Regis Philbin Passes as Alex Trebek Makes a Troubling Admission
Alex Trebek has always projected a calm, collected demeanor, and that could be a problem. | Source: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File
- Television icon Regis Philbin passed away today.
- Jeopardy host Alex Trebek just released his memoir.
- In it, he made some shocking admissions that don’t bode well for his illness.
With Regis Philbin gone, we need to keep our other iconic TV hosts around. To do that, Alex Trebek needs to drop the toxic masculinity that was forced onto so many baby-boomers.
In his new memoir, Alex Trebek detailed that he “felt like a wuss” for crying during his treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Unfortunately, that type of behavior can cause illness and hamper the immune system.
Someone needs to tell Alex that it’s okay to cry; in fact, your life may depend on it.
Alex Trebek Reveals His Unhealthy Relationship With Emotions
In a tell-all memoir, Alex Trebek made some shocking revelations that he probably didn’t consider surprising at the time.
According to the Newbury Port News, Trebek started having crying spurts “out of the blue.” His doctor told him that they were probably a “side effect of his treatment.”
No, Alex. It’s a side effect of having stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Facing your own mortality is terrifying. But apparently, it’s not as scary as…crying.
Trebek writes,
He told me not to feel embarrassed, but I said, ‘I do feel a little embarrassed. I feel like a wuss. It’s not that men shouldn’t cry. It’s that, my God, Alex, get yourself together, here.
Alex Trebek claims that it’s not about “men shouldn’t cry,” but clearly, it is.
Men, especially from his era, have been taught that it’s ‘weak’ to feel your emotions. You should always “get it together.” But it’s normal for everyone to feel a range of emotions.
What’s abnormal is our learned behavior of suppressing them, which can lead to adverse side effects on health.
The Problem with Suppressing Emotions
Daniel Weinberger, a former Stanford psychologist, told The New York Times that people who repress emotions,
See themselves as people who don’t get upset about things, who are cool and collected under stress.
It sounds like a certain Jeopardy host we know.
Weinberger also said that these repressers’ behavior of “stifling reactions tends to take its toll on health.”
According to NYT,
The repressers tended to have lower levels of certain disease-fighting cells of the immune system.
One doctor, writing for Time magazine, stated that blocked emotions are linked to heart disease, intestinal problems, and autoimmune disorders.
Regis Philbin Will Be Missed
While it’s a stretch to say that repressed emotions gave Alex Trebek cancer, that behavior is not going to help anyone heal.
Regis Philbin is another man raised in a time when men were taught to be stoic. But times are changing. That behavior is showing its ineffectiveness.
Men need to learn how to feel. And they need help. Therapy, men’s groups like the MankindProject, and meditation can help.
Luckily, Regis Philbin made it to the ripe old age of 88. With a little self-care, hopefully Alex Trebek can make it that far and beyond.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
