SAN FRANCISCO — It was a case of too much information when 71-year-old “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek on Thursday inadvertently indicated to millions of Americans that he goes to bed in the buff.
Trebek made headlines Wednesday when he suffered an agonizing injury while chasing after a burglar at a San Francisco hotel.
The TV veteran sprang into action after the female crook entered his room, where he was sleeping with wife Jean, and swiped cash and other items including a treasured bracelet given to him by his mother, KGO-TV reported.
Recounting the incident in an interview for the “Today” show Thursday, Trebek said, “I realized immediately someone had been in the room. I put on my underwear and ran down the hall to see if I could find her.”
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, after watching the interview clip, “Today” host Matt Lauer wondered out loud, “Alex Trebek sleeps in the nude?”
Trebek chased the burglar along a hallway but collapsed in pain after his Achilles tendon suddenly snapped, hurting his other leg as he fell.
Trebek first recalled the dramatic 2:30am local time confrontation as he hosted a geography quiz hours later — on crutches.
He assured audience members at the National Geographic World Championship, held at the Mountainview, Calif., headquarters of tech giant Google, he was OK despite his injuries.
Lt. Troy Dangerfield of the San Francisco police department confirmed that a 56-year-old woman, Lucinda Moyers, had been arrested and booked on felony burglary and possession of stolen property.
Several of the stolen items were recovered near an ice machine at the hotel. Moyers — who appeared in court Thursday afternoon — was charged and held on $625,000 bail. Police said she had committed two residential burglaries in San Francisco two decades ago.
Entertainment website TMZ reported that Moyers had also been slapped with a restraining order and must stay at least 150 yards (140 meters) away from the Trebeks.
Trebek, who has hosted the popular US game show “Jeopardy” for more than 25 years, will have surgery Friday and is expected to be in a cast for six weeks.