The question: Who is Alex Trebek?
Be sure to enjoy those Thanksgiving leftovers on Black Friday in front of your televisions as Allegany County will be spotlighted on the TV game show Jeopardy. The November 25th episode will include questions and footage from the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad (WMSR) featuring host Alex Trebek.
"We were so honored to have Mr. Trebek with us," says Barbara Buehl, executive director of Allegany County Department of Tourism about the filming that took place in May. "He was so complimentary about our scenic railroad, its crew and our area."
Trebek's visit to Mountain Maryland started one evening when Allegany County native and author Shane Riggs heard the Jeopardy host confide during a broadcast that driving a steam engine was an item on his bucket list.
Riggs immediately alerted Allegany County Tourism.
In return, Kim Shirer, director of tourism programs, contacted Sony Studios, who produces Jeopardy, and formally invited Trebek to the area to operate the WMSR's magnificent 734 steam locomotive, originally built in 1916. Trebek accepted and decided to bring his crew to film the event.
On the spring day of the shoot, Trebek, with the help of the WSMR crew, drove the train out of the Western Maryland Station and manned the controls on parts of the ride to Frostburg. Along the way, the train stopped and Trebek filmed various "Jeopardy" questions (or answers) for the future broadcast.
At the Frostburg Depot, Trebek was greeted by the Mountain Ridge High School Jazz Band who serenaded the host with their rendition of the familiar Jeopardy theme song. Trebek shot additional segments for the show before heading back over the mountain and returning to Los Angeles.
"It was such a wonderful, memorable day," says Buehl, who adds the county is hoping to host a special event to celebrate the November 25 broadcast. "We're excited that the entire country will see our wonderful scenic railroad and get to enjoy the beauty of this area."
Jeopardy is broadcast weeknights on various stations across the country. Check local listings.
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