Al Roker
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Albert Lincoln Roker Jr.<ref name="biography.com" /> (born August 20, 1954)<ref name="biography.com" /> is an American weather presenter, journalist, television personality, and author. He is the weather anchor on NBC's Today,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and occasionally co-hosts 3rd Hour Today. He has a lapsed American Meteorological Society (AMS) Television Seal of Approval (#238).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Early life
Roker was born in the borough of Queens, New York City,<ref name="biography.com">Template:Cite web</ref> the son of Isabel, of Jamaican descent, and Albert Lincoln Roker Sr.,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Yahoo! Movies">Template:Cite web</ref> a bus driver of Bahamian descent.<ref name="filmreference.com">Template:Cite web</ref> He initially wanted to be a cartoonist.<ref name="Yahoo! Movies" /> He was raised Catholic,<ref name="Yahoo! Movies" /> his mother's faith, and graduated from Xavier High School in Manhattan.<ref>Al Roker Biography, The Biography Channel. Accessed November 18, 2007. "After graduating from Xavier High School in Manhattan, Roker studied communications at State University of New York at Oswego, where he got his first shot at weathercasting."</ref> He attended the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego where he received a B.A. in communications in 1976.<ref name="biography.com" />
Career
Early career (1974–1995)
Roker worked as a weather anchor for CBS affiliate WHEN-TV (now WTVH) in Syracuse, New York from 1974 until 1976, while he was enrolled at SUNY Oswego. During his time in Oswego, he also DJ'd at the campus radio station, WNYO.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> Following the completion of his studies, Roker moved to Washington, D.C., and took a weathercasting position at independent station WTTG, then owned by Metromedia, remaining there for much of the next two years.
Roker's career with NBC began in 1978 when he was hired at WKYC in Cleveland, then an NBC owned-and-operated station. After five years in Cleveland, Roker was promoted to the network's flagship outlet, WNBC-TV in his hometown. Roker returned to New York City in late 1983 as a weekend weathercaster, and within eight months became the station's regular weeknight weathercaster. Roker replaced 27-year WNBC-TV veteran Dr. Frank Field, who left the network over a contract dispute. From 1983 to 1996, Roker was the regular substitute for forecaster Joe Witte on the NBC News program NBC News at Sunrise, and from 1990 to 1995 filled in for Willard Scott, Bryant Gumbel and 1997 through the 2000s for Matt Lauer on the Today Show. In 1995, he became the host of The Al Roker Show,<ref name="Food Network">Template:Cite web</ref> a weekend talk show on CNBC.
Roker received wider exposure when David Letterman asked him to join in an elevator race on an episode of the talk show Late Night with David Letterman, which taped across the hall from the WNBC news studio in the GE Building. This led to Roker becoming the forecaster for Weekend Today.<ref name="filmreference.com" /> He also substituted on the weekday edition of Today<ref name="filmreference.com" /> when Willard Scott was ill or away.
Full time on Today (1996–present)
In early 1996, Scott announced his semi-retirement from Today. On January 26, 1996, Roker received the regular weekday weather slot. Roker's studio remote forecasts, interviewing visitors outside and giving them some camera time, became a staple. Roker conducted more interviews and segments on the show over time. He continues the daily tradition of birthday wishes to centenarians that began with Scott.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2005, Roker reported from inside Hurricane Wilma.<ref name="i-am-bored.com">Template:Cite web</ref> A popular viral video shows him swept off his feet by the fierce wind and clinging to the cameraman.<ref name="i-am-bored.com" />
In addition to his role as Today Show weather man and anchor, Roker co-hosted the third hour of Today called Today's Take, beginning November 12, 2012. Today's Take was cancelled in February 2017 for Megyn Kelly Today and aired its final episode on September 22, 2017. After Megyn Kelly Today was cancelled in 2018, Roker returned to co-host 3rd Hour Today.
During the 2013 inauguration of Barack Obama, Roker received a handshake from Joe Biden.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Years later, as an NBC News reporter at Biden's own 2021 inauguration, Roker received a fist bump from the newly inaugurated president moments before Biden entered the White House.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In November 2014, Roker embarked on a "Rokerthon", in which he did a non-stop, 34-hour weather forecast on NBC, from 10:05 p.m. on November 12, 2014, until about 8:00 a.m. on November 14, 2014.<ref>"Watch #Rokerthon live: Al attempts World Record for longest weather report" Retrieved November 13, 2014</ref> The record-setting event was a fundraiser for the Crowdrise Campaign to benefit the military and USO. He held a "Rokerthon 2", this time reporting weather from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. during the week from November 6 to November 13, 2015, in support of Feeding America.<ref name="Rokerthon2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NYDNRokerthon2">Template:Cite web</ref> From March 27 until March 31, 2017, he embarked on "Rokerthon 3", visiting colleges and setting a Guinness World Record at each one, such as the longest conga line on ice and largest human letter.<ref name="Rokerthon3">Template:Cite web</ref>
Other work
Roker has hosted NBC's coverage of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1995 (with the exception of 2022), where he provides commentary along with some of his Today Show colleagues. He is known as the "uptown" host, whose main roles include cutting the ribbon during the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the start of the parade, and interviewing celebrities who are watching the parade from its start at 77th Street. Roker was unable to host the coverage of the parade in 2022 after recovering from blood clots that had led to being hospitalized.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Roker is a game show fan. From 1996 to 1997, he hosted a game show on MSNBC called Remember This?.<ref name="Food Network" /> He substituted for Meredith Vieira for a week of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire shows from March 5–9, 2007.<ref>Template:IMDb name</ref>
In 2008, Roker hosted NBC's Celebrity Family Feud.<ref name="nbc.com">Template:Cite web</ref> He hosted a week-long feature on Today profiling five game shows and their hosts in July 2016 titled "Game On Today". He has appeared as a celebrity player on both Merv Griffin game shows Jeopardy!<ref name="Today2">Template:Cite web</ref> and Wheel of Fortune.<ref name="Today2" />
Roker has hosted programs on Food Network,<ref name="foodnetwork">Template:Cite web</ref> namely, Roker on the Road,<ref name="foodnetwork" /> and Tricked-Out Tailgating. He is also an avid barbecue enthusiast.<ref name="nbc.com" />
Roker provided forecasts for several radio stations, including the New York smooth jazz radio station WQCD (101.9 FM) and for Cleveland smooth jazz station WNWV (107.3 FM), through a service called the "Al Roker Radio Weather Network", distributed by United Stations Radio Networks. It has since been replaced by Accuweather.<ref>Template:Cite web at United Stations Radio Network</ref> He also had a one and a half hour weekday morning stint live from 5:00–7:00 a.m. on The Weather Channel under the name Wake Up with Al which aired from 2009 until 2015.
Roker created the animated PBS Kids program, Weather Hunters, which premiered in September 2025. Roker is the voice actor for Al Hunter, the father of protagonist, Lily Hunter. The series explores the elementary science around weather phenomena and is targeted at children ages 5-8.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Theatre
On May 22, 2003, Roker made a cameo in The Play What I Wrote on Broadway as the Mystery Guest Star.<ref>New Guest Storms the Stage of Play What I Wrote</ref>
It was announced on September 5, 2018, that Roker would make his Broadway debut portraying Joe in the musical Waitress for a six-week run from October 5 to November 11.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He later returned to the show for a limited run from November 1 to 24, 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On December 19, 2023, he returned to Broadway for a one night only cameo in Gutenberg! The Musical! as the Producer.<ref>Gutenberg Cameo</ref> On 28 March 2024, Roker was in Back to the Future: The Musical on Broadway as Strickland.<ref>Al Roker Joins the Cast of BACK TO THE FUTURE For One Night Only</ref>
Author
Writing with Dick Lochte, Roker co-authored a series of murder mysteries beginning in 2009 that feature Billy Blessing, a celebrity chef turned amateur detective. The second book in the series, The Midnight Show Murders (2010), was nominated for a 2011 Nero Award.<ref>Cogdill, Oline, "The 2011 Nero Award Nominees"; Mystery Scene, June 15, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2022</ref> The Morning Show Murders, also published in 2010, was made into the 2018 movie on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries with Holly Robinson Peete in the lead role.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2016, the non-fiction book Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Times, written by Roker and his wife Deborah Roberts, was published.<ref name=UT>Template:Cite web</ref>
Personal life
Roker married his first wife, Mary Puglisi, who was his college girlfriend, the day they graduated from SUNY Oswego in 1976.<ref name=":0" /> While living in Cleveland several years later, the couple spoke openly about their experiences being in an interracial marriage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following their divorce,<ref name="New York Times Al Roker Deborah Roberts" /> Roker married WNBC producer Alice Bell in December 1984.<ref name="Alice Bell is Married">Template:Cite news</ref> He and Bell adopted a daughter, Courtney, as an infant in 1987.<ref name="Roker book">Template:Cite book</ref> Roker and Bell later divorced.<ref name="New York Times Al Roker Deborah Roberts" /> Roker married TV journalist Deborah Roberts on September 16, 1995.<ref name="New York Times Al Roker Deborah Roberts">Template:Cite news</ref> They are the parents of daughter Leila (b. November 17, 1998)<ref>Roker in Template:Cite magazine</ref> and son Nicholas (b. July 18, 2002).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The couple live in a townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and also own a house in the foothills of the Berkshires.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Roker is an Episcopalian and attends St. James Episcopal Church in Manhattan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In November 2010, Roker ran in the New York City Marathon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Roker is an honorary member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In May 2021, Roker returned to his former stomping grounds in Cleveland to report on the city's reopening efforts following the COVID-19 pandemic, and while live on the Today Show, WKYC chief meteorologist Betsy Kling announced that the station had named the radar tower on top of the WKYC building the "Roker Tower" in his honor, and presented Roker a plaque to commemorate the occasion.<ref>Al Roker gets radar tower named after him - MSN.com</ref>
Health
In June 2001, Roker underwent a total knee arthoplasty (replacement, or "TKA") on his left knee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2002,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Roker underwent gastric bypass surgery to lose weight, which he said he did after failing at numerous diets. Eight months after the surgery, the New York Daily News reported he had dropped Template:Convert from his Template:Convert figure.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Roker wrote about his battle with weight loss in Never Goin' Back: Winning the Weight Loss Battle For Good, published in 2013.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>
In 2005, he had a back operation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He had another knee replacement surgery in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In October 2018, Roker underwent emergency carpal tunnel surgery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In September 2019, he had a hip replacement surgery.
In November 2020, he revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He had a successful operation on November 9,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and by November 17 he was at home recovering.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In November 2022, after being absent from Today for a few days, Roker revealed he was in the hospital being treated for blood clots in his lungs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He returned to the show on January 6, 2023, revealing he also suffered from internal bleeding which necessitated surgery, two bleeding ulcers, colon resection surgery when part or all of the colon is removed, and gallbladder removal surgery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Roker credits his wife and NewYork-Presbyterian physicians and staff for saving his life.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Charity work
In 2007, Roker became an official supporter of Ronald McDonald House Charities and is a member of their celebrity board, called the Friends of RMHC.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He also was the official spokesperson for Amtrak's National Train Day, which took place on May 10, 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Signature phrases
- Roker often says "That's what's going on around the country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods" when transitioning from the national weather broadcast to the local affiliate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- On many occasions on Today he has used the phrase "man candy" to describe attractive males.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- When he mentions Sunday's weather forecast on weekdays, often he repeats the word "Sunday", imitating the drag racing promotional catchphrase.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- During Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ribbon cutting ceremonies, he is joined by the producers of the parade or the CEO of Macy's and special guests in kicking off the parade with the countdown "5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Let's have a parade!"<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Other appearances and activities
- In 1993, Roker appeared as himself in an episode of Seinfeld entitled “The Cigar Store Indian.” He was featured on the cover of a TV Guide that was a central focus of Elaine's storyline for the episode, and at the end of the episode joins her on the subway while replicating the pose on the magazine cover.
- On the May 9, 1998, episode of Saturday Night Live (hosted by David Duchovny), Roker appeared in a "Mango" sketch with Matt Lauer. The typical Mango sketch involved a person becoming obsessed with Mango, a character portrayed by cast member Chris Kattan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Roker voiced a caricature of himself as a faustian figure in two episodes of the animated Disney Channel series The Proud Family, a role he reprised in the Disney+ revival, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- During the first inaugural parade of President Barack Obama, Al Roker obtained the "first interview" with the new president by waving his fedora hat and yelling to the walking Obama to come over. Acknowledging Roker, the perambulating president continued on, telling him "it's warm!"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Roker holds the record for most appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, with over 30. He would often appear on the show as a last-minute replacement if a previously scheduled guest canceled their appearance.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>
- Roker makes a cameo appearance as the honorary Orange Wiggle in The Wiggles song, "Thank You, Mr. Weatherman" on their 2011 release "Ukulele, Baby!"
- Roker had a cameo appearance in Sharknado 2: The Second One, which premiered on Syfy on July 30, 2014.
- He reprised the cameo in the sequels Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, which premiered on July 22, 2015, Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, which premiered on July 31, 2016, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming in 2017, and The Last Sharknado: It's About Time in 2018.
- Roker appeared as the guest ring announcer at WrestleMania 33, for the match between John Cena and Nikki Bella, versus The Miz and Maryse.
- In 2014, Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Robert Papp named Roker an honorary commodore in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.<ref name="Today">Template:Cite news</ref> Roker had produced and narrated a Coast Guard documentary television series.
- In 2018, Roker appeared in episode 400 of My Brother, My Brother, and Me
- In 2018, Roker appeared in the Hallmark television movie Morning Show Mysteries: Mortal Mishaps based on the book series he co-authored.
- In 2019, Roker appeared in the Hallmark television movie Morning Show Mysteries: Death by Design based on the book series he co-authored.
- In 2022, Roker would make a cameo in a season 47 Please Don't Destroy sketch on SNL alongside actor Paul Rudd and writers Martin Herlihy, John Higgins and Ben Marshall.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Another World | Himself | Television series; one episode |
| 1993 | Seinfeld | Himself | Episode: "The Cigar Store Indian" |
| 1994 | Reading Rainbow | Himself | Episode: "Hail to Mail" |
| Mad About You | Himself | Episode: "Pandora's Box" | |
| Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? | Himself | Episode: "Tales You Lose" | |
| 1996 | NewsRadio | Guy | Episode: "President" |
| 1997 | The Single Guy | Dr. Benjamin | Television series; one episode |
| Men in Black | Alien on TV monitor | Uncredited | |
| 1998 | Superman: The Animated Series | Weather presenter (voice) | Episode: "Little Girl Lost" |
| Quest for Camelot | Knight (voice) | ||
| 1998, 2007, 2022 | Saturday Night Live | Himself | Television series; three episodes |
| 1999 | Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Himself | Episode: "Chambraigne" |
| 2000 | Will & Grace | Himself | Episode: "Acting Out" |
| 2001 | Sesame Street | Himself | Episode: "Hurricane, Part 1" |
| 2003 | Freedom: A History of Us | Christian reorder editor Henry McNeal Turner |
Television miniseries |
| Wholey Moses | Weather presenter (voice) | Short film | |
| Cyberchase | Sam Vander Rom (voice) | Television series; three episodes | |
| 2003–2004 | The Proud Family | Faustian Al Roker (voice) | Television series; two episodes |
| 2005 | Robots | Mailbox (voice) | |
| Madagascar | Newscaster #3 (voice) | ||
| 2006 | Unaccompanied Minors | Himself | |
| 2007, 2012 | 30 Rock | Himself | Television series; two episodes |
| 2008 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Newscaster (voice) | |
| 2009 | Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs | Patrick Patrickson (voice) | |
| 2011 | The Wiggles' Big Birthday! | Himself | Australian release only |
| The Wiggles: Ukulele Baby! | Himself | American and UK releases only | |
| WordGirl | Sonny Days (voice) | Episode: "Sonny Days with a Chance of Showers" | |
| The Big Year | New York Weather presenter | ||
| 2012 | The Pirates! Band of Misfits! | The Pirate Who Likes Sunsets and Kittens (voice) | United States release only |
| Treme | Himself | Episode: "Promised Land" | |
| The Simpsons | Himself (voice) | Episode: “Moonshine River” | |
| Template:Sort | The Penguins of Madagascar | Gil Force (voice) | |
| 2013 | The Michael J. Fox Show | Himself | Episode: "Pilot" |
| Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 | Patrick Patrickson (voice) | ||
| 2014 | Sharknado 2: The Second One | Himself | Television film |
| 2015 | Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special | Himself | Television special |
| Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! | Himself | Television film | |
| 2016 | Kung Fu Panda 3 | Dim (voice) | |
| Ghostbusters | Himself | Cameo | |
| Sharknado: The 4th Awakens | Himself | Television film | |
| 2017 | WWE WrestleMania 33 | Himself | Pay-Per View, Guest Ring Announcer |
| Sharknado 5: Global Swarming | Himself | Television film | |
| Template:Dts | The Last Sharknado: It's About Time | Himself | Television film<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> |
| 2018–2019 | Morning Show Mysteries | Himself | 2 episodes; Also executive producer 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Zombieland: Double Tap | Himself | |
| 2020 | The Blacklist | Himself | Episode: "Roy Cain"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2021 | Who Are You, Charlie Brown? | Himself | Documentary special |
| Martha Gets Down and Dirty | Himself | Episode: "Fire Up the Wieners"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| 2022 | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Faustian Al Roker | Episode: "When You Wish Upon a Roker" |
| 2023 | Good Burger 2 | Himself | Cameo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Works
- 2000: Don't Make Me Stop This Car! reflections on fatherhood Template:ISBN
- 2013: Never Goin' Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle For Good Template:ISBN
- 2016: Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Times co-written with his wife Deborah Roberts. Template:ISBN
Billy Blessing novels
- 2009: The Morning Show Murders. Co-authored by Dick Lochte. Template:ISBN.
- 2010: The Midnight Show Murders. Co-authored by Dick Lochte; nominated for the 2011 Nero Award. Template:ISBN.
- 2011: The Talk Show Murders. Co-authored by Dick Lochte. Template:ISBN.
See also
References
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- 1954 births
- 21st-century American non-fiction writers
- African-American game show hosts
- African-American television personalities
- African-American novelists
- American bloggers
- American Episcopalians
- American game show hosts
- American male novelists
- American male voice actors
- American mystery writers
- American people of Bahamian descent
- American people of Jamaican descent
- American reporters and correspondents
- CNBC people
- Daytime Emmy Award winners
- Living people
- Male actors from Queens, New York
- NBC News people
- New York (state) television reporters
- Mass media people from Queens, New York
- People from Yorktown, New York
- State University of New York at Oswego alumni
- Television news anchors from Cleveland
- Television news anchors from New York City
- The Weather Channel people
- American television weather presenters
- Novelists from New York (state)
- Xavier High School (New York City) alumni
- American male non-fiction writers
- American male bloggers
- 20th-century African-American people
- 21st-century African-American writers