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Al Roker’s SHARP Rebuke of Co-Hosts’ Comments Reveals Underlying Friction on Today Show Set

TODAY show star Al Roker had playfully hit out at his co-stars as he slammed them for being “ageist” during a segment discussion of a 1963 classic movie

 

Media Icon Al Roker Brings Laughter, Advice During Keynote

AI Rocker was having none of it(Image: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
AI Rocker admitted his co-stars were “getting on my nerves” while on TV.

 

The longtime TODAY show weatherman was seen clashing with his co-hosts during Thursday’s Pop Start segment, after they revisited a classic movie. The 70-year-old TV veteran, who’s been a fixture on NBC for decades and a full-time member of TODAY since 1996, joined Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin, and Jenna Bush Hager as Carson Daly delivered entertainment updates.

 

The story centres around Eddie Murphy’s recent comments on The Jennifer Hudson Show, where the comedy icon revealed he’s interested in remaking the 1963 classic It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. When a clip of the movie played, Daly joked, “This is so old it looks color corrected!” Carson then chimed in, joking, “Uncle Al loves this movie.”

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As the teasing continued, Craig Melvin asked if Al had actually seen it in theaters. He confirmed and even added that the movie featured an intermission, prompting Savannah to laugh and say, “Tell us about the olden times.”

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World aired back in 1963

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World aired back in 1963(Image: Bettmann Archive)
Carson explained that Murphy plans to remake the film with his friend and now-in-law, Martin Lawrence.

But before the discussion could move on, the team circled back to Roker for more fun facts. He pointed out that “anybody who was anybody in comedy in 1963” had a cameo, even the Three Stooges.

 

Al Roker

The TV star hit out at his co-stars over their remarks(Image: Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)

 

Jenna jumped in, joking, “Was Shirley Temple in it?” and asked, “What’s going on here?” as everyone laughed.

But the jokes eventually wore thin for Roker, who fired back, “Just because you may not have seen it, doesn’t mean it’s not a classic,” he said, before adding, “You ageists are getting on my nerves.”

The film initially premiered with a runtime of 192 minutes, though its original cut ran even longer at 202 minutes.

 

Despite the edits, it became a major box office hit, ranking as the third highest-grossing movie of 1963 and earning nearly $60 million worldwide.

The film is about a group of motorists who, after hearing a dying man’s clue about hidden treasure, embark on a frantic, backstabbing race to find it first. stars Spencer Tracy alongside a massive ensemble cast including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Ethel Merman, and Mickey Rooney.

It holds a 69% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 39 critic reviews, with an average score of 6.9/10.