Jeopardy! is entering a new era following the death of beloved host Alex Trebek. The late TV personality’s final episodes have officially finished airing and now, the show’s greatest champion of all time -- Ken Jennings -- will be taking the reins as the first of several guest hosts. Although Jennings is a pro when it comes to the game, one can imagine that stepping into Trebek’s shoes was daunting. With this, Jennings sought to give himself a bit of luck on his first day with the help of a special charm he kept in his pocket.
It never hurts to find something to give you a bit of confidence, and Ken Jennings had that very thing in the form of an actual audience ticket to Alex Trebek’s first Jeopardy! show in 1983. Jennings received that piece of TV history from a friend ahead of taping his debut episode. You can check it out for yourself in his Twitter post down below:
That’s definitely a cool keepsake and one that is sure to have provided Ken Jennings with some positive energy as he kicks off his Jeopardy! stint. Of course, the vintage ticket also fittingly honors the memory of Alex Trebek and the beginning of his work with the game show.
Shortly after Alex Trebek lost his battle to pancreatic cancer, Ken Jennings was among the Jeopardy! alums who took to social media to pay tribute. Jennings would open up even more about Trebek after being announced as the first guest host. It goes without saying that Trebek’s passing was unexpected for him and the rest of the Jeopardy! family. Still, Jennings expressed gratitude about having the privilege to serve the iconic game show in such a way.
Alex Trebek was a true force of nature during the 37 seasons that he hosted Jeopardy!, as he always brought an inquisitive and witty spirit to his hosting duties. Though the job did become a bit more taxing while he was undergoing cancer treatment, he kept moving and doing the job he loved. One of the show’s executive producers recalled how much pain Trebek was in while filming his final episodes, but he also mentioned that the host was still a warrior to the end.
Ken Jennings has long been favored as Alex Trebek’s successor, though there are plenty of names who have been thrown into the mix (by fans). But until a permanent successor is chosen, Jennings, along with others like Katie Couric and Aaron Rodgers, will be taking on hosting duties.
Ken Jennings’ good luck charm seemed to do him a lot of good when it came to hosting the show. Maybe his fellow guest hosts will follow suit and find some of their own, though the hosts should do find, even if they can’t find a little nugget of history for themselves.
Jeopardy! is available to watch every day in syndication.
