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:
I volunteered to come out here. I've done it for 40 years. Our crews, we all make sure we are safe, and we're not going to do something to put ourselves in harm's way. As much as I love the weather and love NBC, I'm not going to risk my life for it.Secondly, 'Well, he's too old to be doing this'? Well, hey, screw you. OK? And try to keep up. Keep up, OK? These young punks. I'll come after them. I will drop them like a bag of dirt.
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.
