Al Roker is an outstanding person in the TV world. He became famous as a weather forecaster but this is not the only achievement of the New Yorker. He is an author of books, founder of Al Roker Entertainment studio and producer of TV shows. Al Roker always tried to bring important messages to the world to promote cultural awareness. Read more about America’s favorite TV weather presenter, his early life and career, personal triumphs and struggles on queenski.com.
Career on TV
Albert Lincoln Roker (his full name) was born on August 20, 1954 in Queens to a bus driver and a housewife. He received a bachelor’s degree in communications from the State University of New York at Oswego. At that time, he worked as a DJ at the university radio station.
He began his media career as a weather forecaster in Syracuse, New York. There, he worked from 1974 to 1976. For the next two years, Roker worked as a weather forecaster in Washington, D.C., on the independent television station WTTG. In 1978, he joined the staff of television station WKYC in Cleveland, Ohio. At the end of 1983, Roker returned to his native New York, where he got a job as a forecaster at the leading television station WNBC-TV.
During the weather forecast, Al Roker talked about sunny days with light manners. However, his tone changed when it came to reporting hurricanes or other dangerous weather events. He demonstrated a deep understanding of meteorology at both the local and national levels.
In 1990, Roker began hosting NBC’s famous Today Show. It was the first program of its kind on American TV and in the world. In 1995, he also became the host of CNBC’s weekend The Al Roker Show. As a journalist, Roker interviewed many influential personalities, including politician Barack Obama and journalist Oprah Winfrey.
The audience fell in love with Roker not only for his professionalism but also for his friendly character and charisma. His famous laughter became one of the signature features, which helped to win the attention of viewers all over the US. Despite his celebrity status, the journalist continued to leave the studio to report firsthand on the weather conditions. In 2005, America was hit by Hurricane Wilma, the most intense tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean. When Roker went outside to show the weather conditions, the wind almost knocked him off his feet.
Other activities
Al Roker uses his public platform and popularity to tell the world unpopular stories and change people’s lives for the better. He has published a number of books on a variety of topics, from parenting to weight loss secrets.
In 2010, Roker published a book about mysterious murders, The Midnight Show Murders: A Billy Blessing Novel in co-authorship with Dick Lochte. In 2016, he published the non-fiction book Been There, Done That: Family Wisdom for Modern Times. It was written together with his wife, Deborah. This is a humorous and heartfelt collection of life lessons and instructive family anecdotes from the lives of Al and Deborah.
As head of video production studio Al Roker Entertainment, he has created numerous TV shows about law enforcement, young women’s empowerment, science and more. One of his most important works is the documentary Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land. It tells about the stolen heritage of black farmers in America. Over 20 million acres of farmland were taken from black communities between 1910 and 1970. Moreover, black landowners were abused and some of them were killed for their land. The film conveys the idea that land in its ability to give harvest is much more valuable than quick money. Thanks to this film, more than 3,000,000 acres were restored to the rightful owners of the land and their heirs.
In September 2018, Roker played one of the roles in the Broadway musical Waitress. The musical is based on the film of 2007. It tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a baker and waitress who is in an abusive relationship with her husband, Earl. After Jenna unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she begins an affair with a doctor. A pie baking contest becomes a ray of light in this wave of life’s troubles.
In 2023, Rocker returned to Broadway for a brief appearance in the musical Gutenberg! The Musical! It is about two serious but ignorant theater composers who present to potential investors a wildly inaccurate musical about the life of German printer Johannes Gutenberg.
Health problems
During his life, Al Roker experienced many challenges related to his physical condition. In 2001, he underwent knee arthroplasty on his left knee. This surgery replaced the damaged joint with an artificial one.
A year later, he also underwent gastric bypass surgery after failing to lose weight through dieting. During such an operation, the stomach is sutured with titanium staples, dividing it into two sections, small and large. The small intestine is sewn to the small part of the stomach.
After such a procedure, the patient does not need large portions to satisfy hunger, thanks to which weight loss occurs. Gastric bypass allows one to reduce excess weight up to 80%. Roker managed to lose 45 of 150 kg eight months after the surgery.
In 2005, the TV forecaster underwent back surgery. In 2016, another knee replacement surgery was made. Two years later, he underwent surgery on his wrist. In 2019, he had his hip joint replaced.
In September 2020, Roker was diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, in November of the same year, the presenter fully recovered. Two years later, he was treated for blood clots in his lungs. He also suffered from internal bleeding, two bleeding ulcers and surgery to remove part of his colon and gallbladder.
Interesting Facts
- Al Roker holds the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous weather forecast. In 2014, he broadcast the weather continuously for 34 hours.
- The presenter is the winner of several Emmy Awards. This is the television equivalent of the Academy Award.
- He was included into the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame in 2015.
- He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This award was given to the journalist for his significant contribution to the entertainment industry.
- Roker is a fan of classic game shows like Jeopardy! (a quiz contest with a question-and-answer format not typical of quizzes) and Wheel of Fortune (competitors solve word puzzles to win money and prizes).
- In 1995, Roker began to lead the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The forecaster has become synonymous with this event. By the way, it is organized by the American department store chain Macy’s.
- He was married three times. Nothing is known about his first wife. In 1984, he married Alice Bell. Three years later, the couple adopted a girl, Courtney. In 1995, Roker legitimized his relationship with fellow journalist Deborah Roberts. The couple had a daughter and a son.
Al Roker is the favorite TV presenter of many Americans. He captivated the audience with his charm, wit and intelligence from the first days of his work on TV. His name has become synonymous with a reliable source of information and his openness about the fight against excess weight and health has captured the attention of numerous people.