(CNN) Alex Trebek tried to deflect the compliments and praise lobbed at him on Wednesday at the Television Critics Association press tour and even shied away from giving too much thought to the fondness TV viewers have for him, the man invited into their living rooms almost daily for the past 36 years.

He was, however, crystal clear about what he hopes viewers have taken away from him and the show during his years as the host of "Jeopardy!"

"The benefits of knowledge," he said. "Even though you are not going to use a particular bit of knowledge, information that you acquire -- even though you're not going to be able to use it in a practical way in your daily life or in your work life or at home, whatever -- it becomes part of you. It enriches you and makes you a better human being and, I think, a more understanding human being."

He added: "The more you know, the easier it will be to understand everything else that's going on in the world. If you have limited knowledge, then you're approaching other people from a limited point of view, and that can be disastrous, as we have discovered."

Trebek was sharing the stage with three of the most knowledgeable people to walk on the "Jeopardy!" stage -- James Holzhauer, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Executive producer Harry Friedman was also present.

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