Al Roker Biography
Al Roker is an American meteorologist, television personality, author, and actor. working for NBC as a weather anchor and occasionally co-hosts 3rd Hour Today. He joined the NBC Today news team in January 1996, after previously working for WNBC TV.
Al Roker Career
While attending SUNY Oswego, Roker worked as a weather anchor for the CBS affiliate WHEN-TV (now WTVH) in Syracuse, New York, from 1974 to 1976. He also worked as a DJ at WNYO, the college radio station, while he was a student at Oswego. After completing his education, Roker relocated to Washington, D.C., where he spent most of the next two years as a weathercaster for independent station WTTG, which was owned by Metromedia at the time.
When Roker was employed at Cleveland’s WKYC, an NBC-owned station at the time, his career with the network officially began in 1978. Roker was elevated to the network’s flagship station, WNBC-TV in his hometown of Cleveland, after serving for five years in that role. After leaving New York City for eight months, Roker returned in late 1983 to take over as the station’s regular nighttime weathercaster. Dr. Frank Field, a 27-year WNBC-TV veteran, left the network due to a contract dispute, and Roker took his position. Roker replaced forecaster Joe Witte on NBC News at Sunrise regularly from 1983 to 1996. He also covered Willard Scott, Bryant Gumbel, and Matt Lauer on the Today Show from 1990 to 1995 and from 1997 to 2000. He started hosting The Al Roker Show, a weekend chat show on CNBC, in 1995.
When David Letterman invited Roker to participate in an elevator race during a taping of his talk show Late Night with David Letterman which was held in the GE Building across the hall from the WNBC news studio Roker’s profile grew. Roker ended up joining Weekend Today as a forecaster as a result. Additionally, he filled in for Willard Scott on the weekday version of Today when he was sick or away.
Scott declared his semi-retirement from Today at the beginning of 1996. Roker was given the regular weekday weather slot on January 26, 1996. Interviewing guests outside and allowing them some camera time, Roker’s studio remote forecasts become a mainstay. Over time, Roker hosted additional segments and interviews on the program. He carries on Scott’s regular custom of wishing centenarians a happy birthday. Roker reported from Hurricane Wilma in 2005. In a widely shared viral video, he is seen clinging to the cameraman after being blown off his feet by the strong wind.
Beginning on November 12, 2012, Roker co-hosted the third hour of Today, called Today’s Take, in addition to his duties as anchor and weatherman for the Today Show. Megyn Kelly Today’s Today’s Take was canceled in February 2017; the last episode aired on September 22, 2017. Roker returned to co-host 3rd Hour Today in 2018 following the cancellation of Megyn Kelly Today. In 2013, Joe Biden shook hands with Roker at Barack Obama’s inauguration. A few years later, just before Biden joined the White House, Roker, an NBC News reporter, witnessed the newly minted president give him a fist bump.
In November 2014, Roker started a “Rokerthon” when he provided a 34-hour continuous weather prediction on NBC starting at 10:05 p.m. on November 12 and ending at about 8:00 a.m. on November 14. Fundraising for the Crowdrise Campaign, which supports the USO and military, took place at the record-breaking event. In support of Feeding America, he conducted a “Rokerthon 2” during the week of November 6–November 13, 2015, reporting weather from all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C. He started “Rokerthon 3” on March 27, 2017, and ended on March 31, 2017, visiting colleges and breaking records at each one, including the longest human letter and the longest conga line on ice.
Al Roker Salary
Roker earns an annual salary of about $47,000-$120,000.
Al Roker Net Worth
Roker has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million – $7 Million which he has earned through his career as a meteorologist.
Al Roker Age
Roker was born on August 20, 1954, in Queens, New York, NY, United States. He is 69 years old as of 2023, and he celebrates his birthday on the 20th of August every year.
Al Roker Height and Weight
Roker stands at a height of 5 feet 8 inches tall (1.65m). However, information about his weight will be updated when available.
Al Roker Family
Roker was raised Catholic, following in his mother’s footsteps, and graduated from Manhattan’s Xavier High School before enrolling at the State University of New York at Oswego, where he earned a B.A. in communications in 1976. Born in the borough of Queens, New York City, Roker is the son of Jamaican-born Isabel and Bahamian-born Albert Lincoln Roker Sr.
Al Roker Wife and Children
In December 1984, Roker married WNBC producer Alice Bell after an early marriage and divorce. They adopted a daughter named Courtney when she was a baby in 1987. Later, Bell and Roker got divorced. On September 16, 1995, Roker married TV journalist Deborah Roberts. They are blessed with a son Nicholas (born July 18, 2002), and a daughter Leila (born November 17, 1998).
Al Roker Health
Roker had a complete knee arthroplasty (replacement, or “TKA”) on his left knee on Thursday, June 7, 2001. After attempting multiple diets, Roker revealed he underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2002 in order to shed weight. The New York Daily News revealed eight months following the procedure that he has lost 100 pounds (45 kg) of his original 320 lb (150 kg) weight. In his 2013 book Never Goin’ Back: Winning the Weight Loss Battle For Good, Roker discussed his struggles with weight loss.
He underwent a back surgery in 2005. In 2016, he underwent another knee replacement procedure. Roker had emergency carpal tunnel surgery in October 2018. He underwent hip replacement surgery in September 2019. He disclosed in November 2020 that he received a prostate cancer diagnosis in September 2020. In On November 9th, he underwent a successful procedure, and by November 17th, he was recuperating at home.
Following a few days of absence from Today, Roker disclosed in November 2022 that he was receiving treatment for blood clots in his lungs in a hospital. On January 6, 2023, he made a comeback to the show and disclosed that he had undergone surgery for two bleeding ulcers, colon resection (removal of part or all of the colon), and gallbladder removal due to internal bleeding. Roker attributes his survival to the doctors and personnel at NewYork-Presbyterian, as well as his wife.
Social Media Platform
Roker is very active on his Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages. He has 2.3M followers on Twitter 958k followers on Instagram and 293k followers on Facebook.