File this under Jeopardy! treasures you didn’t know you needed.
Ken Jennings just unearthed a delightful blast from the past while poking around the show’s dressing room — a bright pink afro pick that once belonged to the late, great Alex Trebek.
Sharing the find on Instagram, the Jeopardy! host held up the retro hair tool in front of a vanity mirror and joked, “We don’t offer a Backstage Jeopardy! Tour, but if we did, this would be one of the highlights.” He added, very seriously, that it was Trebek’s own “’90s-era afro pick,” before declaring, “Long live the CanFro (Canadian afro).”
Fans immediately recognized the vintage staple. Commenters chimed in with memories of identical picks used to fluff perms and big hair throughout the ’80s and ’90s — some admitting they still own (and use) the exact same one.
The moment is peak Jennings, who’s never shied away from poking fun at the show’s history — including his own. Last year, he roasted his early-2000s contestant wardrobe on Instagram, calling out a particularly unfortunate tie and shirt combo decorated with vintage Coca-Cola bottles. “That’s really unfortunate,” he said, adding that past-Ken probably should’ve leaned into sweaters instead.
Jennings, who officially took over hosting duties after Trebek’s death in 2020, has previously shared how emotional the transition was. He’s said channeling Trebek’s presence helped him find his footing after nearly 40 years of viewers seeing only one face behind the podium.
Now, it turns out Trebek’s legacy lives on not just in Jeopardy! lore — but in a humble pink pick tucked away backstage. And honestly? That feels exactly right.
Ken does good, but I really miss Alex.