‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Go Wild Over Jamie Ding Childhood Photo With Alex Trebek

Brittany Sims April 14, 2026, 1:09 pm

Jeopardy! fans discovered a childhood photo of super champion Jamie Ding with former host Alex Trebek, and then went wild over it.

Before winning over 20 games on Jeopardy! in 2026, Ding, a law student from Lawrenceville, New Jersey, competed in another competition — the National Geographic Bee in 2004. Coincidentally, this competition happened only a few weeks before Ken Jennings 74-game run on the game show. Fans noticed the date on the check was May 26, 2004, one week before Jennings’ appearance on Jeopardy!.

The bee was held from 1989 to 2019 for students in the United States in fourth through eighth grade. It was a geography contest, where the winner took home a $25,000 schloarship. Trebek hosted from its inception to 2013. Newscaster Soledad O’Brien took his place the following year, moderating in 2014 and 2015. O’Brien was then replaced by Mo Rocca, who would host from 2016 to the final competition in 2019.

Ding did not do as well on the Geographic Bee, which Alex Trebek hosted for many years. Ding played for East Middle School in Michigan and placed seventh overall.

A photo of Ding and Trebek in the same frame recently resurfaced. In the photo, the former Jeopardy! host stood at a podium, announcing the winners, who held checks in front of them. Two rows back was Ding, looking toward Trebek.

Jamie Ding appeared with Alex Trebek on the 2004 National Geographic Bee!
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Ding recounted this moment during his 21st game, telling Ken Jennings that his earliest memory of Jeopardy! was the show’s video game which featured Trebek with his iconic mustache.

He said that when Trebek showed up at the Geography Bee with no mustache, Ding did not recognize him. He was only a casual Jeopardy! viewer at the time, and his opponents had to tell him who the host was. Jennings laughed at the contestant’s blunder.

“Jamie Ding appeared with Alex Trebek on the 2004 National Geographic Bee!” a Reddit user shared on April 11.

“Wow. Great find! I saw him tell the story but this is a real nice visual of the experience,” a fan replied.

“Wild,” said another.

“Wow, I feel old and dumb haha. I didn’t realize how young he is!!! Fingers crossed he becomes a Jeopardy! millionaire,” a third added.

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“Talk about meant to be. This is some full circle-ish,” another wrote.

“Amazing! What a great find!” a fan said.

“Well, this is completely adorable,” a Reddit user commented.

“Great photo! I just looked it up, and this event was on May 26, 2004. Ken Jennings’ first game would air one week later, on June 2, although he had already taped his 48th win (last game of Season 20) about a month before, on April 23. I find it kind of fascinating to think about how Alex is the only one in that room who had even heard of Ken (who would become a household name within a month or so) and how circumstances would bring Ken and Jamie together many years later. (And who knows what kind of secret Ken is sitting on now, 6 weeks since Jamie’s most recent win was taped?)” one last fan said.

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