Beloved Today Show weatherman Al Roker has a lioness in his corner who comes to defend him whenever his co-stars on the popular morning show go too far with their jokes. Al’s wife, Deborah, is one of his fiercest supporters and protectors, but that doesn’t mean he’s safe from her ire either.
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Al, Deborah Roker’s Marriage Takes ‘Today’ Spotlight
Al and Deborah Roker have been enjoying matrimonial bliss since they tied the knot in 1995, but all that time together apparently hasn’t made Deborah complacent. During a recent episode of the Today Show, Al and his co-host Hoda Kotb had a casual conversation about how outspoken Deborah was when it came to her husband.
The discussion started while the two were discussing George Clooney’s recent comments about not wanting his wife, Amal, to watch his 1997 film Batman & Robin because he wanted her to “respect” him.
Kotb then made the conversation a little more personal by mentioning Al’s wife, explaining that she sometimes tunes in to see what her husband is up to. He admitted, “She does watch because… because then I hear about the things I’ve said.”
When Al Gets A Text From His Wife, He Knows He Went Too Far
Kotb added, “Deborah is always the first one to text when Al steps across the line – and sometimes you do–” with Al quickly chiming in, “Every now and then.”
“Every now and then,” Kotb obliged before continuing, “and Deborah texts you, ‘Pull it back. Pull it back.’” She then asked, “So what do you do when you get the Deborah text?”
Al’s answer was shruggingly said with his trademark laid-back charm, “Well I always figure it’s live TV and there’s nothing I can do about it now!”
Co-Stars Get The Deborah Treatment Too
Possibly not wanting the audience to think he’s the only target of Deborah’s text, Al went on to add, “What I do love is she’s my biggest protector, if you will.” Every so often, Al’s Today co-star Craig Melvin would “make some age joke,” and soon find himself on the receiving end of one of Deborah’s warning texts.
“She says, ‘You better knock it off,’ and he’ll go, ‘Oh I got a text from Debbie Roker!’” Al recalled, putting on a trembling, scared voice to imitate Melvin. “She will come for you!”
Al’s Biggest ‘Defender, Cheerleader’
Deborah Roker is clearly not afraid to defend her husband when she’s not criticizing his fashion sense, that is. Kotb explained, “She’s a fierce defender of Al and his biggest cheerleader, but she does jump on you when – remember your orange glasses? She didn’t dig those.”
Al agreed that Deborah was “not thrilled about them,” but defiantly insisted, “I still wear them.”
One of the best things about the Today Show is the way the hosts effortlessly weave their own stories in between news items. As the audience, it’s both comforting and entertaining to get intimate little peeks into the stars’ personal lives and see how they all interact with each other’s families. These details make viewers feel like they’re waking up with friends when they tune into the morning show.