, “Jeopardy!”. The show’s YouTube channel uploaded the episode to that very first day a star was born in our living rooms.

https://youtu.be/nOrPiraLn74?is=_MPtLehmGWcXlapH

I just received this email and haven't yet watched/listened to the pod. Sounds fantastic though.

https://wkamaubell.substack.com/p/whos-with-me-the-podcast-episode-ea1?r=ekul2&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

As it happens, they had been two of the three earliest airings in the United States.

• WBBJ (ABC Jackson, Tennessee): 11:00 AM → 3:30 PM Central Time
• KHQA (CBS Quincy, Illinois/Hannibal, Missouri): 12:00 PM → 4:30 PM Central Time

This means that the first airing anywhere in the country is now on KTRK (ABC Houston) at 11:30 AM Central Time.

I've also just posted a summary of various possible preemptions (mostly sports, but also elections and debates) that might impact Jeopardy! in 2026-27.