At this point, Ken Jennings can most definitely be called a Jeopardy veteran. That’s arguably been the case since 2003/2004 when he had his original record-breaking winning streak on the legendary game show, but he can even be called a veteran as a host now as he goes into his third year with the gig. Even with all of that experience, however, the guy just can’t help but be a total Jeopardy geek, as well-illustrated by a recent social media activity.
Jennings treasures the history of the series and the legacy of the great Alex Trebek, and if you didn’t know that before, you can recognize it in a post he put on Instagram this week. Independently, the photo seems a bit out of left field, as it features the Jeopardy host in a mirror holding up a pink afro pick, but the caption offers delightful context: it’s the hair tool that Trebek used backstage to maintain what is lovingly referred to as “the CanFro (Canadian afro).” You can check out the post for yourself below:
This is such a weird treat. There probably isn’t any actual reason to keep that afro pick backstage, as I imagine that even Alex Trebek himself stopped using it once we got into the 21st century. That being said, it’s stuck around this long, so I can understand the impulse to keep it around as a positive token and a reminder of Jeopardy’s long history.
On another note: it’s really a shame that there aren’t backstage Jeopardy tours. It’s true that ordinary folks can get access to the show by submitting for tickets to be in the live studio audience, and there probably isn’t a whole lot to see beyond the main stage and dressing rooms (they don’t exactly have need for a prop department), but I can’t be the only fan who would be excited to take even a brisk 30-minute look around the set on the Sony Pictures lot. And I also imagine that there are other fun pieces of history that are kept around that are perhaps even cooler than Alex Trebek’s hair maintenance equipment.
While Ken Jennings has been posting about Alex Trebek’s afro pick, this has been a big week for Jeopardy, as it was just last night that contestant Paolo Pasco completed a three game sweep in the finals of the 2026 Tournament of Champions to be declared the big winner (and take home a prize of $250,000). And while that particular competition is now over, a new one begins today, as the 2026 Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament quarterfinal is now set to kick off with a game featuring returning competitors Matt Amodio, Drew Basile, and Karen Farrell.
