- Al Roker
Infobox Celebrity
name = Al Roker
caption =
birth_date = birth date and age|1954|8|20
birth_place = Queens,New York , USA
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Weather presenter, television andradio personality
salary =
networth =
website = [http://www.alroker.com/ www.alroker.com]
footnotes =Albert Lincoln "Al" Roker, Jr. (born August 20, 1954) is an American television broadcaster, best known as the weather anchor for
NBC 's "Today" show. He holdsAmerican Meteorological Society Television Seal #238.Personal life
Born in the
New York City borough of Queens, New York, in 1954, Roker initially wanted to be a cartoonist before he got into television. He was raised Catholic (in the faith of his devoutly Catholic mother) and graduated from Xavier High School inManhattan . [ [http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=16194661 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."] He worked on several projects as a member of the school's Cartooning & Illustration club. He attended theState University of New York at Oswego where he double majored in graphic design and broadcasting/journalism in college. He worked in television around the Cleveland and New York areas before he became a weatherman forWNBC in New York City.In 2001, Roker had a knee operation. In 2002, in accordance with his late father's wish, 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 dropped 100 pounds (45 kg) off his 320-pound figure. [citation|last=Connor|first=Tracy|title=Stars put fat-fighting surgery in the spotlight|newspaper=New York Daily News |pages=10|year=2002|date=November 17, 2002] In 2005 Roker had a back operation. Since then, he appears to have regained some weight. [cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qHvWII9KI8&eurl=|title=Wii on the Today Show|accessdate = 2008-06-02]His wife is fellow journalist
Deborah Roberts , who has reported for both ABC andNBC where she met Roker when she first joined the network in 1990 as a reporter. They both worked together on "Today" from 1990–1995 with Roberts filling in forFaith Daniels ,Margaret Larson andMatt Lauer at the Newsdesk and Roker filling in forWillard Scott as the weatherman. Roker also filled in for weathermanJoe Witte on the former NBC News programNBC News at Sunrise from 1983 to 1996. Al Roker has three children.Career
Before the national recognition, Roker worked as a weather anchor for the
CBS affliateWTVH based in Syracuse,New York in 1974–1976, forWashington, D.C. 's FOX affiliateWTTG in 1976–1978, and for the Cleveland area NBC affiliateWKYC-TV in 1978–1983. He was also the weather anchor forWNBC inNew York City for several years starting in 1983.In 1995, he became the host of "The Al Roker Show", a weekend talk show on
CNBC . In 1996–1997, he hosted a game show onMSNBC called "Remember This? ".Roker started getting more exposure, especially when
David Letterman asked him to do an elevator race with him in one episode of histalk show "Late Night with David Letterman ", which taped across the hall from WNBC's news studio in theGE Building . That led Roker to getting a job as the weatherman for "Weekend Today ", where he did the weather for nine years. He also substituted on the weekday edition of Today whenWillard Scott was ill or away. In 1996, Scott announced his semi-retirement from the show, and Roker received the weekday weatherman position on "Today", where he has been since. He officially joined "Today" on January 26, 1996. Roker became popular for doing his forecasts outside of the studio, interviewing audience members and giving some of them camera time. Roker also began doing more interviews and segments on the show as time progressed.In 2005, Roker reported from inside
Hurricane Wilma . A popularviral video exists on the internet of Roker being swept off his feet by the force of the hurricane and holding on to his cameraman.Roker is a game show fan, and hosted a week long segment on "Today" in honor of five game shows and their hosts. He also appeared as a celebrity player on both "Wheel of Fortune" and "
Jeopardy! ". In 2008, Roker is expected to host the NBC celebrity primetime version of "Family Feud." [ [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i2e7f28d42862f7c9405bfa5680f49a6f The Hollywood Reporter] ] (Al Roker replacedMeredith Vieira for a week of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" shows on March 5-March 9, 2007.)Roker also hosts various programs on
The Food Network , namely, "Roker on the Road", and, "Tricked-Out Tailgating". He is also theauthor of severalnon-fiction books, and an avidbarbecue enthusiast.He is the host of
Celebrity Family Feud , which began airing on June 24, 2008. [ [http://www.nbc.com/Celebrity_Family_Feud/ Celebrity Family Feud | Watch Episodes Online for Free - Family Feud, All American Summer & Game Shows | Celebrity Family Feud - NBC Official Site ] ] [ [http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2008/04/al-roker-to-hos.html Orlando Sentinel - Al Roker to host "Celebrity Family Feud" by Hal Boedeker ] ]Controversy
After
Don Imus made controversial comments on his radio show about theRutgers University women'sbasketball team, Al Roker expressed his outrage on hisblog . He wrote:"I, for one, am really tired of the diatribes, the 'humor' at others' expense, the cruelty that passes for 'funny.' Don Imus isn't the only one doing this, but today he's the one in the hot seat." [cite web|url=http://www.roker.com/journal_archive_display.cfm?datedata=04-11-2007&direction=previous| title=Al's Journal — Don Imus|]
On May 8, 2007, when going to commercial, Al Roker was heard off camera saying the word "Mammy" while two women were on screen receiving mudfacial s for another show segment. This was in response to the two women appearing to be inblackface .Fact|date=November 2007On June 7, 2007, Roker referenced the logo for
2012 Summer Olympics :Remember that controversial Olympic logo for the 2012 Olympics in London? Some folks have complained that the campaign actually sent them into
The following day Roker stated, "I started joking about [the logo] . I want to make this clear — I was not joking about epilepsy or anyone who suffers from epilepsy. We understand and know that this is a serious affliction and would never joke about that. We were joking about the logo — not about epilepsy. If anybody was offended, I heartily and really humbly apologize." [cite web|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/06092007/tv/joker_roker__sorry_tv_michael_starr.htm |title=Joker Roker: 'Sorry'|] On July 19, 2007, Roker was scheduled to appear on the "epileptic seizure s. Well, we asked you to weigh in on our website in an informal poll; those of you who could get up off the floor after shaking around were able to actually log in . . .Opie & Anthony Show" to talk about the incident, but at the last minute Roker cancelled. [ [http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=442674 Al Roker Hides From Opie & Anthony Confrontation] , "FMQB", July 19, 2007.]ignature phrases
* In many occasions on "Today" he has used the phrase "
man candy " to describe attractive males. [cite web|url=http://www.cjrdaily.org/behind_the_news/al_roker_sure_loves_his_man_ca.php|title=Al Roker Sure Loves His "Man Candy"|first=Liz|last=Barrett|publisher=Columbia Journalism Review |date=October 18, 2006|accessdate = 2007-03-02]* At the end of his weather segments when they cut to local broadcasters for regional updates he says "That's what's going on around the country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods."
Other appearances and activities
Roker has done some voice acting, as both himself and a genie-like character on "
The Proud Family ", as himself on "Space Ghost Coast to Coast " ("Chambraigne ") promoting a brain-boosting shampoo, and thrice as intrepid reporter Sam Vander Rom in the math-mystery cartoon "Cyberchase ", including an episode called "The Wedding Scammer", which is a send-up of annual wedding on "Today".He has been referenced in the movies "
Madagascar ", "The Simpsons " ("Brake My Wife, Please "), "Drawn Together " ("Lost in Parking Space, Part One "), and "Men in Black", where he is "outed" as an alien. Broadway musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" includes a song referring to playing "poker with Al Roker."* He has starred in the Internet flash game "Al Roker and the Escape from the Haunted House" (or, for short, "Al Roker's Haunted House").
* Roker was also the weatherman for several radio stations, including the New York
smooth jazz radio station WQCD (101.9 FM) and for Cleveland, Ohio smooth jazz stationWNWV (107.3 FM). The service was called the "Al Roker Radio Weather Network," it was provided byUnited Stations Radio Networks . He has since been replaced on those networks byJohn Wetherbee . [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20040818060842/www.unitedstations.com/usrnweb/pages/content/alroker/details.asp?format=FmtNewstalksports Al Roker Radio Weather Network] at United Stations Radio Network] [ [http://www.usrn.com/usrnweb/pages/content/johnwetherbee/details.asp?format=SvcServices John Wetherbee Radio Weather Service] at United Stations Radio Network]* Roker was parodied as the weatherman "the great, reliable, portly, Big Al" in the "
Chappelle's Show " skit "Reparations for Slavery". Big Al changes his voice from white-audience friendly (an imitation of Roker's onscreen persona) to "gangsta" and reveals that his real name is Alton Sims.* Al Roker holds the record for most guest appearances on "
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ", with over 30. [cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106052/trivia|title=Trivia for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993)|publisher=IMDB |accessdate = 2008-06-02] Roker is considered one of Late Night's "go to" guys—along with comedian and commentatorAl Franken , who has the second most appearances—whenever a scheduled guest cancels.* Is the cousin of "
The Jeffersons " starRoxie Roker and her sonLenny Kravitz .* Famous painter
Mike Jennings of Alamo, California, has begun work on a mural to Al Roker in order to express his fan adoration.* Al Roker is the basis for the animated series "
Family Guy "'s character of Ollie Williams, the meteorologist on "Quahog 5 News" known for his "BlaccuWeather forecast" (the name a play onAccuWeather ).* Appears as himself in first episode of
Newsradio in 1995.* Appears as himself at the end of the "
Seinfeld " episode "The Cigar Store Indian " where he steals Jerry's gyro sandwich when he rode on the subway with Elaine after she ruined Frank's TV Guide that had Roker on the cover.* On the February 28, 1998 episode of "
Saturday Night Live " (hosted byDavid Duchovny ), Roker appeared in a "Mango" sketch withMatt Lauer . Usually, the sketch follows the fruitless pursuit of Mango by a character (portrayed by the host). In the middle of this particular sketch, Roker appeared as the object of Lauer's affection. Instead of the famous catch-phrase "Mango, Mango!" Lauer says, "Roker, ROKER!!"* For a while after becoming the regular weatherman for Today, Roker returned to
WNBC 's show "Live at Five " with a trivia segment known as "Al's Tidbit".* In New York City, August 20 (Roker's birthday) is "Al Roker Day".Fact|date=March 2008
* Al Roker made an appearance on "
30 Rock " on April 5, 2007. During the "Today" show of that day, the appearance was heavily talked about.* Roker was parodied in "
Mad Magazine " #386 in the song "Livin' to Feed Al Roker" (to be sung to the tune ofRicky Martin 's "Livin' La Vida Loca ").* Al Roker was shown reporting the weather on the movie, "
Unaccompanied Minors ". He was also mentioned later in the movie.* Roker is well-known as one of New York's best amateur jam-makers, with his raspberry being particularly delicious.Fact|date=March 2008
* Roker is an avid
audiophile .Fact|date=March 2008* 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. [cite web |url=http://www.rmhc.com/celebrity-friends/ |title=Celebrity Friends of RMHC |publisher=McDonald's Corporation]* Al Roker served as the official spokesperson for Amtrak's National Train Day, which took place on May 10, 2008. [http://www.nationaltrainday.com/events-information.]
ee also
*
Bahamian American
*The Proud Family References
External links
* [http://www.alroker.com/ Al Roker's personal website]
* [http://www.courttv.com/al_roker/ "Al Roker Investigates" on Court TV]
* [http://www.roker.com/arp_bahama.cfm Al Roker's Bahamas Reunion]
* [http://www.alroker.com/journal.cfm His weblog]
* [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4515729/ Roker's NBC biography]
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* [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/al_roker/article/0,1974,FOOD_9780_1702071,00.html Food Network's Al Roker page]
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