Hardly. Trebek was in little Greenville, Pa. (pop. 6,000), last week, living out a fantasy. He was making a one-night stand as guest conductor of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, leading its 67 members in a stirring orchestral rendition of Rossini's Cinderella. It was no cakewalk either. Cinderella, says Trebek, host of the show that has won 11 Emmys, "is not one of those pieces where the conductor can leave the stage and the orchestra will finish with no problem."
While some men fantasize about pitching in the major leagues, Trebek, 54, who maintains a passionate interest in music, has always wanted to step up to the podium. When he said as much on Jeopardy! in May 1993, more than a dozen orchestras hastened to offer him a baton. He chose Greenville because the orchestra, based in a depressed area 65 miles north of Pittsburgh, was struggling to pay its bills. (With Trebek on the program, more than $40,000 worth of tickets were sold.) He also thought it "looked like a nice little weekend getaway" with his wife, Jean, 30. (They have two children, Matthew, 3, and Emily, 15 months.)
With no previous experience, Trebek—who had been rigorously coached by resident conductor Paul Chenevey—guided the musicians through a 2½-hour performance with no obvious missteps. "I think he did a very creditable job," said Chenevey. "And he seemed to be enjoying himself."
He did indeed. At an arrival ceremony, Trebek thanked a cheering throng for the warm greeting—and for getting his name right. "This is the first time I've come to a place outside Los Angeles," he said, "where I did not have to be confronted with—'Oh, there's the host of Jeopardy!, Pat Sajak!' "
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
