Ed Helms Questions Chicago’s Pickleball Obsession on Instagram

What's the Score?

Actor Ed Helms, known for his roles in The Office and The Hangover, was taken aback by the abundance of pickleball courts in downtown Chicago during a recent visit. He took to Instagram to ask his 1.3 million followers to explain the city's intense focus on the sport.

Hit it deeper!

Ed Helms was in Chicago last week promoting his new book, SNAFU: The Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screwups. While walking downtown, he observed a large number of pickleball courts, specifically mentioning seeing "like 50 pickleball courts in the middle of downtown, which is pretty prime real estate". As someone who has never played pickleball, the sheer number of courts in such a central, valuable urban area prompted him to seek answers from his followers. In a video shared on Instagram, Helms posed several questions, including “What’s up with the pickleball?," "What am I missing?," “Also, Chicago, why are you like super crazy about pickleball?,” and “why is it called pickleball?”. His post sparked a lively discussion among fans, who flooded the comments with explanations about the sport's rapid growth, its enjoyable nature, and even details about how it got its name. The source notes that Ed Helms is the latest celebrity to show interest in the sport and speculates that he might become "hooked" once he tries it, similar to millions of other players across the country.

The World Pickleball Verdict

Ed Helms' public reaction to the prevalence of pickleball courts in a major city like Chicago serves as a clear indicator of the sport's significant and visible growth, especially in urban environments. His celebrity platform brings added attention to pickleball's rising popularity, potentially introducing the sport to a wider audience and contributing to its increasing national fame.