Al Roker takes his health very seriously after he was hospitalized last year. He is careful to exercise to stay fit and oversees his diet.
He has been doing the talk show rounds with his wife, Deborah Roberts, about his hospital ordeal and his time away from The Today Show.
Al revealed he felt that he had “ruined Thanksgiving” last year with his health scare, and the phrase “Al Roker dead” started trending on the internet.
This is a testament to just how much Al is loved worldwide. Any news of his health makes headlines.
His hospitalization for blood clots in his lungs and leg, and the subsequent surgery to correct these problems, has caused Al to reflect on the importance of family.
This reverence for the family may have caused Al to react abruptly recently on Today.
What could Craig Melvin say to cause such an outburst by Al?
On Today’s Third Hour, Craig Melvin recently shared some exciting news. He and his mother, Betty Jo Melvin, are featured in Southern Living this month during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Craig recounted to the magazine how special his mother made the holidays for him in South Carolina. The magazine also features his mother’s signature macaroni and cheese dish.
Al started the segment by saying, “They are featured in the December issue of Southern Living, where Betty Jo shares the recipe for her go-to holiday dish.”
The ladies at the table with Al and Craig, Sheinelle Jones, and Dylan Dreyer loved hearing about the story. They flipped through the magazine and raved over the pictures of Craig and his mom.
Then Craig proceeded to put his foot in his mouth. He said, “I always prayed that my mother lives a long and healthy life, but if she died tomorrow…”
These words shocked his co-hosts. “What?” one of the women can be heard saying. Sheinelle said she was confused as to where the story was going. It became clear that Craig was trying to honor his mother.
Al started to get upset. He could not believe what he was hearing from Craig.
He addressed Betty Jo directly through the television screen, “Betty Jo, we are sorry for Craig; there was no reason for him to bring that up!”
Craig started to explain his reasoning for saying that about his mom, but Al cut him off, yelling, “No! There’s no reason! Don’t put that out there.”
Al finished by asking Craig, “What is wrong with you?” The whole interaction was tinged with love. No one wants to think of their parents passing.
This is not the first time Al has targeted Craig. Recently, he joked with him over candy, of all things.
Craig honored his mother in an Instagram post
Craig took to Instagram to show his excitement for his mother making Southern Living Magazine.
He captioned the post, “I am so honored to be featured in the holiday edition of @southernlivingmag with my amazing mother, Betty Jo Melvin. She even shared her famous macaroni and cheese recipe!”
Fans of Craig and now his mother shared their sentiments on Instagram.
One user called for a fan club for his mom, “BETTY JO FAN CLUB.” Another admonished Craig, “But, Al thinks you sent her to a premature departure!”
One more gushed, “Your beautiful mother! Look at the love and pride on your face.”
This beautiful macaroni and cheese recipe can be found on the Southern Living website.