TV - Movies
The Untold Truth
Of American
Pickers Star
Hobo Jack
By MELISSA LEMIEUX
Among the most beloved in the show's rogues gallery is Hobo Jack, a nickname for antiquer Jack Sophir who invented much of his persona for the show. In reality, he's a home and property owner, a college graduate, and is "seen regularly bidding on big-ticket items in auctions."
He’s Pretty Well Off
Sophir isn't just a collector, he's also an author and a musician with a CD in circulation. He not only writes and sings his own songs, but he also plays guitar, harmonica, and banjo on the tunes. His three books and his album can be purchased on Amazon or through his personal website.
Published Author
Hobo Jack isn't Sophir's moniker of choice. That sobriquet, in fact, came from "American Pickers" host Mike Wolfe. He shows no apparent preference for the nickname, but on his official website, he bills himself by what seems to be another moniker entirely, "Backwoods Jack."
Backwoods Jack
"I can't explain why I collect. I remember around seven, walking home from school and looking for treasure, which I never found. I just have a treasure hunter mentality," he said in an interview. Sophir's favorite things to collect are classic cars and car parts, but he also loves anything from the Victorian Era.
Long Time Collector
In 2016, The Telegraph posted a bogus notice that Sophir had passed away to their Facebook page which has been immortalized in a screengrab on his official website. He also posted a statement reading, "How many people get to read their own Obituary?" He also included a quote from Mark Twain: "The report of my death was an exaggeration."
He’s Very Much Alive