The staff at TODAY experienced a pretty scary situation last week, when an intruder entered the studio where the NBC morning show is filmed after bypassing security. Thankfully, no one was physically harmed in the incident, but network executives reportedly began looking into their protocols immediately in hopes of preventing further incidents. Now, word has gone out to publicity firms regarding big changes for future guests.

A man was arrested July 16 after allegedly entering an unauthorized area of 30 Rockefeller Plaza’s Studio 1A in search of Al Roker. There, he encountered Craig Melvin and reportedly lunged at the news anchor and used a slur. The Today Show team has since made some adjustments, Variety reports, sending an email to publicists to alert them to “stricter security protocols effective immediately.” The message read:

A security guard was let go after it was reported that the intruder was able to enter TODAY’s studio by closely following behind an employee who used an access card to get inside. It seems that by only allowing two additional people per guest of the show to be in the studio, NBC is hoping to decrease the opportunity for people to piggyback on those with access.

The Today Show’s guests are still allowed to bring others with them; however, anyone beyond the two authorized by the guest will have to wait elsewhere during the interview. The email acknowledged this may be inconvenient, writing:

Craig Melvin, Al Roker and the rest of the team reportedly continued on with Thursday’s edition of The Today Show without mention of the incident. However, Melvin later assured fans via social media that he was “just fine,” and also addressed the situation on the air the following morning.

Savannah Guthrie, who has been through a lot this year after her mother was abducted from her home in February, was not at work when the man entered the studio. She will be taking some time off for the next few weeks for reasons unrelated to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance or the scary Today Show intrusion.

The alleged trespasser, identified as Andrew Truelove, was charged with burglary as a hate crime, menacing as a hate crime, criminal trespass as a hate crime and harassment.

You can continue to catch The Today Show on the 2026 TV schedule each weekday morning on NBC.

Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson’s hilarious bond might be getting a run for its money. Hart is starring in the upcoming Netflix film 72 Hours with Saturday Night Live star Marcello Hernández, and the duo have been giving fans a sneak peek at what to expect when it comes to their comedy. This includes Hernández doing a spot-on impression of his co-star that made Al Roker laugh so hard he had to apologize.

While promoting 72 Hours, which releases on Friday with a Netflix subscription, Hernández and Hart appeared on The Today Show. Not surprisingly, putting two comedians together means endless laughs, and that was true for both the film and their Today appearance. Since this is their first time working together, Hernández gave people a taste of what it’s truly like working with Hart, and his impression got everyone, on and off-camera, cackling. That includes Roker, check out below:

As a comedian, you can expect someone like Hart to have a great sense of humor, and I love that he can laugh at himself. Considering all the times that The Rock has trolled him, it makes sense. Secondly, the fact that you can hear Roker laughing hysterically off-screen really makes the entire bit. Laughter fuels comedians, so hearing all that laughter and how much Roker enjoyed it probably pushed Hernández to go even further with his impression. The fact that Roker felt the need to apologize for laughing is just icing on the cake.

Whenever you get SNL stars in a movie, you know it’s going to be a good one, and when they’re paired with other SNL stars or comedians, that is going to really heighten the entire project. Already it seems like Hernández and Hart are getting along swimmingly. And it makes me excited to see their new movie because if it’s anything like this interview, I just know I’m going to be laughing the entire time.

It does blow my mind that 72 Hours is the first time that Hernández and Hart have worked together, especially since it seems like they’ve been friends for years. The last time Hart hosted Saturday Night Live was in 2017, and Hernández didn’t join the show until 2022. As of now, he doesn’t seem to have any desire to follow in Chloe Fineman’s footsteps and leave SNL, and Hart is severely overdue for a return to Studio 8H, so hopefully we’ll get even more of them when Season 52 premieres this fall.

At the very least, we can look forward to seeing Kevin Hart and Marcello Hernández together in 72 Hours. The new film, also starring fellow SNL stars Ben Marshall and Kam Patterson as well as Mason Gooding, Teyana Taylor, Michael Mando, Zach Cherry, Mike Epps, Andy Garcia, and Kevin Dunn, drops on Netflix on Friday.

If you watched The Today Show on July 16, you probably didn’t realize that the cast and crew — particularly Craig Melvin — had just experienced a pretty frightening incident. NBC’s morning show went on as planned Thursday, but reports began to circulate quickly about an intruder getting past security. Melvin confirmed on the air Friday that a man had indeed managed to get past security into an unauthorized area of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, with NYPD responding.

Andrew Truelove, 41, was arrested Thursday, TMZ reports, after getting into TODAY’s Studio 1A and asking where he could find Al Roker. Craig Melvin was in the area at the time, and Truelove allegedly confronted him, reportedly lunging at the co-host and yelling a slur at him. Page Six reports the incident lasted 8 to 10 seconds before the intruder was detained, and NYPD arrested him shortly after. Melvin spoke about the situation about 30 minutes into Friday’s show on the 2026 TV schedule, saying:

Craig Melvin was surrounded by Carson Daly, Al Roker and Laura Jarrett, who was filling in as Savannah Guthrie got “an early start to the weekend,” according to Melvin. The anchor, who allegedly came face-to-face with the intruder, assured his colleagues he was “safe and sound,” adding:

He had also posted about the incident on Instagram on Thursday, after many people reportedly reached out to check on him after such a scary interaction. Craig Melvin wrote:

The incident raises safety questions, to be sure, especially since security was allegedly increased after Savannah Guthrie returned from her leave of absence earlier this year. TMZ reports that a security guard at 30 Rockefeller Plaza was terminated Thursday after the intruder slipped by him into Studio 1A.

Andrew Truelove was charged with hate crime burglary, hate crime menacing, hate crime criminal trespass and harassment in Thursday’s incident. The New York Post reports that he has eight previous arrests, mostly for criminal mischief. His record also allegedly includes a charge of second-degree assault after he reportedly attacked a staffer at his residence in January, grabbing the worker’s arm and slamming a door into it.

The Today Show incident is especially disturbing given what Savannah Guthrie has been through this year with the disappearance of her mother Nancy. The longtime NBC anchor had allegedly left the building shortly before the incident occurred. It’s unknown if her absence Friday was previously scheduled, but Guthrie missed several days earlier this month to spend some time with her family. Last month she also had production meetings for the upcoming game show Wordle, which caused her to be absent from Today for several days.

While this latest incident was presumably unrelated to what Savannah Guthrie’s been through, everyone on The Today Show has reportedly been a little more on edge, and this incident isn’t likely to help matters. We’re glad no one was physically harmed in Thursday’s security breach, and we hope Craig Melvin, Al Roker and the rest truly are “just fine.”

Billy Bush and Al Roker worked together at The Today Show for less than a year in 2016, and to say it didn’t go well would be an understatement. There was a much-publicized on-air argument. There were rumors of behind the scenes issues, and a decade later, it seems those negative vibes are still there. During a recent podcast appearance, Bush was asked about his time working with Roker, and he did not hold back on the 71-year-old affectionately dubbed America’s Weatherman.

In a blistering rant that lasted almost ten minutes, only interrupted by host Maureen Callahan’s follow-up questions, Bush went off on Roker. He said he had great relationships with all of his female co-workers, but both Roker and anchor Matt Lauer hated him immediately. He said Roker especially was “territorial, vindictive and chronically unprepared.” He also accused him of being the sort of person who gets jealous if other people have good moments on the show.

Here's a portion of the quote from his appearance on The Nerve...

According to Bush, the problems with Roker began almost immediately. He was originally brought in to The Today Show to help liven up the third hour, the one Roker hosted, but because the weatherman didn’t have any say in the decision, it allegedly didn’t sit well with him. Bush claims his old Access Hollywood producer told him before he even arrived on set that he heard the talent didn’t want him there, and that’s the impression he got immediately. He said there was a general unfriendliness and not long after, he was told that Roker had liked a tweet from a random Twitter user that accused Bush of racism.

Some tension over how many questions Bush was asking during interviews and other small matters allegedly became a regular part of their working relationship, but the partnership wasn’t destined to last very long. First, the two got into a much-publicized argument on-air over Ryan Lochte’s debunked story about being robbed during the Olympics. Then a few months later, behind the scenes footage from an old Access Hollywood interview went viral in which Bush appeared to laugh while President Trump talked about groping women. He was quickly suspended and later let go. He eventually took a job with Extra.

It’s been a long time since the two worked together, but it’s obvious all of Bush’s negative feelings are still fresh. With time to reflect, he’s of the opinion that Roker has always wanted to be more than a weatherman. According to him, that’s why he pushed to be involved in segments outside the weather. It’s allegedly why he pushed to host the third hour of Today, and it’s why he was so touchy about who was doing what. You can watch the full interview segment below…

Of course, that’s just Bush’s side of the story. Obviously things didn’t work out as well for him as hoped at The Today Show. Roker, however, is still there and is celebrating his 30 year anniversary on the show this year. It’s been an all-time run, and notably, one that has included an almost twenty year co-working relationship with Bush’s cousin Jenna Bush Hager, who hosts the fourth hour of Today and also hilariously once accused him of making out with her grandmother.

I would be surprised if Roker addresses his relationship with Billy Bush directly. He’s normally pretty professional during his media appearances, but maybe at some point, we’ll get the weatherman’s side of the story. I’m sure he has thoughts, whether he ever shares them or not.

It was emotional for viewers when Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie reunited on Today, months after the harrowing date when Nancy Guthrie vanished in Arizona. NBC had high expectations about how the moment would play in the ratings that didn’t pan out exactly as the network (allegedly) hoped. Yet, I enjoyed that things felt like business as usual, and there’s another way Guthrie has reportedly manifested this attitude in the halls at work.

One thing NBC was (also allegedly) very concerned about was Savannah Guthrie’s return itself. I don’t think there was a question that people were excited to have her back in the fold. (Well, at least outside of some perceived drama about having both Hoda Kotb and her replacement Craig Melvin around.) While there's still healing to be undergone, Guthrie getting back to work means she’s ready to move forward, even with the mystery of what happened to her mother still unfolding.

Regardless, given the high-profile nature of the case, and what is now likely to be a negative outcome, NBC was apparently a little cautious around their star anchor’s return. According to a Rob Shuter spoiler report, changes were made to security to tighten things up before their anchorwoman returned to the set.

In fact, measures in the building that may have been a bit on the lax side before are now very strict, and it’s allegedly a “rules are rules” environment.

There’s been no indication that Savannah Guthrie is potentially in danger of being targeted after what happened with her mother. (In fact, local law enforcement previously said they didn't think there was "an active threat.") However, given the case has no resolution yet, and there was some question about whether the star would even return initially, I’m not surprised the network may be feeling like it’s better to be safe than sorry.

To that point, though, Guthrie herself reportedly doesn’t want to feel as if she is in lockdown whilst at work. An insider also told the scooper:

Which brings us to this week.

To That Point, Al Roker Also Weighed In

Al Roker seemingly confirmed the latter point this week when he told TV Insider Savannah wants to just get back into the swing of things and be as normal as possible.

Guthrie will likely have a few months to get back into the swing of things. Daytime TV nearly always takes a break from the TV schedule during the summer, and last year The Today Show paused for several weeks in August. Last year, she and her husband Michael Feldman took their two kids to Maine. It’s unclear what’s on the docket this year with what’s still ongoing in the Nancy Guthrie case, but with summer break looming, April is not a bad time to get back to work.

It’s been nearly two months since Savannah Guthrie took a leave of absence in the wake of her mother’s disappearance. Even now, authorities are still overseeing an investigation into the whereabouts of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Savannah recently participated in a tearful interview, during which she discussed the familial ordeal, and it’s also since been revealed that she’ll be returning to her post at NBC Studios in early April. Guthrie’s colleagues seem to be looking forward to having her back, and Al Roker had a profound take on it.

Guthrie will officially resume her co-anchor duties on Today on Monday, April 6, and that information was revealed during the final part of her conversation with colleague and friend Hoda Kotb. Following that segment (which was posted to YouTube), Kotb, Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker and more discussed Guthrie’s situation and expressed support for her. During that conversation, Roker also made a note as to why the timing of Guthrie’s return is “almost symbolic,” and it’s something I admittedly hadn’t considered:

This year, Easter is on Sunday, April 5 and, within the Christian faith, that holiday marks the day that Jesus Christ is said to have risen from the grave. Considering that, it’s incredibly fitting that Guthrie would return on the following Monday, and I honestly can’t believe I didn’t think about that, especially considering my history with Easter in my own family. Roker has certainly dropped some insightful gems in his time, but this is one that really resonates. And I’m not the only one who can appreciate that connection.

Co-host Craig Melvin responded to Al Roker’s assertion, admitting that he “had not thought about that.” Kotb warmly responded as well, as she said, “Of course, you did, Mr. Roker.” Hager also surmised that that link may also not have been lost on Guthrie, who reportedly attends the same church that she does. For her part, Hager was also visibly emotional when talking about what the Guthrie family had been through in recent months.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31, 2026, at which point she was at her home in Catalina Foothills, Arizona. A criminal investigation was eventually launched and, since then, authorities have been searching for leads. Subsequently, the Guthries received alleged ransom notes but, as of this writing, there’s still no proof of life. Savannah also shared social media messages – some of which involved her siblings – in which she tried to appeal to those who may have taken her mother. At present, the Guthrie family is offering a reward valued up to $1 million.

The past few weeks have seen considerable speculation in regard to whether Savannah Guthrie would permanently leave Today. Eventually, NBC commented on the rumors around the time visited the studio earlier this month, and insiders alleged that during that reunion, she declared her intention to return to work. Subsequent reports claimed execs were looking for the best way to handle Guthrie’s return.

Hoda Kotb has been filling in for Savannah Guthrie while she’s been out and, as part of that, Kotb also bowed out of covering the 2026 Winter Olympics. With Guthrie’s return to the air now less than a week away, viewers won’t have long before they see her back at the Today desk. To piggyback off Al Roker’s sweet point, it seems that during this time, Guthrie is rising to the occasion.

Bruce Willis is a film legend, although in recent years, he's become synonymous with his degenerating health. Back in 2023, Willis was forced to retire and was later diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Since then, fans have been following along and getting updates from his family, who have rallied around him. And after his wife Emma Heming Willis posted a sweet tribute on his 71st birthday, some celebrities offered messages of love and support in the comments section.

On top of serving as Bruce's caretaker, his wife Emma Heming Willis has been advocating for dementia research. While celebrating his birthday, she asked people to donate to The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund. You can check out the post in question below:

How sweet is that? On top of showing Bruce Willis during a simpler time in their lives, her message also took the time to try and make a difference with FTD research on the legendary actor's 71st birthday. It's hard not to be touched by her dedication to her husband and the community.

Bruce Willis' best movies often showed him as a badass, so his frontotemporal dementia stands in juxtaposition to his previous public image. A number of public figures gave both him and Emma love in the above posts' comments section, some responses read:

• Bruno buddy, happy b-day! We rocked the 80s !!! 🎸 feel all the love you’ve earned.And amazing Emma.. love You too … 🙏 - realmikejfox
• That smile - alroker
• Happy Birthday Bruce ❤️ we will keep advocating for FTD, god bless! - theftdbrothers
• Watching Moonlighting today because that was the first exposure I had of his greatness! Thanks for loving him so well! - bobsmileycomedy

There's clearly a ton of love there, as previously shown with the family's Thanksgiving photos. It really seems like Bruce Willis' loved ones have rallied around him, including his ex-wife, Demi Moore. And now folks like Michael J. Fox and Al Roker have shared sweet responses on the actor's 71st birthday.

Bruce's wife has had a unique and emotional respective on her famous husband's declining health over the years. Emma Heming Willis revealed the "one blessing" is that the Pulp Fiction actor isn't actually aware of his diagnosis. And as such, the family can simply focus on making him as comfortable and loved as possible. Although she's also using their shared platform to advocate for FTD research.

The above post is one of love, but Emma has also stood up for Bruce when necessary since his diagnosis. For instance, she asked paprazzi to stop calling out to him and creating confusion in public. Throughout it all, she's shown grace and dedication in spite of an impossible situation. Talk about a total class act. Let's just hope that his 71st birthday was one where the whole family could come together and show each other love.

When it comes to TV news personalities, few are arguably as well known (and beloved) as Al Roker is. Roker serves as the weather anchor on The Today Show, and that’s a post he’s held for some time now. In fact, the veteran journalist just recently marked his 30th year working at the long-running NBC morning show. 71-year-old Roker now seems to be feeling a bit reflective, as he continues to work amidst the 2026 TV schedule. On that note, he shared some thoughts regarding what he’d like his legacy to be.

Through the years, Roker has expertly delivered weather reports, eloquently interviewed public figures and humorously bantered with his co-hosts. Roker’s body of work, of course, isn’t just limited to Today, as he was a working journalist long before he began walking the halls of NBC Studios. It was during an interview with People that the New York City native took some time to reflect on his journey. As for how he’d love people to look upon the work he’s done over the past several decades, Roker shared a straightforward take:

That hope makes complete sense, considering the principles of TV news. In a setting like The Today Show, the ultimate goal is to inform the public and that by the time they’re finished watching a newscast, they know more than they knew before tuning in. Personally, I feel confident in saying Roker isn’t one to waste the time whenever he’s on air. That goes for whether he’s delivering serious news or chopping it up with Hugh Jackman amid a weather report.

Al Roker joined Today on a full-time basis in 1996 after years of working at different news affiliates, including some in his home state of New York. Once Roker – who previously did weather reports on weekends – eventually landed the weekday slot, he gradually gained more notoriety. He also began to take on other duties, including co-hosting The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, which he’s done every year but 2022 for over 30 years.

While Roker’s work has definitely been on display, he also hasn’t shied away from opening up about his personal life from time to time. Most notably, Roker discussed his health in November 2022, at which point he was hospitalized and treated for blood clots in his lungs. During that medical situation, the veteran host received love from his Today Show family as well as fans. Roker was off the air for a little while, before returning to the program in January 2023. At this point, Roker seems to have a great perspective on his life and career:

The newsman, father, husband and grandfather definitely doesn’t seem to be slowing down, and that comes as a comfort to me. I’d say that Al Roker’s legacy is more than solidified at this point, and I look forward to seeing what he continues to do as a TV journalist.

Live television is always a gamble. A program can have a room full of professionals who have planned out every single second of a broadcast, and yet there always exists the potential for something to go wrong or… weird. For proof of this, one need only recall an incident that occurred a little over 16 years ago on the Today show that saw famed weather anchor Al Roker’s leg get humped by a fuzzy creature from the Star Wars universe.

This is a big week for Roker, as he is celebrating his 30th year as part of the Today family, and while his tenure on the long-running morning program has featured a number of positive highlights, he highlighted one of his oddest on-screen moments while recently speaking with People. The show in question was on Halloween in 2009, and he and his co-stars all participated in a special Star Wars-themed episode. Roker, who certainly knows how to have fun on camera, was personally dressed up as Han Solo (replete with wig, vest and blaster), and the production got a few bonuses courtesy of the folks at Lucasfilm, including a couple actors dressed up in Ewok costumes. He recalled,

Al Roker and co-host Ann Curry were part of a segment highlighting Halloween-themed cocktails, but things went a bit off the rails when the space was invaded by a pair of Ewoks who didn’t seem to have any plan beyond causing chaos. They grabbed drinks off the bar and imitated Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, and one of them even went as far as to start humping Roker’s leg.

In the moment in the taped broadcast, the TV host looks at the camera and smiles while saying, “I feel so dirty” – but over a decade-and-a-half later, he seems to reflect on it with only glee. He added,

I imagine the “they” in that last sentence refers to the aforementioned “folks from Lucasfilm,” as the company is very protective of the Star Wars brand – which has a mostly clean, family-friendly public perception. That being said, there is no way that we would still be talking about the segment 16-plus years later if that Ewok didn’t hump Al Roker’s leg, and they say that “all press is good press.”

And the Star Wars brand certainly survived it: this bit of TV history was a few years before Disney acquired Lucasfilm and started a new era for the franchise with 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

For those who haven’t done the math, Roker’s beloved run on Today began all the way back in 1996 when he replaced Willard Scott, and he has been a TV staple ever since – and you can always tune in to see him on NBC between 7:00-11:00am.

Megyn Kelly is known for her no-holds-barred opinions, but it was still surprising when she outed a whole slew of the most "unhappy” celebrities she’s interviewed in Hollywood. The list was varied and included a-list actors all the way down to one beloved journalist. Yes, I’m talking about Al Roker. And no I didn’t see his name coming, but they do have a past.

Some A-Listers Megyn Kelly Claims Are More Naughty Than Nice

Kelly was asked by The Daily Mail about some negative interactions she’s had over the years. Unsurprisingly, she had opinions, but it was still a bit surprising to see her openly name drop some of her bad interactions, one of which came from Jane Fonda and Robert Redford when they were promoting Our Souls at Night. She said she had a tough time navigating through the fact Redford refused to talk about their sex scenes, but Fonda wanted to:

Both Fonda and Redford are Hollywood legends, but she also told the outlet they weren’t the only legends to really be tough on her during her time on the air. Bruce Willis has been more out of the public limelight and has retired from acting since his Aphasia diagnosis (though wife Emma Heming Willis has been a champion of research for the cause, and has been candid about the 'blessing and curse' with Willis' diagnosis).

However, in his heyday, he was apparently not-so-easy to deal with. Megyn Kelly said Bruce Willis agreed to go on Fox News, despite having a different political take than many of the anchors there, and she noted it was awkward overall. Said Kelly:

However, of all the people Kelly name-dropped as having a bad attitude toward her, I did not see one fellow broadcaster coming.

NBC's Al Roker Made Megyn Kelly’s List

Al Roker is one of America’s Darlings. He’s known for being well-liked and affable on NBC’s Today. He publicly weathered a health scare that kept him from the show for a while, and kept a positive attitude throughout the ordeal. He’s a cheery guy… at least when on camera. Kelly was a little reticent to be as specific about Al Roker’s specific issues, but she made a comparison most people could understand.

Megyn Kelly currently runs her own podcast “The Megyn Kelly Show,” but prior to these she was an anchor for Fox News from 2004-2017 during an era where people’s political opinions became more polarizing. She left Fox for NBC News after the scandal with Roger Ailes, working for the same network Al Roker worked for at the time. From her Dershowitz (a conservative) bumping into Larry David (a liberal) comment, it sounds like Kelly felt Mr. Roker was not super warm or welcome to her.

We do know that Al Roker publicly called out Ms. Kelly amidst the backlash after she claimed blackface within the context of Halloween costumes is OK. She later left NBC to go it alone.

In my personal experience, celebrities run the gamut. They can be consistently nice or consistently not, though many might have different moods on different days. I’ve experienced celebrities who are totally nice and engaged for one movie and irritated for others, and we don’t know if the experiences Kelly had with certain celebrities might have changed over time. We also don’t know if she interacted with some of these people multiple times. Suffice to say, we all have had exchanges with people that may not have gone as planned. Yet, in the journalist’s case, there’s more tea simply because she’s dealing with famous people on a day-to-day basis.

Hugh Jackman is certainly not the first celebrity guest on TODAY to join Al Roker at the weather board. I would bet he’s one of the few to do so by interrupting the morning show host’s report. The Wolverine actor and Kate Hudson appeared on TODAY Monday morning to talk about their upcoming musical biopic on the 2025 movie schedule, Song Sung Blue. The movie is based on a 2008 documentary of the same name about the ‘80s Midwest phenomenon Thunder & Lightning, a husband and wife Neil Diamond tribute band. While the real Thunder & Lightning never met Diamond in their heyday, it turns out the X-Men actor has, and it's a story he decided to tell during Al Roker’s weather report.

Just after chatting with the Song Sung Blue actors, Samantha Guthrie passed the broadcast over to Roker to do the weather. The nearly 30-year TODAY show vet transitioned with a personal anecdote about singing “Sweet Caroline” with Diamond out on the TODAY plaza back in the day, and Jackman couldn’t help but one-up Roker about singing with the rock legend before becoming hilariously self-aware:

Ever the good host, Roker invited the Greatest Showman actor to join him up at the weather board. Jackman immediately stood up to finish his story, keeping it short and sweet:

While he was up there, the Logan actor figured he would give a slightly chaotic impromptu weather report that left the TODAY host doubled over in laughter. Though Jackman initially interrupted Roker’s broadcast time, it was all in good fun, with both men bantering throughout the whole exchange. Take a look:

Please, as if Hugh Jackman could be rude. I don’t think the Aussie actor has a rude bone in his body. The only thing that could have made that interaction better was if Jackman, Roker, Hudson and Guthrie had broken into “Sweet Caroline” live on air. It would have been very on brand for the Les Misérables actor and Almost Famous actress, as they’ve been doing a lot of Neil Diamond karaoke lately.

The duo sang alongside the real life Thunder, Claire Sardina, at the premiere for Song Sung Blue in New York City, as well as recently showed up at a NYC bar to celebrate their Gotham Awards win (via People) to surprise the bar patrons with some “Sweet Caroline” karaoke. This video of the surprise performance posted by @joeefowler on TikTok is electric, and as a Boston native, I would have given anything to be in that bar.

I wonder if things got this lit when Hugh Jackman invited himself over to the “Cracklin’ Rosie” singer’s house. If this is part of Focus Features’ marketing strategy for Sing Sung Blue, it’s working. Jackman and Kate Hudson are celebrated actors with incredible singing voices, but these guerrilla karaoke performances have me sold on their chemistry. I’m excited to go see the Golden Globe-nominated performance when it releases in theaters on Christmas Day.

It’s only natural that when you allow a specific person or group of people into your home on a regular basis through the TV, you start to feel an attachment to them. That’s definitely the kind of relationship Al Roker has formed with his fans in his approximately three decades on The Today Show, where he continues to appear weekdays on the 2025 TV schedule. As with many longtime TV personalities, Roker has his own catchphrase, and there’s a really sweet story about how it came to be.

Al Roker has brought such a burst of personality to NBC’s morning show for so long now that it’s jarring when we don’t see the weather expert’s big smile as he utters the words:

It turns out there’s sentimental meaning behind the words, and he opened up about why he chose that as his catchphrase while accepting a Lifetime Achievement Honor last week at the 46th annual News Emmy Awards. Al Roker revealed to People:

What a great way to pay tribute to a loved one. We’ve seen TV personalities find ways to shout-out loved ones in a number of different ways over the years — Carol Burnett’s ear tug comes to mind — but to make his grandfather’s words his catchphrase is a great way to honor his memory on practically a daily basis.

Of course, it also made sense for the job he was doing. Al Roker provided the national weather broadcast, and he needed a way to signal the transition back to local affiliates. As he explained:

He’s a smart one, that’s for sure. Al Roker has been a full-time member of The Today Show team since 1996, but his tenure at NBC — and even with the morning show — started decades earlier. To this day viewers never really know what they’re going to get from the anchor, whether that’s distracting his co-hosts in a How to Train Your Dragon Toothless mask, making an appearance at WrestleMania or his awkward reaction when Jenna Bush Hager mistakenly accused him of kissing her grandmother.

He’s got a fiery side to him too — remember when fans expressed concern on social media about him being “too old” to cover hurricanes on location? Yeah, he gave them a big (humor-filled), “Screw you.”

That big personality and zest for life undoubtedly helped him through a serious medical issue that caused blood clots in his legs and lungs. It’s a miracle he survived, said the weatherman’s wife, ABC news anchor Deborah Roberts, who received her own honor at the News Emmys for her 25 years of service.

These days Al Roker seems more passionate about his Today Show gig than ever, and what a blessing it is for his fans to be able to continue to hear that tribute to his grandfather from our own neck of the woods.

NBC's The Today Show has been quite eventful as the 2025 TV schedule has pushed on. For instance, earlier this year, longtime panelist Hoda Kotb co-hosted her final show. Now, Jenna Bush Hager is claiming that Al Roker made out with her grandmother years ago. Naturally, Roker was taken aback after the statement was made on live TV, until Bush Hager corrected herself.

The flub occurred during the Tuesday, June 10 edition of Today, after coverage of ​​Roker's viral excursion to Epic Universe and during Bush Hager's daily Morning Boost segment. The featured boost highlighted the news anchor’s paternal grandma, former first lady Barbara Bush, receiving a commemorative stamp in her honor. That’s when JBH asked her peer if he remembered making out with her grandmother. But, quickly, after looking at her co-anchor’s face, she realized that it was actually weatherman Willard Scott, who smooched her grandma. When responding (via People), Roker said:

What a surprising exchange! Given Bush Hager previously talked about the late Willard Scott receiving a quick kiss on the lips from the former first lady during a 1989 inaugural parade, watching this error unravel is wild. Thankfully, Bush Hager immediately set the record straight. It's been said that anything can happen on live TV, and that's certainly one

Of course, if there's anything to know about Al Roker, it's that he's one of the wittiest personalities on TV. So it shouldn't be all that surprising that he was able to bounce back from the awkward moment with a cheeky thought on not having smooched Barbara Bush:

Today remains an entertaining and exciting show to tune into for all sorts of surprises. Who could’ve guessed Bush Hager would’ve geared the conversation toward that kiss? What I love even more, though, is that the wrongly accused Roker shared that aforementioned quip! Kudos to him for also being such a good sport about the mistake.

Roker, who became a grandpa in 2023, is definitely a pro when it comes to handling unexpected moments on air. He’s just shy of marking three decades with the long-running NBC morning show, and I'd imagine that he's surely had to stay on his toes on more than a few occasions over the course of his illustrious broadcasting career.

Meanwhile, Jenna Bush Hager continues to carve out her place on the program in the aftermath of Hoda Kotb's departure (but she’s in no rush to replace the beloved ex-co-host). Bush Hager has found great success in her new spot, Jenna & Friends, which pairs her with a plethora of celebrity guest hosts. All the while, Kotb has been studying the newcomers and has some A+ permanent host ideas. (I particularly love Kotb’s desire for actor and podcaster Matt Rogers to take her post permanently.)

Right now, though, I'm not sure I'm going to forget this make-out misunderstanding anytime soon. I hope that, in time, Al Roker and Jenna Bush Hager can find as much humor in it as I do.

The Epic Universe opening ceremonies just happened this week in Orlando, Florida, and Today’s Al Roker was on deck to celebrate. The beloved weathercaster and TV personality joined the NBC team (Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer) as the brand new Universal theme park opened, and I’m obsessed with what happened when he tried on one piece of How To Train Your Dragon merchandise.

Universal’s Epic Universe allows its guests to step into five worlds, which includes How To Train Your Dragon’s Isle of Berk, so of course there’s some Toothless thingamabobs for fans to buy and wear around the parks. I can’t stop watching Al Roker trying on a Toothless mask. You have to check it out:

The host is wearing the How To Train Your Dragon Light-up Toothless Mask, which is currently on Universal’s online store for $48, along with surely being sold at the parks. The 70-year-old personality put on the mask during a segment about the merchandise, and just wouldn’t quit opening up the movable mask. He stopped talking altogether and just kept opening his mouth, triggering the feature over and over, and it’s just so adorable.

Al Roker has been a grandpa since 2023, and he’s definitely bringing that energy to network morning television with this hilarious little moment. There are a few things that are doing it for me about this little video. 1) It’s incredibly wholesome and cute. 2) The mask itself is both ridiculous, and very impressive. 3) the prestigious Al Roker doing this with it simply brings me joy.

It does make you want to try it yourself, doesn’t it? I do have to wonder if Al Roker and the Today Show gang enjoyed Isle of Berk’s offerings, too. How To Train Your Dragon’s land features a centerpiece ride called Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, which is a rollercoaster that goes all around the theme park. There’s a couple smaller rides called Dragon Racer’s Rally and Fyre Drill, a live show called The Untrainable Dragon, and a kids play area called Viking Training Camp. It looks really impressive! When our staff member Dirk Libbey went, he rode every Epic Universe ride and you can see where he ranked them all.

Aside from the Isle of Berk being open to the public for the first time, the How To Train Your Dragon live-action film is among upcoming 2025 movies coming out this summer, on June 13. We’ll be able to see Toothless in a more palpable Viking setting alongside live-action actors. It was screened last month to rave reviews, and we also got to see early footage and share our thoughts.

It feels like Toothless is definitely going to get even more popular this summer, so who knows? Maybe Al Roker will start a trend.

For many people, today was a day like any other. They woke up, downed some coffee and began counting down the hours to the weekend. However, for those whose morning routine includes turning on NBC to watch The Today Show, it was much more notable. January 10 was a day on the 2025 TV schedule many have been dreading since September when Hoda Kotb announced that she was leaving the morning show after 17 years. Following her final broadcast, several of her co-stars, including Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker, paid tribute to the beloved host.

It’s hard to believe that Hoda Kotb’s last day has come and gone, as she prepares to start new adventures and spend more time with her two young daughters. Savannah Guthrie may not have been surprised that Kotb decided to walk away, given things her colleague had said about turning 60 — which Kotb did in August — but it was still an emotional day. Guthrie honored her co-host by posting some candid photos of the two of them on set to Instagram, and wrote this simple yet sweet message:

Famed weatherman Al Roker added his own social media photo montage, filled with images from the past two decades that showed he and Hoda Kotb have been friends and colleagues for a long time. He included a sweet message in the caption, too, joking about what she'll do with her mornings now. (Hopefully she sleeps in!)

Here's what Roker wrote:

Jenna Bush Hager, who co-hosted The Today Show’s fourth hour with Hoda Kotb, has been on quite the emotional roller coaster, trolling Kotb about her potential replacement while also admitting that it felt like she got dumped. That mixture of laughter and tears continued on Friday, as Bush Hager shared several clips honoring her friend, including the package that aired during the “Hoda-bration”:

Carson Daly also shared pics from Hoda Kotb’s last day, with a humorous caption that warned Kotb’s replacement Craig Melvin that he’s got some “big heels to fill.” The Voice host posted:

Monday may be Hoda Kotb’s first day to sleep in, but as Carson Daly noted, it’s also a big day for Craig Melvin. While the incoming co-host is already part of The Today Show’s third hour, his promotion to Kotb’s spot apparently comes with quite a massive pay bump. However, none of that was important on this day. Friday was all about Hoda, and Craig Melvin’s Instagram post paid homage to her with an adorable message and several photos of the two of them over the years. Here's what the incoming anchor had to say:

It’s a sad day for Hoda Kotb’s many, many fans, but it was so sweet and fitting of NBC to send her off with this Hoda-bration, and her colleagues’ tributes to her just prove how special she is to all of them. Tune in Monday morning to see Craig Melvin in his new role and what Jenna Bush Hager’s hour will look like sans Kotb.

Al Roker, a staple of Today since the 1990s and remains a part of the beloved talk show as the 2025 TV schedule gets going. His decades-long career is a highlight of the NBC talk show's history and, all the while, he's also been transparent about his heath challenges. On that note, he recently recalled making a promise to his dad, Albert Lincoln Roker Sr. And it was that pact that sparked the beloved media personality's long and successful journey into the world of health and wellness.

The 70-year-old reflected on his decorated career, his excitement over the new year and more while speaking with People. Amid the conversation, his weight loss journey was also discussed. Al Roker admitted that the reason he committed to his health was because of his dad’s idea about the future. He said of the exchange between him and his now-late father:

The importance of family can't be understated and, clearly, both men understood that, with the younger Roker still committing to that principle. Health and wellness journeys are quite personal, but they can certainly impact those connected in a person's orbit. I’m glad that the father/son moment and advice hit the host on the level it did for his children and his own well-being.

The Robots alum has had many ups and downs since the passing of his father in 2001 and his own gastric bypass in 2002 but has always pushed forward. He even debated whether he should leave his post on the Today show following his health scare in 2022. Ultimately, though, he took his time to recuperate after being hospitalized for blood clot complications and internal bleeding, before getting back on air in early 2023. Roker has also had prostate cancer and worked through treatment in 2020.

By no means is The Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs actor slowing down, as the past couple of years have been big for. He officially became a grandpa, as his daughter Courtney had a baby girl with her husband in 2023. Al Roker is also still a staple at the Thanksgiving Macy’s Day Parade, has been a regular writer, actor and producer in Hollywood and even does the occasional TikTok dance with big stars like Twisters cast. And, with Hoda Kotb’s imminent departure from Today and replacement Craig Melvin waiting in the wings, the NBC show is gearing up for another great season, with Roker in tow.

If you're a fan of The Today Show, like me, then you're probably thrilled to still have Al Roker after all these years, thanks in great part to the promise he made to his dad. Here’s to hoping 2025 is a great year for the iconic daytime host as he continues to hit his wellness goals.

Since television began, women have been an important part of its history. This is a list of many of the groundbreaking women who have made their mark not only for themselves but for all women in the industry. Women like Lucille Ball, Barbara Walters, Mary Tyler Moore, and many more.

Lucille Ball

I Love Lucy has been one of the most enduring hits in the history of television. It's been on TV both in the first run when it first aired in 1951 and in reruns ever since. Almost the entire time TV has been in people's homes. Of course, that's all because of the brilliant Lucille Ball's performance as Lucy. She's a one-of-kind legend we're unlikely to see the likes of again.

Roxie Roker

Over the course of her incredible career, Roxie Roker broke new ground everywhere she acted, whether it be on the big screen, the Broadway stage, or, as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, on television. The most important thing Roker did on TV seems so antiquated now that it's hard to believe, but when she was on a hit CBS show, she was actually the first Black actress to appear on a TV show in a relationship with a white man. It was a huge deal.

Carol Burnett

Not only is Carol Burnett one of the funniest women in TV history, but she's at or near the top of the list of the funniest people, period. Her eponymous show was a groundbreaking sketch comedy show and she not only paved the way for more female comedians to have their own show, she paved the way for enduring sketch comedy shows like Saturday Night Live

Betty White

There are few actors more beloved than Betty White. When she died just shy of her 100th birthday in 2021, the outpouring of grief from fans was incredible. It wasn't just for her roles on legendary shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Golden Girls, but for her whole career in television back to its earliest days.

Shonda Rhimes

Many of the women on this list are here for what they've done in front of the camera. Shonda Rhimes is here for what she does behind the scenes as one of the most prolific show creators of all time. Not only is she one of the first women to be so successful as a TV producer, but she's one of the first Black women to do it, making it doubly important and groundbreaking.

Ellen DeGeneres

It's obvious why Ellen DeGeneres is on this list, but that doesn't mean we should overlook the obvious. When DeGeneres came out as a lesbian on her sitcom in 1997 it was actually earthshattering. It shouldn't have been and today, something like that would hardly be blinked at and that's all because she had the guts to do it when she did.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag does something that few shows have done before it - it's an unflinching look at the life of a single woman and by doing that it, it automatically less of the cultural taboo it's been for far too long. It's weird that it's taken so long for something like this be a cultural stone, but at least we're here now.

Barbara Walters

In the TV news business, there is no more groundbreaking figure than the legendary Barbara Walters. As a news broadcaster, reporter, interviewer, and panel host, Walters did many things no woman before her had ever done. It's hard to downplay just how much of a trailblazer Walters was during her amazing career.

Marta Kauffman

As the producer and co-creator of Friends, Marta Kauffman showed the world that a woman could create what was, at the time, the biggest show in the world. It wasn't a show "for women," Friends was a show for everyone and few shows have seen the kind of popularity Friends had - and continues to have today with its endless life on streaming.

Mary Tyler Moore

Without The Mary Tyler Moore show, we might not have had other trailblazing shows like Murphy Brown, or Ellen, or Fleabag. Mary Tyler Moore did it first and, for many, still did it best. Before he blazed a trail on her own, she was also an early hero on The Dick Van Dyke Show. She truly made it on her own on TV.

Jane Curtain, Lorraine Newman, And Gilda Radner

It had to be hard for the three women in the original "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" on Saturday Night Live, Jane Curtain, Lorraine Newman, And Gilda Radner. The show felt like a frat house at times and there they were, consistently as funny or funnier than the frat bros that made up the rest of the amazing cast. Talk about groundbreaking.

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson's first television role came in 1961 and her final appearance came just before her death in 2020. In between she starred in literally 100s of episodes of television and often was the first and only Black woman on those shows and episodes. There aren't enough words to explain how important she was for every Black woman who came after her on TV.

Peggy Charren

Activist Peggy Charren is different than most on this list. She wasn't an actress, nor did she even work in the television industry. Instead, she was an advocate for the children at home watching. It's because of the work of Charren that kids had the option to watch informative and educational TV, and not just corporate drivel made to sell more sugary cereal to them. Anyone who grew up loving Sesame Street or The Electric Company has Charren to thank, at least in large part.

Katie Couric

It's hard to believe that it took until 2006 for a major network to have a female lead anchor, but it's true. That woman was, of course, Katie Couric and for that alone, she should forever be remembered as a groundbreaker. She's done so much more as well, so it's not the only thing she'll be remembered and appreciated for.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' career has been nothing short of spectacular. She is one of very few people, much less women, to have won more than 10 Emmy Awards, for her work on not one, not two, but three hit shows. Seinfeld, The Old Adventures of New Christine, and Veep have all been great in large part due to her talent and hard work.

Irna Phillips

On her Wikipedia page, Irna Phillips is described as a scriptwriter, screenwriter, casting agent, and actress. In reality, she kind of invented the entire genre of the soap opera in the 1940s, first on radio and later on TV. She was the first to really pinpoint women as a target audience and write and create shows geared towards them. Daytime TV would be very different if not for Phillips.

Diahann Carroll

Diahann Carroll isn't the most famous person on this list and that's kind of weird because her contribution to TV is huge. Her groundbreaking role as the lead in Julia showed that Black actors, especially Black women, could be a whole more than just maids or other stereotypical roles they typically played before Julia debuted in 1968.

Candice Bergen

Even before she blazed a new trail in Murphy Brown as the first woman on TV to express the desire to raise a child as a single mom, Candice Bergen was breaking ground on TV. She was the first female member of the SNL Five-Timers Club, for example. As the lead on Murphy Brown, she won so many Emmys (five) that she started declining invitations to give others a chance at the career boost a win provided.

Bea Arthur

Like her cast mates on Golden Girls, Bea Arthur was a true trailblazer. For starters, she is one of few women in Hollywood who served in the active military during World War II as a marine. Once she got to Hollywood, she played by her own rules which eventually landed her a recurring role on All In The Family in the early '70s, tackling some of the biggest issues of the day. That led to the spinoff Maude where she was unflinching in her pursuit of bringing women's liberation issues to the forefront on prime-time TV, including such political hot topics as sensitive as abortion in the early '70s.

Oprah Winfrey

Of all the entries on this list, the one who might need the least introduction is Oprah Winfrey. Starting with a small locally-produced talk show on TV called AM Chicago and later simply The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey built a massive media empire and became one of the biggest moguls in television. Her empire reaches across all forms of media these days and she's among the richest people in the world. And then there are all the cars she's given away...

Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols was the sole woman in the original Star Trek cast and she more than held her own. Not only was she an equal member of the Enterprise crew, she was an equal member of the cast. On the show, Nichols' character Uhura shared an on-screen with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) which was one of the first, and most famous example of an interracial kiss on network television. It seems simple, but it was incredibly groundbreaking at the time.

Donna Reed

There were plenty of family-focused sitcoms on 1950s television. What set The Donna Reed Show apart is evident by its name. It was one of the first shows that focused on the mother, played by Donna Reed, as the primary character of the show. This wasn't Father's Knows Best or My Three Sons. Reed was the star and the main character. Additionally, she was no mere wallflower. She was a strong, independent-minded mother and wife who had a full life as a homemaker and mother and audiences saw it all, not just June Cleaver doing the dishes while wearing her pearls.

Laverne Cox

Orange Is The New Black star Laverne Cox wasn't the first transgender woman on TV, but she was one of the most visible as part of such a huge hit. Cox, and her character were remarkable not only because she was was transgender but because her character Sophia dealt with problems that weren't just because she was transgender, but because she was also human locked up in prison. Sophia wasn't simply a one dimensional character, she was much more than her gender. That was, and still is, rare.

Jodie Whittaker

If she does nothing else in her career (and that is unlikely), Jodie Whittaker will forever be known for being the first female Doctor on Doctor Who. That alone makes her incredibly groundbreaking and worthy of inclusion on this list. There was even a time when critics and fans thought that such a thing would be impossible. Whittaker has been remarkably popular and has proven all the doubters wrong.

Marlo Thomas

Like many instances on this list, it's hard to believe that there was ever a time when it was shocking to even consider an entire television show focused on an unmarried woman. Of course, there was a time when that was true, but that was before Marlo Thomas starred in That Girl starting in 1968. The show, which was actually a little controversial at the time was all about Thomas' character moving to New York to try to make it in show business.

Debbie Allen

Debbie Allen is probably best known as the star of the TV version of Fame (and a small role as the same character in the movie), as well as a judge of So You Think You Can Dance. But Allen's accomplishments run so much deeper than that. She is one of the most prolific TV directors of the last few decades and was the choreographer for the Oscars for a decade. She's had an amazing career on both sides of the camera.

Kerry Washington

It's really hard to wrap one's head around the fact that between Julia, starring Diahann Carroll, which ended in 1971, and Scandal when it started in 2012 (created by Shonda Rhimes), there were no TV shows with a Black female lead. Kerry Washington changed all that when Scandal became a huge hit and ran for six seasons on ABC.

Lynda Carter

Who says girls can't be superheroes? Well, today we know all too well that women can not only be superheroes, but they can lead franchises as such. Back in the late '70s, that was an open question that was answered by Lynda Carter who helped turn Wonder Woman into a hit show that ran for three seasons and then became a staple of syndication for years after.

Sandra Oh

It seems like Sandra Oh has been around forever. She got her big break as part of the cast of Arliss on HBO, then found more fame as a member of the cast of Grey's Anatomy. Her groundbreaking moment came in the titular character in Killing Eve. When she did, she became the first woman of Asian descent to lead a show in the United States. Remarkably it took until 2018 for that to happen. Like all the other women on this is, she proved there are still trails to be blazed.

Pauline Frederick

Pauline Frederick was a groundbreaking female reporter with ABC and NBC during her career. She covered major events like World War II and the Vietnam War, first on radio and then as one of the first female reporters on TV.

Mary Kay Stearns

Like the TV network it was first broadcast on, The DuMont Network, Mary Kay Stearns, and her sitcom Mary Kay And Johnny has mostly been lost to time. Few people remember the show or the network and that's too bad, because both were groundbreaking. In fact, Mary Kay And Johnny was the very first sitcom ever aired on broadcast TV when it debuted in 1948. Mary Kay Stearns starred with her real-life husband Johnny Stearns and not only was it the first sitcom, but it was the first show to feature a pregnant woman and the first to show a married couple sleeping in the same bed.

Viola Davis

As an EGOT winner, Viola Davis has proven over and over what a powerhouse actor she is, no matter where it is. Whether on stage, in film, or on television, she is one of the best to ever do it.

Ok, the Twisters cast has fun. The natural disaster sequel to ‘90s classic Twister has been out in the world for a week now, and as the film’s official TikTok account can attest to, Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos just successfully danced their way through a press tour.

After the trio went viral earlier this month for doing TikTok’s trending dance of the moment, Charli XCX’s “Apple,” Powel, Edgar-Jones and Ramos put out a whole montage of themselves dancing with various famous people all over. Check it out:

In the new video, the three Twisters leads brought it to Miranda Lambert’s original song for the movie’s soundtrack “Ain’t In Kansas Anymore,” and they did it with a ton of recognizable names. Can you spot them with Live With Kelly And Mark’s married couple Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Today With Hoda & Jenna’s hosts, Al Roker, James Bay and … John Stamos?! Yes, they did that.

It’s quite the grind to go on all the talk shows, along with turning up to theaters to make appearances, why not make it a honky tonky of sorts? Fans are loving the video, too. Here’s what some viewers said about the video in the comment section:

• “Y’all ate and left no crumbs.” @alivia_8
• “Just a little bit in love with this cast.” @ky.palmer
• “Glen is living his best life.” @cathryne330
• "Where do I need to go to dance with these people?” @ryanmoya41
• "Ok now time for y’all to make another lol 😆🤣we need more of this cast” @stephacting92913

Clearly fans are loving it whenever these three decide to bust a choreographed move together. It all started with that time when Daisy Edgar-Jones posted a video of herself with Ramos and Powell doing the “Apple” dance in the name of Brat Summer. Check out the video that has reached over 9 million views:

This cast has a lot to dance about, too. Over the weekend, Twisters blew away expectations when it opened to $80 million to start, making it the third biggest movie debut of 2024 (domestically). It’ll have a lot bigger competition this weekend as Deadpool and Wolverine stands to be one of the most high-profile 2024 movies.

Even so, Twisters is definitely going viral for a number of reasons, including its wildly thrilling 4DX theater experience. Plus, Glen Powell brought his own dog, Brisket, to the premiere, along with sharing that the dog was adopted during the making of Twisters to help him get through a breakup.

So the people want a sequel for Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos, especially if it includes some form of dance sequence! Whether we get that or not, it’s a blast to see these cast-mates having a good time together dancing their press tour away.

Lenny Kravitz is easily one of the smoothest stars in all of Hollywood, as he practically oozes cool vibes. His sultry vocals have been well noted, but he’s also been cited for his distinct fashion choices, including his signature netted shirts. While he’s garnered much attention (and has likely made some faint) over his choices, some do like to make playful comments in regard to his attire at times. One of the latest people to do so was Today star Al Roker, who is actually related to the rock star. Roker’s comment was a response to one of his cousin’s shirtless fashion posts, and he gets an A+ for this joke.

The always witty weatherman is the paternal second cousin of the Shotgun Wedding star and, at times, that familial relationship comes up. Al Roker himself made mention of it when he shared a screenshot on Instagram from one of the “"Are You Gonna Go My Way" singer’s posts. The musician’s OG update featured a carousel of pics from a photoshoot with Flaunt Magazine, which showed him wearing a trench coat, biker shorts, a chain necklace and thigh-high boots. When sharing one of the pics himself, Roker cheekily dropped the following sentiments: 

Leave it to the veteran TV personality to deliver such a great joke. And, honestly, if he ever wanted to sport such a look himself, he should totally go for it, But, then again, it’d be jarring to see him without one of the dapper suits he sports whenever he’s on the air. As for his musically inclined relative though, it’s definitely not uncommon for him to share a shirtless photo. Back in March, he shared a pic so sizzling hot that even his future son-in-law, Channing Tatum, dropped a funny reply. Check out Flaunt Magazine’s post with the latest photos down below:

Many were certainly impressed with Lenny Kravitz’s post, based on the comments section. Even fellow actor Marlon Wayans couldn’t help but chime in: 

The Hunger Games alum’s physique has really been a topic of conversation during the early part of 2024 due to some of his social media posts. He and his abs had a big week in March after he shared a shirtless pic to social media. He’s also been dropping workout posts, one of which showed him hitting the weights in leather pants and a mesh tank top. And one of his latest videos sees him working out shirtless while wearing jeans.

As fresh as his style is, I can also appreciate when someone has a bit of harmless fun and makes a joke about it. The Grammy winner’s daughter, Zoë Kravitz, poked fun at his love of netted shirts during his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. Later, Lenny responded to being roasted, saying that he “thought it was quite appropriate.” I’m sure he’d share similarly chill sentiments if asked about Al Roker’s funny post. There seems to be nothing but love within this brood and, quite frankly, I love to see it.

Over the years, WrestleMania has given us some of the electrifying matches of all time, iconic moments that we’re still talking about years (and decades) later, and more pageantry than anyone could ever imagine. But the one thing that separates the “Granddaddy of Them All” from your normal wrestling show is the event’s history with celebrity guests, who do everything from make brief appearances or participate in unforgettable matches.

Below is a list of the 35 celebrities who have appeared at WrestleMania, which dates back to WWE’s first pop culture event in 1985 and going all the way to its most recent running in April 2023. From WWE Hall of Famers to guests you may have forgotten, this is quite a list… 

Mr. T (WrestleMania)

We couldn’t kick off our list of WrestleMania celebrity guests with anyone but Mr. T., the star of The A-Team and Rocky III who sided with Hulk Hogan in the main event of the first “Showcase of the Immortals” back in 1985. His tag match with the Hulkster vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff wasn’t a wrestling clinic, but the spectacle of the headlining bout helped make WrestleMania the success story we know today.

Mike Tyson (WrestleMania XIV)

Mike Tyson may have had the quickest three-count in WWE history when he served as the guest enforcer in the WrestleMania XIV match that saw “Stone Cold” Steve Austin dethrone Shawn Michaels for the championship, but it’s still an outstanding moment 25 years later. The controversial boxing figure certainly made the 1998 event one to remember, even before he turned on his D-Generation X ally.

Cyndi Lauper (WrestleMania)

Cyndi Lauper, who was instrumental in the Rock 'n' Wrestling boom of the mid 1980s, also played a key role in the inaugural WrestleMania event. From her great backstage promo with the late “Mean” Gene Okerlund to standing in the corner of Wendi Richter when she defeated Leilani Kai to win the WWE Women’s Championship, the “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” singer was everywhere that night.

Snoop Dogg (WrestleMania 39)

Snoop Dogg has played a role in four different WrestleMania events over the years, but his most recent appearance at the 2023 “Super Bowl of Wrestling” has to be his best. There’s a case to be made for WrestleMania 39 being the best of all time, and the prolific West Coast rapper was key to that success. After Shane McMahon injured himself entering the ring, Snoop saved the segment when he pulled an audible and hit the Miz with a ridiculous “People’s Elbow.”

Muhammad Ali (WrestleMania)

Mike Tyson wasn’t the first boxer to make his presence felt at WrestleMania. That honor falls on the late, great Muhammad Ali, who served as the guest referee in the event’s first headlining bout. There’s even a moment where the boxing legend was standing in the ring with Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, and Liberace. Wrestling is wild sometimes.

Ozzy Osbourne (WrestleMania 2)

WrestleMania 2, which was the only edition in the event’s history to take place in three separate cities, saw a great number of celebrity guests throughout the night. One of the best definitely has to be Ozzy Osbourne, who served as the British Bulldogs’ manager when the team of Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid captured the gold in the Chicago’s Rosemont Horizon.

Pete Rose (WrestleMania XV)

One of the best running WrestleMania gags of the late 1990s and early 2000s was Pete Rose getting tombstoned by Kane. The controversial Cincinnati Reds legend, who was barred from MLB after a gambling scandal, showed up as the San Diego Chicken at WrestleMania XV in 1999 and was once again confronted by the “Big Red Machine,” who quickly put him in his place to the roar of the Philadelphia crowd.

Johnny Knoxville (WrestleMania 38)

The Jackass crew has a long history with WWE, and one of the genuinely best chapters in that story is Johnny Knoxville’s bout against Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 38. The “Anything Goes” match, which was one of the most memorable contests on the two-day card, had no business being so good. Combining old school wrestling storytelling with Jackass gags (like a giant hand and a mouse trap), the showdown became an instant classic.

Ray Charles (WrestleMania 2)

Some of the greatest singers of all time have lent their voices to WWE over the years, including Ray Charles. The beloved singer known for hits like “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack,” and “I Got a Woman” performed “America the Beautiful” to kick off WrestleMania 2.

Bob Uecker (WrestleMania IV)

Milwaukee Brewers radio broadcaster (and Major League star) Bob Uecker has quite the history at WrestleMania, as he has popped up three times in the event’s history. It all started with WrestleMania III when “Mr. Baseball” helped out on commentary, but the next year's event saw one of the most classic moments in WWE history when Andre the Giant gave Uecker an interview he'll never forget.

Aretha Franklin (WrestleMania III)

In addition to all her hit songs, iconic movie moments, and other achievements, Aretha Franklin appeared at two WrestleMania events throughout her life, both of which were held in or near her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. The late singer performed “America the Beautiful” at WrestleMania III in the Pontiac Silverdome and then again 20 years later at Ford Field.

Bad Bunny (WrestleMania 37)

Rapper-turned-wrestler-turned-actor Bad Bunny made his in-ring wrestling debut at WrestleMania 37 where he teamed with Damian Priest to take on the Miz and John Morrison in a winning effort. He has since returned to the ring on multiple occasions and continues to improve as a performer.

Gladys Knight (WrestleMania IV) 

Seven-time Grammy winner Gladys Knight is another legendary singer who has been a part of the WrestleMania festivities over the years. Knight showed up at WrestleMania IV in 1988 to perform the customary “America the Beautiful” to nearly 20,000 fans in attendance at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City.

Run-D.M.C. (WrestleMania V)

A few years before WWE superstars performed the “WrestleMania” song, hip hop legends Run-D.M.C. hit the ring with a rap of their own at WrestleMania V in April 1989. The “WrestleMania Rap” was created for the event and was performed by the group in the middle of the ring in front of thousands of screaming fans. 

Pat McAfee (WrestleMania 38)

Former Indianapolis Colts punter and current sports talk legend Pat McAfee has had quite the history in WWE the past few years, including some pretty stellar in-ring moments. Perhaps the biggest came at WrestleMania 38 when he challenged Vince McMahon to a match after defeating Austin Theory. Though Mr. McMahon won the bout (due to some shenanigans), McAfee, with the help of Steve Austin, got the last laugh.

Shaquille O'Neal (WrestleMania 32)

Shaquille O’Neal and professional wrestling was a match made in heaven, and WWE fans got to see that become a reality when the Pro Basketball Hall of Famer entered the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32. Was it a display of in-ring talent? No, but it was an unforgettable moment seeing him stand face-to-face with Big Show in the middle of the 20-man match.

Regis Philbin (WrestleMania VII)

WrestleMania VII is best remembered for being the beginning of the Undertaker’s historic streak as well as the main event championship match between WWE Champion Sgt. Slaughter and Hulk Hogan. The night also included an appearance by Regis Philbin, who stepped in and helped provide commentary in the high-profile headlining bout. 

Alex Trebek (WrestleMania VII)

Alex Trebek, the longtime host of Jeopardy, was another major celebrity guest for WrestleMania VII where he served as the ring announcer during the main event match. The beloved TV figure, who passed away in 2020, also conducted multiple backstage interviews throughout the event.

Rob Gronkowski (WrestleMania 36)

Four-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski has had two appearances at the “Granddaddy of Them All” over the years, including WrestleMania 36 where he served as the host of the event taped behind closed doors at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The former tight end for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers previously took part in WrestleMania 33 where he helped friend Mojo Rawley win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Al Roker (WrestleMania 33)

WrestleMania 33 is best remembered for John Cena proposing to Nikki Bella in the middle of the ring after defeating the Miz and Maryse in a mixed-gender tag team match. But who was the ring with Cena and his former girlfriend? None other than Al Roker, the longtime weatherman and personality on NBC’s Today show.

Reba McEntire (WrestleMania VIII)

Reba McEntire made an appearance at WrestleMania VIII in April 1992. The celebrated country singer and actress took to the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana, to perform the “Star-Spangled Banner” in front of a massive 60,000-strong crowd of screaming wrestling fans.

Burt Reynolds (WrestleMania X)

WWE returned to Madison Square Garden for WrestleMania X in March 1994, an event that featured multiple celebrity guests like Donnie Wahlberg, Rhonda Shear, and Jennie Garth. The biggest actor to appear, and the man who served as ring announcer in the main event match involving Bret Hart and Yokozuna, was none other than Burt Reynolds.

Little Richard (WrestleMania X)

Another celebrity guest featured at WrestleMania X was legendary R&B trailblazer, Little Richard, who was on hand to perform “America the Beautiful” to kick off the historic event.

Pamela Anderson (WrestleMania XI)

Pamela Anderson, who was all the rage at the time thanks to her role on Baywatch, was one of the multiple celebrity guests on hand at WrestleMania XI in April 1995. The pop culture sensation served as Diesel’s, aka Kevin Nash, valet in his bout against Shawn Michaels.

Lawrence Taylor (WrestleManina XI)

WWE has a long history of bringing in big-named athletes for marquee events, and that includes Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, who took on Bam Bam Bigelow in the WrestleMania XI main event. The two-time Super Bowl champion was joined by a half-dozen other NFLers in a winning effort.

Floyd Mayweather (WrestleMania XXIV)

Boxer Floyd Mayweather is another big-name celebrity who has appeared at the “Showcase of the Immortals.” The decorated boxer, who took home a big paycheck for a 2021 fight with Logan Paul, entered the squared circle to take on Big Show in no DQ match at WrestleMania XXIV back in 2008.

Donald Trump (WrestleMania 23)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has made many appearances over the years, including a “Battle of the Billionaires” match at WrestleMania 23. Trump’s night ended after taking a Stunner from Steve Austin.

Ice-T (WrestleMania 2000)

Rapper-turned-actor Ice-T showed up at WrestleMania 2000 where he performed “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy” for the Godfather’s entrance.

Limp Bizkit (WrestleMania XIX)

Limp Bizkit, still one of the bigger nu-metal bands at the time, performed a pair of tracks at WrestleMania XIX in March 2003: that year’s official song, “Crack Addict,” and their own hit track, “Rollin,” for the Undertaker’s entrance.

Mickey Rourke (WrestleMania XXV)

After appearing in The Wrestler, one of the best movies of the 2000s, Mickey Rourke entered the ring for real when he confronted Chris Jericho at WrestleMania XXV. Though he didn’t participate in a match, he did give Y2J a knockout punch.

Paul Reubens As Pee-Wee Herman (WrestleMania XXVII)

The Rock may have been the biggest name in the house when he hosted WrestleMania XXVII in April 2011, but he wasn’t the only celebrity on hand that night. The late Paul Reubens, as his famous Pee-Wee Herman character, showed up throughout the night in one of his numerous WWE appearances over the years.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs (WrestleMania 29) 

Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared at WrestleMania 29 where he performed “Coming Home,” one of the event’s official theme songs.

Kid Rock (WrestleMania XXV) 

Kid Rock performed not one, not two, but a whole medley of tracks at WrestleMania XXV back in 2009, including smash hit songs “Bawitdaba” and “Cowboy.”

Colin Jost And Michael Che (WrestleMania 35)

After teasing it in the leadup to the event, Saturday Night Live stars Colin Jost and Michael Che showed up at WrestleMania 35 where they participated in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal. They weren’t successful or anything, but they did look extra ridiculous, especially when Braun Strowman got involved.

Machine Gun Kelly (WrestleMania XXVIII) 

About a decade before Machine Gun Kelly started his whirlwind romance with Megan Fox, the rapper showed up at WrestleMania XXVIII to perform “Invincible,” that year’s official theme song.

You can go back and watch these celebrity appearances and other great WrestleMania moments with a Peacock subscription. And with WrestleMania XL, as well as other upcoming WWE events on the way, there’s a chance we’ll see even more names on this list in the coming months. 

As Americans celebrate Independence Day this 4th of July, one morning television staple is celebrating a major milestone. Al Roker, who has been on NBC’s Today for over 25 years, currently on the show’s weather anchor, can call himself a grandfather for the first time, as of Monday July 3, when his daughter Courtney Roker Laga welcomed a daughter of her own. 

And check out the name: Sky Clara Laga. Considering 68-year-old Al Roker is best known for reporting on the state of the skies, the name feels like a perfect tribute to the family name and legacy. Roker’s fellow co-hosts broke the news with the Today segment that you can watch below:

The NBC hosts looked so happy and excited for Al Roker as they shared the happy news on Tuesday morning. In the clip, the hosts also recalled Roker announcing the news back in March where he said he excitedly said he was going to be “the best grandpa ever” because of all the “spoiling” he’ll get to do. Roker also apparently wants to be called “pop-pop,” which is absolutely adorable. 

Courtney Roker Laga has been married to her husband Wes Laga since 2021 and now call themselves parents to a healthy baby girl. Today also heard from the couple that they are “extremely excited” to welcome the new member of their family and “start this new chapter in our lives.” The couple announced the news on Instagram back in March with ultrasound photos while writing “a new adventure is about to begin” at the time. 

Courtney is Roker’s first of three children, whom he adopted with his first wife, WNBC producer Alice Bell, back in 1987. They later divorced, and Roker remarried TV journalist Deborah Roberts, who are parents to a daughter and son. The Roker’s have faced some hardship as of late with Roberts having to be a caregiver to her husband amidst a recent health scare that had the weatherman take a leave from Today for two months to recover. 

Back in November, Roker was hospitalized due to blood clots in his legs and lungs, which left him with health issues that kept him away from being on TV, and even meant he missed his first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 27 years. Roker found himself back on the 2023 TV schedule in early January after an outpouring of support from his fellow hosts and viewers. 

A few months back, Roker shared that the health scare actually made him feel “more passionate” about showing up to work at Today, sharing how much he looks forward to sharing the small screen with his fellow hosts on a day-to-day basis. Congratulations to Al Roker and his family for the new addition to their family! 

Al Roker has been a staple on The Today Show since the late ‘90s, and it’s honestly hard to imagine the morning talk show without him. However, last year, some might've been wondering if that would permanently come to pass, as Roker was hopspitalized for blood clots in his lungs. He later addressed viewers, saying that he wouldn't be back for a while. He was out of commission for two months but, thankfully, he recovered and returned to Today in January 2023. Roker since been readjusting to life and is utilizing new wellness routines, and he's now shared his thoughts on his future with the show in the aftermath of his health scare.

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Al Roker detailed his recovery, which hasn’t been easy by the sounds of it. But has that road been bumpy enough to convince the weatherman to step down from his post? Well, he isn’t thinking about stepping away from The Today Show anytime soon, and he explained why that's the case:

I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the 68-year-old is not only doing better but wants to keep working. While things can always change at a moment’s notice, especially since he (and his wife) are still healing after the medical episode, the star seems content. And based on the massive love his co-stars showed him, I'd imagine that they'd be happy to have him as long as he wants to stay on the air.

Al Roker's wife, Deborah Roberts, has been honest about how bad things got for her hubby during his absence from the airwaves. She even called it a “miracle” that he survived, considering he also had two bleeding ulcers and had to have colon resection surgery. Evidently, things were a lot worse than people knew, and Roberts says that, for a while, he situation was merely a “medical mystery.” During that time, it was wonderful to see all of the well wishes he received, with his colleagues even sending him support during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade -- the first he'd missed in 27 years.

Just a month after his health scare, hosts and crew from Today visited him as well. It seems evident that the veteran newsman has a great support system, both at home and at work. And as Al Roker continues his recovery, he’s learning from what happened and not taking every day for granted. This looks like a very new normal for him and his family, but they seem to be charging through it together. I'm thankful that Roker is doing well and, while the future can be unpredictable, let's hope that he's able to remain on Today for as long as he's willing and able.

TV viewers have enjoyed seeing Al Roker back on NBC’s Today after a series of health battles kept him away from the show for months. The beloved weatherman’s fans have his family and support system to thank for his return, which included his wife Deborah Roberts. The journalist kept fans, family, and friends updated on Roker’s health status as his caregiver, and now months after Roker’s TV comeback, Roberts has opened up about the challenges of being a caregiver and how the couple is healing after his health scare.

The ABC News correspondent opened up to ET about what it was really like caring for the Today weatherman while at the red-carpet premiere of the documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields. Roberts revealed her husband was “driving her crazy” before returning to his morning show gig earlier this year. After joking about her husband of three decades, the reporter gave a candid peak into what it was like being Roker’s caregiver for months.

Being a caregiver can be a thankless job, and the 62-year-old journalist learned that firsthand. Thankfully, Deborah Roberts kept viewers and his Today family informed about the TV weatherman’s progress during his two-month absence from the small screen. She was honest from the start, explaining everything from breaking into the couple’s Tesla to detailing how bad things got for Al Roker during his health scare. So, the TV news couple has been through a lot over the last few months, and it came with a ton of challenges for both Roberts and Roker.

Luckily, Al Roker made it to the other side. Deborah Roberts wouldn’t have it any other way as she relied on her spirituality to make it through the trying times. The hard-hitting journalist opened up about her faith, and how the couple’s inner circle helped her bear the burden of being a caregiver.

It’s nice to know that Roberts had the support she needed as she provided the same for her 68-year-old husband. Viewers got to see the love for the couple firsthand as his Today Show family shouted him out during Macy’ Thanksgiving Day parade, and visited their couple’s home for some Christmas carols. Now, Roberts and Roker are happier after making it through a rough situation.

Since returning to NBC’s Today, Al Roker is back to being himself, cracking jokes and giving viewers their daily weather forecast. You can catch him on weekdays on the morning show from 7 to 11 a.m. Deborah Roberts has also returned to her investigative work as an ABC News correspondent. You can catch the TV news power couple at any time, so check out our TV schedule to keep updated.

Anything can happen on live television, and that was proven once again as Savannah Guthrie was pulled off the air in the middle of the Today show's broadcast. The long-time anchor hadn’t been feeling well, and she took a Covid test at work. The results were positive, resulting in her early exit from the day's telecast. However, the show still went on, and the journalist’s colleagues explained why she had to be yanked off the air. 

Guthrie didn’t return to the broadcast for the 7:30 a.m. segment, and at 8 a.m. Sheinelle Jones explained why her co-host had left the studio early, saying during the Today broadcast:

Jones, and her co-hosts Al Roker and Carson Daly all wished their colleague a speedy recovery, before continuing the broadcast. You can see their full message to Guthrie and the audience here:

This is the third time Guthrie has tested positive for COVID-19, per Today. The morning news show reported that she tested positive in January 2022, and then caught the virus again in May. She ended up taking five days off to quarantine last spring, so I’d imagine the protocol will be the same this time around. Today also clarified that the anchor is vaccinated, and got her booster shot. 

Considering we’ve all been dealing with the coronavirus for three years, and NBC has had to deal with Covid cases on various shows, like The Voice and Today, I’d assume there is a plan in place to handle Guthrie’s abrupt exit. Hopefully, she’ll be able to rest up and return to the morning news program soon. 

Guthrie’s co-host Hoda Kotb has also been absent from Today, however, we don’t know why. She has been gone since Friday, February 17, per Page Six, and it’s unclear if she is on sick leave or if she is simply taking some time off. 

Both women’s absences come after another Today show anchor faced some serious health issues and had to take quite a bit of time off. Al Roker missed his first Thanksgiving Day Parade in 27 years following a major health scare, and then he spent weeks away from the show recovering. His wife called him a “medical mystery,” however despite the serious health scare, Roker was able to return to the show in January. 

As Roker was healing, his colleagues at Today paid him a heartwarming visit for the holidays, and I’d imagine the same kind of love and support will be shown for Guthrie as she rests and recovers. It’s unknown when the host will return to the morning news, however, I’d imagine it’ll be soon, considering she was only gone for five days the last time she had Covid. So, be sure to stay up to date with the 2023 TV schedule, and tune into the Today show to get updates about how Savannah Guthrie is doing, and her eventual return to the morning show. 

Fans of the Today show started the new year off with some good news, as it was learned that beloved weatherman Al Roker would be making his return on January 6. Roker had been away from the show since November, in and out of the hospital with blood clots in his legs and lungs. To be sure, it was a scary period for the morning show favorite and his family, but apparently, things were worse than we knew. Roker’s wife revealed details of what he’d been through, saying it’s a “miracle” that he survived.

ABC News journalist Deborah Roberts accompanied her husband on his first day back at work Friday morning, joining Al Roker and the rest of the Today crew to talk about what had transpired over the past couple of months. Roberts said most people didn’t know just how dire the weather anchor’s situation had gotten, saying: 

Al Roker revealed that he had internal bleeding, but the doctors didn’t know where it was coming from. “I lost half my blood,” he said, requiring a major surgery in which he said they removed two bleeding ulcers, resectioned his colon and removed his gallbladder. 

It’s scary to hear just how serious Al Roker’s condition was, and apparently, how close he came to not making it. However, Deborah Roberts shared an amusing story about the moment she said she knew her husband would pull through. She said:

The crew all laughed as Deborah Roberts recalled how she had hoped he'd survive until Christmas, while he was thinking about his turkey. She said she knew then that he had “that will, that drive,” and that he’d be OK. 

Given this revelation of everything Al Roker has been through since missing his first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 27 years, it’s a really big deal that he was able to return to Today so quickly. The beloved anchor was beaming, as he reunited with his colleagues, joking that he’d wanted to return even earlier in the week (probably to reclaim his office from Hoda Kotb). Roker thanked the Today crew for their support and said: 

We are thrilled that Al Roker is there, as well, and we at CinemaBlend hope for the weather anchor’s continued health and a safe recovery after such a scary and serious couple of months. You can catch Roker on Today weekdays at 7 a.m. ET on NBC, and check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what else is headed our way this year. 

The Today Show has been without Al Roker – one of the program’s most beloved personalities – for over a month now. The veteran weatherman was hospitalized in mid-November after facing a serious medical situation. And though he was released before Thanksgiving, the 67-year-old was re-admitted at the end of that month before being cleared to return home in early December. Roker appeared on the show just a few days later to explain that he wouldn’t be back for a while. However, the news show has now revealed his return date, and it’s soon. 

During the January 3rd edition of Today, it was revealed that Al Roker will return to his post on Friday, January 6th. The news was confirmed by co-anchors Savannah Gunthrie, Craig Melvin and Hoda Kotb. The hosts seemed more than excited about the prospect of having their colleague back, and the same is probably true for loyal viewers. The news does come as a surprise in a way, considering the update Roker himself provided less than a month ago. Though during that same catch-up, he mentioned that he was making progress. 

The popular journalist, who’s been with the show since 1996, was admitted to the hospital in November due to blood clots in his legs and lungs. As a result, he had to miss his first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 27 years. When the media veteran re-entered the hospital in December, the reasons for his return were not made public. That second stint would ultimately cause him to be absent during the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. 

Al Roker was incredibly candid when he returned to the series on December 12th to provide an update on his health. He explained that he was dealing with “a number of issues” and was “doing physical therapy every day” in an attempt to regain his strength. While addressing his co-workers and the public as a whole, he also took the time to thank the medical professionals who’d been instrumental in assisting him and his family. 

Though the star has been away for a little while now, he’s certainly remained in the hearts and minds of his friends and colleagues. They acknowledged him during the Thanksgiving parade, doing so by sending some words of support his way. And around Christmas, the Today hosts and crew paid a heartwarming visit to the weatherman’s abode to spread some holiday cheer. The staff is clearly eager to have him back, with Carson Daly even providing a funny take on why he needs to return sooner rather than later.

So he should be very excited now to know that Al Roker is returning to the fold, and it’s also likely that Roker is more than eager to return to the old grind. I don’t expect the newsman to be rusty when he returns, either. He’s been doing this job for quite some time, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him get back into a nice flow relatively quickly. 

We here at CinemaBlend wish Al Roker good health and success as he returns to work and, if you’re eager to see him back on your screen, tune into The Today Show on Friday, January 6 at 7 a.m. ET on NBC. Also, keep an eye on the 2023 TV schedule for more offerings that are headed your way in the new year.

While Al Roker recovers after a few scary trips to the hospital, his Today replacement Somara Theodore is wishing him well while she reports on the incoming snowstorm. And in true Al Roker fashion, she is reassuring the kiddos that even though it will be cold and snowy, Santa will be able to make it to their houses safely before Christmas morning. 

Theodore will likely be reporting the weather through at least the end of the 2022 TV schedule. Roker appeared on Today a few weeks ago to provide a health update, and said that while he’s on the road to recovery he needs to get his “strength back.” In one of her recent Tweets, Today’s current weatherwoman posted a sweet message to Roker that said: 

The weatherwoman joins the majority of the Today show anchors in recognizing their love for the Daytime Emmy winner. When Roker missed his first Thanksgiving Day Parade in 27 years his co-stars sent lots of love and support his way. The hosts also surprised the weatherman outside his house to sing him Christmas carols, and let him know how much they appreciate and miss him. While everyone clearly misses the Today mainstay who is healing after multiple health scares due to blood clots, they are also welcoming Theodore with open arms. 

Theodore is typically the meteorologist on Today during the weekend, but while Roker recovers, she’s filling in for the beloved weatherman Monday through Friday. When she's not on Today she is a full-time meteorologist at News4 in Washington D.C. She traveled up north to fill in for Roker for a while, and she’s doing a great job.

In the spirit of Al Roker, she gave an accurate and fun weather update. With a massive snowstorm hitting a lot of the United States, and Christmas in a couple of days, Theodore made sure to not only report the weather but also reassure the kids watching that Santa will make it to their houses. She said:

She’s also making sure to give accurate and detailed weather forecasts as the impending storm makes its way toward the East Coast and Midwest, as you can see in her report from December 20:

It’s comforting to know that even though us humans probably should hunker down and watch some of the most popular Christmas movies, according to Theodore, Santa will have no problems navigating the storm this Christmas. So, while Roker recovers, and Christmas comes, you can bet your bottom dollar Theodore will be on Today to give you the daily weather and Santa updates. 

Following another health scare, Al Roker is back at his house and healing. To welcome him home, help him heal and bring him some holiday cheer his colleagues at Today showed up at his home to sing some tunes as well as show their love and appreciation for the weatherman. 

3rd Hour anchor Dylan Dreyer called Roker Today’s “brightest star,” and noted that 30 Rock isn’t the same without him. So, to honor him the anchors and crew decided to surprise the beloved weatherman. Roker’s wife Deborah Roberts helped facilitate the surprise that included tons of the Today Show anchors and crew appearing at his front door. Roker then opened the door to find the Today crew singing “Jingle Bells.” The longtime Today anchor got really emotional over the heartwarming surprise. Check out the wholesome moment here: 

Of course, Roker cracked a few jokes during the video too, saying:

He then thanked them all, and explained that he misses his Today family a lot. Adding in one more crack at the end of the segment, Roker said the Today chorus who showed up at his doorstep could audition for America’s Got Talent with their tunes. They then closed out their set with their take on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” however they changed the lyrics and sang “Al Be Home for Christmas.” 

After the video of Roker played, the 3rd Hour hosts gushed over their co-worker, talking about how he will send everyone handwritten notes when they were feeling down, and they wanted to send the same level of love to him. 

It’s clear just how much the beloved Today veteran means to the show, and he was dearly missed at the Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting. Even though he won’t be back on the show for a while as we close out the 2022 TV schedule, he’s on the mend and will hopefully be back on air, live from 30 Rock, soon. Luckily the hosts keep viewers updated about Roker’s status, and have spoken many times about how much they love him. 

You could see how much this heartwarming gesture meant to Roker in the clip. To show even more appreciation for his colleagues the anchor took to Instagram to thank everyone for coming to carol at his doorstep. 

The reason Roker has been absent from the Today show for so long has to do with some blood clots he has in his lungs and leg. He was hospitalized in November because of them, and then again earlier in December. Luckily he’s back home and regaining his strength. 

Despite this being a scary time for the Daytime Emmy winner, both Roker and the Today show anchors have kept spirits high by doing things like caroling at his house and making jokes about his dressing room turning into Hoda Kotb’s closet.

With Roker on the mend hopefully, he’ll be back on the Today show soon, working alongside his colleagues who clearly love him dearly. 

The Today Show has been without Al Roker for a little while now, as the beloved TV weatherman has been dealing with health issues as of late. Reports and updates have suggested that Roker’s situation is quite serious, though he thankfully seems to be making progress. It was confirmed a few days ago that the 68-year-old media personality would be returning home following a second hospital stint. And this morning, to the delight of his co-hosts and fans, Roker appeared on the telecast to provide clarity on his status. In the process though, he also explained why he won’t be back on the air for some time.

Al Roker, while recuperating at his home, appeared on Monday’s edition of Today via Zoom. The host, who’s now sporting a salt-and-pepper mustache, seemed as jovial as ever. After exchanging pleasantries with Hoda Kotb, Savannah Gunthrie and his other colleagues, Roker began to open up about being hospitalized for weeks. While the host is in good spirits, he’s still on the road to recovery, and he explained what his rehab entails: 

In November, Al Roker was hospitalized and later revealed that he was dealing with blood clots in his legs and lungs. He was eventually released just in time to spend Thanksgiving with his family at home. Unfortunately, Roker was rushed back to the hospital at the end of that same month for an undisclosed reason. He confirmed his return home from that stay on December 8. 

The seasoned journalist, who battled COVID and was diagnosed with cancer just a few years ago, certainly isn’t sugarcoating his situation. Still, above all else, he seems incredibly thankful for the medical assistance that he’s received during this time. He also has nothing but love for his co-hosts, who’ve shown support for him every step of the way:

It’s been somewhat odd not seeing Al Roker on Today over the past several weeks, especially since he’s been a mainstay of the show decades now. Because of his illness, Roker had to miss his first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 27 years. (Though his colleagues did find a sweet way to honor him during the annual event.) He was also unable to attend to the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. 

One would imagine that Al Roker’s fellow TV presenters are eager to have him back. Just recently, Carson Daly even shared a funny take on why he might want to return sooner rather than later. But in all seriousness, what’s most important now is that Roker is home with his loved ones and getting the care that he needs. We here at CinemaBlend wish him all the best as he continues to rest up.

There’s been a good bit of concern for famed weatherman Al Roker, as he’s been in and out of the hospital for the past couple of months. So it’s no wonder that his Today colleagues had a little extra pep in their step during the December 9 program, as Hoda Kotb announced that Roker was able to return home from his second stay in the hospital. The crew celebrated the good news, and Carson Daly offered an amusing take on why their colleague needed to get back to work with a quickness!

The beloved mainstay on the Today show told fans in November that a blood clot had been discovered in his leg and lungs that had caused his absence from the set of the NBC morning show. Upon the announcement of his release, The A-Team theme played in the background — apparently a favorite of Al Roker’s — and Carson Daly revealed that he offered his colleague a little extra incentive to get well soon. Daly said: 

So many things about this are amusing. One, that Hoda Kotb would take Al Roker’s absence as an opportunity to expand her own personal space in the NBC offices, and secondly that Carson Daly would rat Kotb out like that. With photographic evidence, no less! Just as funny was the weatherman's response, as he apparently confronted the co-anchor who had claimed his space as her own. Kotb informed The Voice host: 

Apparently everyone is just now referring to Al Roker’s office as Hoda Kotb’s closet. Regardless of happens with the space long-term, it’ll undoubtedly be a happy day all around — for the Today anchors, fans and Roker himself — when he is able to return to the NBC morning show. 

The weatherman was forced to miss his first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 27 years as he continued to recover from complications from the blood clots. While he posted pictures to Instagram enjoying the parade and the holiday from his house following his release from the hospital, further complications required that he make a return trip by ambulance the following day.

Al Roker’s wife Deborah Roberts found herself in an upsetting predicament as her husband was rushed back to the hospital, when her Tesla apparently malfunctioned and would not unlock. She was seen trying to break one of the Tesla’s windows so she could retrieve her phone and other possessions but was reportedly unsuccessful, and she ended up taking a taxi to reunite with her husband.

Concerns about Al Roker’s health have popped up periodically over the past couple of years. In 2020 Roker revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, saying months later that he felt good after undergoing surgery and felt lucky to have caught it early. In 2021 he traveled to cover Hurricane Ida at the age of 67, and jokingly said, “Screw you,” to those questioning if he was “too old” to be doing that kind of work.

Al Roker’s never been without that optimistic attitude, and hopefully we’ll all be able to see that again for ourselves on Today soon. Our best wishes go out to Roker for a fast recovery. Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what’s coming to your screens in the new year. 

One day after he was released from the hospital Al Roker had to go back in an ambulance due to another health scare. However, while Roker went to the hospital, his wife had to frantically try and break into their Tesla to get her phone before she left to be with her husband. 

According to Page Six, people saw Deborah Roberts attempting to smash her way through the car window with the help of her neighbor. One of the witnesses told Page Six that: 

They said she was not able to get into the car, and ended up taking a taxi with her daughter to the hospital to be with Roker. 

Roker had to return to the hospital because of health complications regarding blood clots. A source explained: 

The beloved weatherman missed the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on this year’s TV schedule for the first time in 27 years, and will not make the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting. Although he missed the parade, he was able to go home from the hospital on Thanksgiving, and enjoy the festivities with his family, as you can see from his Instagram post:  

He also posted a video of himself walking out of the hospital, and photos with his entire family to show his gratitude. Hopefully, this latest hospital visit will be short-lived and the Today anchor will be back at home and at NBC soon doing funny things like the weather report with Matt Smith. 

Roker has been away from Today for a while. He explained that he had been admitted to the hospital because of a blood clot in his leg and other blood clots in his lungs. Roker wrote that following some “medial whack-a-mole” he was feeling “fortunate” to have great care, and he was on his way to recovery. However, with this most recent hospital visit, things seem to be more complicated, though the report said he was feeling a bit better once he got to the hospital. 

The weatherman has had a few other health complications over the past couple of years. In 2020 he received an early prostate cancer diagnosis, he also missed a few episodes of Today after being exposed to COVID, along with other members of the crew in the early days of the pandemic. 

Hopefully, Roker is able to recover and head back home soon. Even though this second trip to the hospital sounds like it was unexpected and scary, given his wife’s attempt to break into their car, it also sounds like Roker is on the mend. 

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade just doesn't feel the same without Al Roker. If you were streaming the parade this morning, you would have noticed that the long-time Today co-host missed his first parade in 27 years because he is recovering from blood clots in his leg and lungs. However, despite him not physically being at the parade, he was there in spirit as his co-anchors Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie wished him well. 

During the parade this morning Kotb mentioned that normally they would turn the show over to Roker who was always on the parade route, but this year things are a bit different. She said: 

Kotb’s fellow anchorwoman Savannah Guthrie also shared a heartfelt message for the lovable weather man, and explained the Today co-host Dylan Dreyer would take his place on the route this year. She said: 

Dreyer also chimed in from the route, wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to Roker, saying “we love you” and “we miss you.” 

Roker is such a staple in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, that even Joe Biden mentioned him when he called into the parade to wish first responders and troops a happy holiday. The president said he’d be giving Roker a call today too.  

Although the weatherman wasn’t able to be at the parade he did post a photo on Instagram from his home in front of the TV watching his co-workers present the annual parade, check it out: 

For context, Roker has not been on Today for a little while because he has been in the hospital. This was due to complications from the blood clot in his leg and others in his lungs. While it’s scary to see the beloved host hospitalized, he seems optimistic about his recovery, and seeing him at home for the holiday and cheering his co-workers on is a great sign that he’s well on his way to returning to Today.  

Roker seems to be an incredibly resilient and optimistic person which makes me sure he will be back on the morning show, and hopefully back for the parade next year. In 2020 Roker revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although he got the diagnosis, he has still been working hard, and not slowing down. In 2021 he traveled to cover Hurricane Ida at the age of 67, and depict criticism, he showed that he was up to the task. So, I'm positive he will be back to work, and doing what he does best in no time.

It seems like the lovable anchor is on his way back to good health. Hopefully, we’ll see him back on the show giving us more wholesome content like the time he let Matt Smith do the weather report soon. Hopefully, Roker takes the time he needs to rest and heal while we finish out the 2022 TV schedule, and be back and ready to roll soon. 

The ever-popular weather-reporting anchor Al Roker has been a morning TV staple for many years now and has been a regular presence on NBC’s Today for a good number of those years. As such, anytime the Daytime Emmy winner doesn’t appear for an unexplained amount of time, viewers are going to have questions, which has definitely been the case during Roker’s latest extended absence. Now, an explanation has surfaced thanks to the man himself, though his reasoning is, unfortunately, more serious than just a pleasurable vacation. 

Al Roker took to Instagram to reveal that he’s been in the hospital for an extended stint due to complications following the discovery of a blood clot. Here’s how he explained it:

First and foremost, it’s great to know that the Today co-anchor has had a seemingly positive experience after being hospitalized, at least as positive as one can imagine it’d be. It’s not entirely clear why he kept his hospital stay hidden from the public for as long as he did, but it’s plausible he wanted to make it through the most difficult circumstances before feeling comfortable bringing it up with his fans and followers. Blood clots are known for causing sudden health scares, so no one would blame him for staying mum until things were sorted out. 

Presumably out of respect, Today’s ensemble of co-hosts haven’t said much about Al Roker being gone for the past two weeks, mainly keeping it to noting his absence. But that changed during Friday morning’s telecast, as Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, Carson Daly, and Roker’s fill-in Dylan Dreyer all shared their wishes for the meteorologist to get better quickly. (I guess they couldn’t get House of the Dragon’s Matt Smith to reprise his weather-reporting role.) Here’s how Guthrie put it:

Carson Daly also noted that he needs Al Roker back on the set to keep inspiring him to stay in shape, with Roker’s workout videos making him feel the need to exercise more himself. It’s not clear how agile the TV vet will be when he’s back on his feet, but it’s probably good that he doesn’t have to worry about covering any more hurricanes this year.

This isn’t the first time in recent years that Al Roker has had to bow out of Today for medical reasons. He missed a couple of episodes along with other anchors in the early days of COVID due to a crew member’s positive diagnosis, and then tested positive for it himself in September 2022, which took him away from being on air. And it was in November 2020 that he revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis on the air, which was followed by a two-week break so that he could have surgery for it.

Check out Al Rocker's post in full below.

Today delivers its multi-hour telecast just about every morning of the year on NBC. While waiting to see Roker back in front of the weather screen, head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way.

When actors do promotion for a new project they typically stick to their talking points and stay wherever the producers tell them to sit. Well, House of the Dragon star Matt Smith and the hosts of Today had a different plan. He discussed his work on The Crown, his role in the Game of Thrones prequel, and his magnificent sense of style And that last point was especially appropriate because, during the chat, he was rocking an incredible black, purple and blue shirt. Then, he ended up becoming an impromptu anchor and weatherman on the morning newscast, and it was hilarious. 

Among the House of the Dragon cast, Smith plays the maniacal, conniving, devious, corrupt Prince Daemon Targaryen. However, this appearance on The Today Show reminded me more of his days as the Eleventh Doctor on Doctor Who – especially when he jaunted from his seat over to the weatherboard to do the day's forecast with Al Roker. Check it out:  

I feel like this could have been something that happened to The Doctor; it feels on brand that he would land the TARDIS accidentally at 30 Rock in the middle of a broadcast and pretend as though he worked there. The actor's charm and charisma during the weather report impressed Al Roker and the two other anchors, Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie. Especially, since not long before he gave us all the day’s weather he had been explaining why he thought their jobs were so hard. Guthrie then told him: 

To which the actor responded with: 

They then convinced him to read the teleprompter, despite him saying he has bad eyes. He introduced Al Roker, who he called a “dude.” And then was told to go over to the weather screen, where he proceeded to explain the forecast across the U.S. Honestly, he killed it. 

To further the Doctor comparison, Matt Smith was rocking a purple, blue and black loose-fitted button-down shirt that harkened back to his purple tweed jacket from his final season as the time-lord. Among some of the best episodes of Doctor Who, you can find Smith bouncing around the universe in his tweed jacket, bow tie and the occasional fez. While Matt Smith, the actor, may not wear suits all the time, he does have a stunning and unique sense of style.  

This humorous appearance on Today was a breath of fresh air and exemplifies what we've come to expect when Matt Smith appears on TV, especially if you are currently watching House of the Dragon. Even he has said filming the prequel can be a lot. For example, that brothel scene that involved him and Milly Alcock, who plays his niece Rhaenyra Targaryen, was a lot to film for the principal actors and the extras. (It was also a lot to watch as a viewer.) 

You have to love seeing Matt Smith doing press because it reminds me what a fun-loving and goofy human he is. These appearances also are a chance for him to show off his wicked fashion sensibilities. It also reinforces how great he is at his job, because every time I watch a new episode of House of the Dragon, I forget about Smith and only see the prince of Westeros. You can see Smith transform into Daemon and stand alongside the rest of the Targaryen family in new episodes of HOTD every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO or you can watch with an HBO Max subscription after they premiere.

Tensions can run high when dealing with a natural disaster like Hurricane Ida, which made landfall Sunday on the Louisiana coasts as a Category 4 hurricane. But Al Roker isn’t one to shy away from a storm. The longtime weatherman for The Today Show brought his trademark humor to the situation, saying "Screw you!" in response to some people on Twitter questioning why the 67-year-old was sent into the elements to do his job.

Twitter users were reacting to video of Al Roker being pummeled by waves on Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana, as Hurricane Ida was about to make landfall with 150 mph winds. Roker later spoke with The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart to reassure viewers that he and the crew were taking precautions and had actually driven further away from the storm as it rolled in. He also had a message for anybody questioning his ability to be out reporting live:

The words might have been savage, but fans of the animated weatherman are familiar with his jovial outbursts, and it seemed like the weatherman couldn’t imagine not being part of the crew working the storm. Roker also posted an Instagram video showing him pouring muddy water from his rain boots, with a caption that again assured viewers of his safety and reiterating — a little louder for the people in the back — his ability to do the job at his age:

Regardless of the precautions the NBC crew had in place, Hurricane Ida and natural disasters in general are something to be taken seriously. On top of that, Al Roker’s health has been a story in the news over the past year, and fans’ hearts were surely in the right place when showing concern for the beloved weatherman. Roker told The Today Show viewers in November 2020 that he was battling prostate cancer, highlighting the rate at which the disease affects men, and particularly Black men. In February, he provided an update on The Kelly Clarkson Show, telling the host he felt good and was very fortunate to have caught the cancer early.

If driving into hurricanes at 67 years old is any indication, Al Roker seems to be doing just fine, and I’m sure his fans appreciate seeing him fulfilling the job that makes him happy. Be sure to check out our 2021 Fall TV Schedule to keep up with all of the premiere dates for all of your favorite shows.

If you’re a fan of weather reports or morning news in general, then there’s a good chance Today’s Al Roker is a part of your daily routine. The veteran meteorologist and TV personality has been informing and entertaining audiences for years and has a spot in many of our hearts. Recently, Roker got candid about a very personal aspect of his life, as he announced that he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He’s since received an outpouring of love and support from fans and colleagues, and he’s now taking the time to thank them.

Al Roker announced his cancer diagnosis on last Friday’s episode of The Today Show, revealing that he received the news during a routine check-up in September. Thankfully, he says that the cancer was detected early but, due to the aggressive treatment, he confirmed that he will be taking time off from Today. Roker also expressed his hope that by speaking out, it would encourage others who are fighting it and motivate other men to get themselves checked out.

In a sweet Twitter post, Roker thanked everyone for their support during this time. You can check out the post down below:

After making the announcement, the show aired an interview with Al Roker in which he recalled coming into work the day after he first learned of his diagnosis. He reflected on the feeling of knowing there was nothing outwardly different about him but being aware that there was in fact something different on the inside:

Roker went onto explain how the cancer took him and his family by surprise but continued to emphasize how fortunate he feels that it was found early. He also explained that he’s started a treatment plan and highlighted his prostate surgeon and his work.

It takes great strength to fight cancer, but it takes even more courage to be open up about it with the public at large. Like Erin Andrews and Jeff Bridges, Roker has no problem at all with sharing the news, as he knows doing so could actually help to benefit the public in the long run.

As a Black man myself, it’s good to hear Al Roker highlight the rate at which Black men contract prostate cancer. Hopefully, his willingness to share his story will lead someone else to do the same or influence others to see a doctor to keep tabs on their chances of getting it.

We here at CinemaBlend wish Al Roker and his family all of the best during this time.

The Blacklist is going all-out for its 150th episode! No wonder James Spader was in such a celebratory mood for the crime drama’s recent milestones. To commemorate its 150th episode, The Blacklist brought in Today legend Al Roker to guest star for the occasion. The question is, how will Roker be introduced?

People reports that Al Roker will guest star as himself for the 150th episode of The Blacklist entitled “Roy Cain.” A promotional shot shows Roker meeting up with Red. Could this be related to Today? Will Roker be reporting on something having to do with Red? There is certainly a lot for him to chronicle.

When The Blacklist left Red, he was not in good shape. He had collapsed from his much-hinted-at mystery illness, which Red previously told Ressler is fatal in nature. When meeting Al Roker, Red looks thrilled and far healthier in the 150th episode. Where are they meeting, and will Roker play a role in uncovering some critical info for Red?

Red has sources, but who better than Al Roker to get the best insight? I wonder if the pair go way back. It will be fun to find out. Red and Roker appear to meet up in a room where liquor is abundant, perhaps a high-end store? While remaining covert in certain areas, The Blacklist should reveal all with Roker.

Al Roker will not be the only guest star in The Blacklist’s 150th episode. Dukes of Hazzard’s Tom Wopat is also set to appear. Will there be any inside references to Wopat’s star-making series? Stay tuned. Liz’s mom (?) will also be a part of the action, so there's also that to consider.

For those curious as to how Al Roker’s guest spot came about, two things fueled it. Roker is a self-professed “huge fan” of The Blacklist and its star, James Spader. It is the latter who apparently brought up the potential of a guest spot.

Now fans will finally get to see it happen! When James Spader revealed the deal he struck for The Blacklist to Today ahead of Season 7’s premiere, Al Roker was there. Fast forward, and viewers will get to see Roker in action during Season 7’s major milestone episode.

It is tough to believe, but the 150th episode of the renewed crime drama is almost here! “Roy Cain” airs Friday, May 8, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. It will definitely be a ride as Red has been provided with a lot of game-changing info heading into it.

Thankfully, Red will be meeting up with Al Roker. So, despite his fading health, he still has that to look forward to. New episodes of The Blacklist air Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. To check out past guests, you can watch previous seasons on Netflix alongside content arriving in 2020. For other things to get excited about, check out this summer’s premieres.

Many of us are on a medium to high alert right now as we've been told to work from home and engage in other forms of self-isolation in order to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus throughout the United States. But, some people are still doing their due diligence and heading out to work until they absolutely can't anymore, and that includes most news anchors. Well Today hosts Al Roker and Craig Melvin were both absent from their morning gig today, and it turns out it's because they may have come into contact with the coronavirus.

Here's what happened. Rather than ignore the absences of two of its key hosts this morning on Today, the show had Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb let viewers in on why, exactly, Al Roker and Craig Melvin weren't around. Roker and Melvin, who co-host the third hour of Today with Sheinelle Jones and Dylan Dreyer, both took the day off because they may have come into contact with another employee who works on their hour of the daytime talker who's tested positive for the coronavirus.

The other employee who tested positive wasn't named, but Guthrie did confirm that those positive results came back late last night, and that Roker and Melvin decided to be cautious and take the day off of work, so that their steps could be traced (along with those of the co-worker who tested positive) to see who else they may have come into contact with.

The good news right now is that neither Al Roker nor Craig Melvin are exhibiting any symptoms of the coronavirus, and both feel good right now and hope to be back at work on Today soon. Guthrie was sure to mention that the move for them to stay home was simply "out of an abundance of caution" just so everyone could make sure there isn't a threat of the virus spreading to even more Today staffers.

I'm sure it was nerve-racking for both Al Roker and Craig Melvin to realize they'd been in contact with someone who's now been confirmed to have the coronavirus, and, considering how quickly it spreads, the best move does seem to be staying at home and getting tested for it when you can before making any potential returns to your standard daily life. This is the only real way to keep it from spreading even more, especially since it now looks possible that people can be completely asymptomatic but still infect others.

Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb didn't mention how the Today employee who tested positive may have gotten the virus, but that might just be because they aren't sure yet and the employee is still being interviewed to track their movements and see not only how they contracted the conronavirus but who else might need to be tested now because of their infection. You can watch the clip of the announcement about Al Roker and Craig Melvin below:

Hopefully, all will be well soon enough, not just with Al Roker and Craig Melvin, but with the Today staffer who has tested positive for the coronavirus, and all can get back to their lives before long. Actually, I'm just hoping that for everyone, because now is a tough, tense, sucky time.

If you're staying in as much as possible (I really hope you are), and in need of some viewing options to keep anxiety at bay, be sure to check out our 2020 midseason guide, Netflix release schedule and our Hulu new release lists for March and April!

Warning: SPOILERS for Zombieland: Double Tap are ahead!

We waited 10 years for a follow-up to Zombieland, and now it’s finally here. Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin reunited for another round of zombie-fighting action in Zombieland: Double Tap, and just like its predecessor, the sequel has been met with a solid amount of positive reception. But one of the things that distinguishes Double Tap from the first Zombieland is its use of something that’s become way more popular in the last decades: mid/post-credits scenes.

Yes, Zombieland: Double Tap got in on this craze by including a scene in the middle of the credits and one for when they were done rolling, both featuring the return of a familiar face from the first movie… and, really, anyone who’s remotely a fan of comedy. CinemaBlend will have more coverage on Double Tap’s main story in the weeks ahead, but for now, let’s over what happens in these scenes, how they came about and plenty more.

This is your final SPOILER warning, although to be fair, some of this has already been teased in previews.

What Happened In The Scenes

Zombieland came with a celebrity cameo in its arsenal: Bill Murray, who appeared when the main four characters took refuge in his Hollywood mansion and discovered that the comedy star was pretending to be a zombie so he could safely walk around town. Sadly, Columbus was the last to discover Murray was around and, initially thinking he was a real zombie, fatally shot him. Murray’s final words were expressing regret that he’d starred in Garfield.

That was the end of Bill Murray’s story in the Zombieland world, so naturally when it was reported late last year that he’d be present for Zombieland: Double Tap, fans wondered just how this would happen. Well, as Double Tap’s credits roll, Columbus can be heard expressing his continued remorse about happened with Murray, which then transitions into a flashback showing what the actor was up on the first day of the zombie outbreak 10 years earlier.

Bill Murray is at the junket for Garfield 3: Flabby Tabby (which we were thankfully spared from in real life) and answering reporters’ questions, such as acknowledging that the only reason he agreed to star in the threequel was so he could pay for drugs. Then, as Murray sits down with NBC personality Al Roker, who immediately turns into a zombie and attacks Murray. The comedy icon slams the zombified Roker with a chair, and when he realizes the zombie apocalypse has begun, he starts killing zombies left and right.

That all plays out in the mid-credits scene, but in the quick scene that’s shown after the credits are finished rolling, Bill Murray is seen back at the junket, before all the zombie insanity unfolds, showing some reporters, specifically one from a Spanish speaking outlet, how he makes Garfield’s hairball noise in this woman’s native tongue.

Why The Scenes Are Great

Look, considering that Bill Murray was killed off in Zombieland, we should be glad that writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, director Ruben Fleischer and the rest of the creative team found a way to bring him back. But to not only have him laying the smackdown on the first wave of zombies in his vicinity, but also have Al Roker play his first zombie victim is a stroke of genius. This isn’t like a Marvel movie where Double Tap is setting the stage for a threequel (I vote it be called Zombieland: Third Time’s The Charm), it’s just a little bit of fun to cap off what went down in the main story.

How The Scenes Came About

It would have been easy enough to leave Bill Murray out of Zombieland: Double Tap considering what happened to him in the first movie. But director Ruben Fleischer explained to CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg that because Murray was such a “key part” of Zombieland, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick came up with the idea of flashing back at what Murray was up to right as the zombies emerged. Fleischer added:

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick also noted that it was “such a slog” getting Bill Murray for the first Zombieland, but because he had such a fun time there, he was much more receptive to appearing in Zombieland: Double Tap when he got the call. Murray had fun playing around with the junket setting and getting to do his “own thing.”

However, had Zombieland: Double Tap been made using one of the earlier drafts, we could’ve seen Bill Murray interacting with different celebrities in a different setting…

What Might Have Been With The Scenes

Contrary to previous reports, Bill Murray’s Ghostbusters costar Dan Aykroyd does not appear in Zombieland: Double Tap, but he did in a previous version of the story. Earlier in the creative process, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick set the Double Tap post-credits scene at a golf course, where Aykroyd, as well as the late Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson, was trying to convince Murray to do Ghostbusters 3. Funny how things worked in real life on that front, as there is a direct sequel to the original two Ghostbusters movies in the works, Ghostbusters 2020, and it looks like Murray and Aykroyd will appear in that, as will Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts. But I digress.

Then, similarly to what happened with Al Roker, Dan Aykroyd suddenly becomes a zombie, and Bill Murray has to fight him off. But here’s the kicker: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick also had Joe Pesci playing in front of Aykroyd, Murray and the others on the golf course, and because he was playing too slowly, they “hit into him,” resulting in Pesci understandable getting angry.

Recalling how he and Paul Wernick had tried to get Joe Pesci on the first Zombieland, Rhett Reese said:

It did indeed work out, although part of me wishes that Joe Pesci could still have been thrown into Zombieland: Double Tap in a different way so we could have had a quick snippet of him as an appetizer to the main course that is his grand return in The Irishman next month. Alas, that wasn’t in the cards, but at least we now know what it would look like if a zombified Al Roker attacked Bill Murray.

Be sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of Zombieland: Double Tap, and look through our 2019 release schedule to plan your trips for the rest of the year accordingly.

NBC's Today has dealt with its fair share of controversies and hiccups in recent years, and its front line anchors are a slightly different bunch than they were five or six years ago. The morning news telecast went through a bit of an upheaval in 2018, largely thanks to the comings and goings of former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, who lost her Today hour back in October. Now, we finally know who will officially be taking her place during Hour 3: Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer, Al Roker and Craig Melvin.

To celebrate the big announcement going public, meteorologist and news correspondent Dylan Dreyer shared a pic of Today's newest foursome. As everyone can see below, each member of the team is rocking a giant smile, with Al Roker's seemingly at a breaking point.

Even though this is the newest official team-up for Today's third hour, it's not as if anyone in this quartet is actually new to NBC News or to the Today franchise. These well-known on-air personalities have worked their way through the ranks at NBC to earn their spots. Megyn Kelly herself got the solo Megyn Kelly Today gig as part of that mega-deal with NBC News that was meant to keep her in the network's ranks for years to come.

Sheinelle Jones joined NBC News back in 2014, and later became the co-anchor for Weekend Today. She has also been a frequent contributor and stand-in anchor for the weekday Today installments, on top of also appearing on MSNBC Live.

Dylan Dreyer, meanwhile, joined the NBC News squad as a meteorologist in 2012, and soon became part of the Today and Weekend Today crews as a weather correspondent and weather anchor. Beyond also contributing her weather skills for NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Dreyer also had/has her own standalone series titled Journey with Dylan Dreyer.

Back in 2011, Craig Melvin joined NBC News as part of the MSNBC Live program, working as a weekend anchor. He spent 2015-2018 as the co-anchor on Weekend Today before he was upgraded to be a Today anchor back in August. He was also a correspondent on Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly, but that job obviously isn't one he's still showing up for.

Then there's Al Roker, the NBC vet with the most experience. His network career started back in 1978, and he joined Today as a fill-in meteorologist from 1990-1995, becoming a full-timer in 1996. Roker was previously one-half of a Today hosting with Tamron Hall, who exited the NBC series in the wake of the news that Megyn Kelly was joining the network.

Now that NBC and Today's producers have figured out what they're doing with Hour 3, the discussions can now turn to replacing anchor Kathie Lee Gifford, who is vacating her fourth-hour position in April 2019. Something tells me nobody is going to be calling Megyn Kelly to ask if she's too busy to return.

Though her arrival at NBC was treated like a major draw by execs, it quickly became obvious that she was not the most perfect fit. Her talk show debuted to much scrutiny and criticism, and her Today time slot did not fare much better. The straw that broke the camel's back, however, came in late October, when she made on-air comments defending the use of blackface as a Halloween costume, inspiring a large backlash. NBC cancelled her program three days later.

Today airs weekday mornings (and beyond) on NBC at 7:00 a.m. ET, with the new crew taking over the 9:00 a.m. ET time slot. Be sure to tune in to see how they do, and don't forget to keep our 2019 midseason schedule bookmarked to discover all the new and returning shows hitting soon.

It's been a harrowing few months in the world of entertainment and politics. Following the myriad allegations made against tycoon Harvey Weinstein, the floodgates soon opened. A variety of powerful men have been accused of sexual misconduct, leading to some public firings and condemnation. And while producers and actors like Kevin Spacey and Brett Ratner originally made up the accused, broadcast journalists like Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer ended up on the chopping block as well, being fired from their respective positions. Lauer's firing from The Today Show has certainly been making the rounds lately, but it turns out that the ratings have been pretty fantastic in the wake of this scandal. I guess there's no such thing as bad publicity, after all.

This news comes to us from Variety, which reports that The Today Show is currently the most watched morning news program, beating out the competition at ABC's Good Morning America. The ratings are up 12.4% from GMA, likely due to the news about Lauer's firing. In total, the week accrued 4.9 million viewers for Today, beating out 4.36 million for GMA and 3.53 million for CBS This Morning.

These ratings follow the show's broadcast on November 29, where co-host Savannah broke the news about the network's firing of Matt Lauer. Her emotional recitation of the official statement went viral, as she and Hoda Kotb grappled with their conflicted feelings live on-air. Matt Lauer hosted the popular show for a decade, contributing to NBC for closer to two decades. Between the fall out and wondering what's next for the show, it seems plenty of viewers have tuned in to see what The Today Show looks like without its formerly beloved host.

This seems to be a trend in regards to these high profile firings. Tucker Carlson's numbers climbed when he took over Bill O'Reilly's former time slot on Fox News. Then again, GMA has been suffering with the loss of Charlie Rose, so this type of coverage seems to be a double edged sword.

Matt Lauer has given his own statement on the feelings, which was a mixture of apology and refuting some of the claims made against him. He claims that not all of what has been said is true, although Lauer is taking responsibility for at least some of the allegations made against him. While one unnamed NBC employee was the first one to come out with allegations of sexual misconduct, multiple women who have come forward since. The story is still developing, with some reports claiming Lauer wants a bigger payout for his unexpected termination.

It should be interesting to see how The Today Show continues, and who they chose to replace Matt Lauer as host. Some rumors indicate that Today Show contributor Willie Geist might be a possibility, as well as Meghan Kelly, Hoda Kotb, and Carson Daly. We'll just have to wait and see how the proceed, and how the ratings respond.

The Today Show airs Weekdays on NBC. Be sure to check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

When one thing goes askew on NBC's Today Show, it seems like everything starts going belly-up. Politics clearly had a role to play in the morning show's biggest changes over the past few months, starting somewhere around the ousting of Billy Bush. Megyn Kelly left her longtime home at Fox News to jump to NBC, and it was recently revealed she'd take over one of Today's hour-long blocks, with Tamron Hall and Al Roker's hour getting shafted by the deal. Now that she's had time to considering things, Hall has decided to exit both NBC and MSNBC.

NBC News definitely shocked a lot of people by announcing one of Megyn Kelly's new roles within the empire would interfere with the world of Today, and one can imagine Tamron Hall and Al Roker were among the most surprised. Even though Hall's contract expires this month, it was thought that she would stick with the company, since she would still be a part of Today's first two hours, along with all the other on-camera work she was doing for MSNBC. (She'd been filling in more than usual lately, even.) But her official last day was Tuesday, and she won't be back on either network barring some unusual circumstances.

It appears that the split between Tamron Hall and NBC wasn't one full of fireworks and turmoil. According to People and its sources, Hall's demeanor hadn't changed much on the set, and she remained in good spirits to everyone around her, with a team player attitude present throughout. But if those sources are correct, Hall found out about losing her Today spot just minutes before going on the air that morning, and that may have had a big part to play in why she's deciding to move on with her career.

Not that NBC didn't try to keep her around, as she was reportedly offered quite a bit of moolah to renew her contract for more years. Still, Tamron Hall turned down the offers, despite the fact that she doesn't seem to have anything locked down by way of another gig, which is another good sign that the way NBC News execs handled the Today deal was anything but pleasing to her. Hopefully she'll find whatever she's looking for in her next opportunity, and maybe we'll get to hear more behind-the-scenes dirt when it happens.

For now, Al Roker will continue to anchor the third hour of Today's telecast every weekday morning, possibly with someone else taking a seat next to him on occasion, with the bigger overhaul coinciding with the fall season. Head to our midseason premiere schedule in the meantime to see everything that'll be premiering on the small screen in the near future.

There are quite a few people who are qualified to give out exercise tips, but not many people do so as affably as John Cena, who popped up on Today this morning to give NBC viewers some awesome exercises. One of these exercises was the basic squat, which also featured John Cena using Al Roker as a weightlifting object. You haven't seen anything until you've seen John Cena exercise with Al Roker.

John Cena is always a guy who is willing to be a little funny, and early on in his Today show segment he brings a bunch of charm, cracking jokes and showing us a few exercises with silly names. In particular, we enjoyed him showing Tamron Hall and the other exercise devotees on Today the exercise he called "dead bugs," which forced everyone to wiggle around on the floor like a dead bug. Tamron Hall wasn't the only person who was involved with these shenanigans, however. As you can see in the gif above, Al Roker was just minding his own business on the sidelines when John Cena decided to use him. And we're not saying Roker was forced to do an exercise himself. No. John Cena actually picked the anchor up and held him across his shoulders as he did squats. If this was the Al Roker of a few years ago, it probably would not have looked quite so easy.

Al Roker seemed very surprised that this happened, and since he's not wearing exercise gear like the rest of the group, it does not seem like something the two planned in advance. In fact, judging by the fact that Al Roker was about to ask a question before John Cena picked him up, he may not have known what was going to happen at all--or at least not when it was going to happen. Still, he seemed pretty alright with Cena choosing to pick him up and take him for a test squat.

If you'd like to check out how to work your glutes and do some other fun exercises to stay toned and fit, you can check out the full Today segment here. It's certainly more fun than exercising to a Jillian Michaels DVD while she's hollering about wanting to bounce a quarter off her exercise partner's butt to get you motivated.

This isn't the first time John Cena has made a fun and funny TV appearance in recent memory. The WWE star and actor hosted an episode of SNL earlier this season, to interesting results. He's also a pretty funny part of the movie Sisters and it's easy to see how his WWE work has transitioned into giving out daytime exercise tips.

Tune in for more wacky shenanigans when Today airs on weekday mornings over at NBC.

There's been a lot of election brouhaha over the past several weeks, and this past week, Today host Billy Bush was suspended from his duties on the daytime talk show series after footage was released revealing he had made some disparaging comments against women more than a decade ago. This morning, The Today Show returned to the schedule. Interestingly, the series chose to barely make note of the Billy Bush scandal, with the hosts only briefly addressing the scandal.

Al Roker, who took over for Billy Bush during Today's third hour, addressed what happened with the tape from a decade ago that surfaced, noting:

Roker's onscreen partner, Tamron Hall, picked up the slack where Roker left off, also noting that NBC has indefinitely suspended Bill Bush following the tape that was uncovered. The episode heavily focused on the election and whether or not kids should even be watching the coverage, although Billy Bush was barely brought in to the conversation. At one point during the lengthy Today episode, Savannah Guthrie did bring up a similar sentiment. You can watch her comments from Today, below.

If you haven't kept tabs on what happened, on October 7, an old recording featuring Donald Trump and Billy Bush talking was leaked by the Washington Post. The recording was meant to shine a light on Donald Trump's past comments, but it also incriminated Billy Bush, who commented about women's bodies, including their legs and their overall looks. The tape was recorded in 2005, and at the time Billy Bush was working on Access Hollywood, which is owned by NBC. It took two days for the network to respond to the video, and then Billy Bush was suspended on October 9. Today reports that an internal memo went around about the suspension. Senior vice president Noah Oppenheim had this to say:

Billy Bush actually only joined The Today Show in August, having left Access Hollywood at the end of April. He's a newbie during the hour, and thereby he should be easily replaceable. We'll have to wait and see if NBC goes further than a suspension at this point, but we do know that as Today continues to attempt to bridge the gap between itself and Good Morning America in the ratings, the NBC series can't really afford a scandal.

Always be wary of everything you’re doing at all times, for if the Internet ever finds out what it is, someone will find a way to backlash and disgrace your name for it. Weatherman Al Roker learned that the hard way recently, as he marked a weekend trip to South Carolina with a fairly cheerful selfie. The problem? South Carolina was experiencing some heavy flooding, and Roker’s picture happened to be in front of a seemingly accident. He has since apologized.

Roker deleted the selfie tweet after Twitter went berserk on him for it, and then said his apology through the following tweet.

And when someone brought up that people are just too sensitive these days, Roker responded by saying that he should know better, and that he got “caught up in a moment of camaraderie without thinking about surroundings.” That’s mostly understandable, as I’m not sure anyone who regularly takes selfies is thinking about what else is appearing in the shot other than their face.

You can check out the offending tweet below.

It’s easy to fall into either camp with this one. For one, it definitely comes across as insulting to smile about a good day’s work when that work consists of reporting on a weather disaster that killed 9 people and trapped dozens of others. On the other hand, Roker isn’t really good-time grinning (like the person in the middle) and it’s easy to think that no one would have batted an eye had there just been wet trees behind them, or if the three people would have taken up the entire shot.

For what it’s worth, Roker definitely seems contrite and we probably won’t have to worry about him doing anything like this again in the future. At least assuming no tornados or other storms destroy any amusement parks, because it’s impossible to not smile when in the vicinity of a roller coaster.

This isn’t the only selfie that has taken people’s outrage to huge levels recently, as last week saw Arizona State University’s Alpha Chi Omega sorority getting lambasted for taking pictures of themselves during an Arizona Diamondbacks game. What most people don’t know, though, was that it was part of a T-Mobile Fan Photo promotion, and that the women won tickets to the next Diamondbacks game. What did they do with the tickets? They asked the team and Fox Sports to donate them to families of local domestic violence non-profit A New Leaf. So not ALL selfies are bad.

In recent years, a lot of cable channels have tried to delve more deeply into the original programming game. One of these unlikely players happened to be The Weather Channel, which created new webseries, including one about athletes called I am Unstoppable, and even other early morning originals. This morning, The Weather Channel has changed its mind and decided not to delve into a bunch of non-weather related originals, anymore. Instead, The Weather Channel would like to place its focus back on the weather.

So, The Weather Channel has decided that it wants to be all weather, all the time. This means the channel will no longer be focusing on originals that lack a weather component, which means programs with big headliners like America’s Morning Headquarters with Sam Champion and Wake Up With Al starring Al Roker are no longer a part of the lineup, effective immediately (although both personalities will stay on with the channel in other capacities). The transition is being made as The Weather Channel moves all of its production from the wildly expensive New York to Atlanta. The memo from the higher-ups does mention that some jobs will be lost in the process. In addition, no long-form programming will be produced by The Weather Channel as it moves forward into this new phase. Here’s why The Weather Channel says the company is making changes.

Deadline says the changes are being made as parent company NBC Universal begins thinking about selling the channel. The company has apparently been thinking about selling since last year, although the digital component for the channel may be sold over the cable component.

It’s hard to believe that people still head to The Weather Channel for their weather-related needs when the internet is so much easier and offers so much valuable information right at your fingertips. As much as I love watching Al Roker in a yellow slicker, checking the weather online is much less of an overall distraction.

The good news for The Weather Channel is that it owns weather.com, which is probably where most of us figure out whether it is boot or sandal weather in the morning, not to mention how thick of a coat to put on. The company at least has one majorly lucrative side to the business, but we’ll have to wait and see if The Weather Channel will survive in the cable world when it’s just bringing us the latest on tornadoes in the Midwest and hurricanes on the coast. We’ll keep you updated, no emergency sirens needed.

Anyone who watches Today on a regular basis knows there’s no controlling Al Roker. The loveable weatherman basically says whatever it is he wants to at any given time. He’s completely secure about both his job and himself, and apparently, that openness and freedom extend onto other shows beyond Today too.

Appearing on a Nightline segment last night, Roker got to talking about gastric bypass surgery and more importantly, about the time he broke his dietary restrictions about a month after the surgery and wound up shitting his pants at the White House. You can watch the meteorologist tell the story below…

It’s a good thing Al has so much experience dealing with famous people and being inside important places. I’m not sure most of us could have calmly made our way to the bathroom, disposed of our underwear and had the balls to actually stay and go commando like Roker. That’s actually a pretty impressive feat of determination and resiliency.

That being said, I do hope this is the last time I hear any stories about loose bowels after gastric bypass surgery. I’m not saying the crass tales aren’t funny, but now that I’ve heard one of them, I kinda feel like I’ve heard them all. Besides, no shitting your pants story can possibly top doing so at the White House. Sorry, 6-year-old at his T-ball game.

A month and a half after Ann Curry was unceremoniously dumped from her job on Today, reportedly with the full blessing of co-host Matt Lauer, her buddy Al Roker decided to get a little revenge via surprise, snarky comment. The sneak attack was made while Lauer was finishing up an interview with the gold medal-winning rowing team in which the ladies discussed throwing one of their own into the water to celebrate their victory. Lauer said it was like the New York tradition of throwing people in the Hudson River, and Roker shot back that it was like the Today tradition of throwing each other under the bus.

No one saw the comment coming, including the other on-air personalities who did their best to frantically play off the normally affable weatherman’s sneaky left hook. You can take a look at footage of the incident below…

I’m not going to criticize Al for what he did. It was unfair of NBC to axe Curry without giving her time to get comfortable, and if Lauer really did say he wouldn't return if she remained, that was poor form. That being said, comments like this are causing Good Morning America to draw even with Today. When people tune into a morning show, they want to say a well-oiled machine filled with good chemistry and good-natured laughs. For decades, Today ran on that exact format, but as the behind the scenes madness has heated up, the on-air product has started slumping.

Here’s to hoping everyone can get on the same page sooner rather than later.