Al Roker has conquered a wide variety of entertainment worlds. Along with being best known as the “Today” weatherman, Roker has written books, performed on Broadway, hosted a game show, appeared in movies and provided voices for a number of animated characters.
It is his work with the PBS animated series “Weather Hunters” that has helped Roker accomplish a dream he had as a young man.
“My dream job would have been to be an animator at Walt Disney. In fact, I wanted to go to the New York School of Graphic Art and Design, and my dad wouldn’t hear of it,” Roker says. “He said ‘You are not going to high school to learn how to draw cartoons.’
“And look, it all turned out fine, but I always wonder.”
There has been less wondering with the launch of “Weather Hunters.” A special episode of the STEM series created by and featuring Roker – “Christmas in Africa” – has launched. Because the weather hunting family will be spending Christmas in Nigeria, one of the children worries about skipping their usual cold-weather traditions.
The holiday episode of “Weather Hunters” is part of special programming through December on PBS KIDS. There will also be holiday programming on “Lyla in the Loop,” “Arthur,” Curious George,” “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” and “Wild Kratts.”
Not only is “Weather Hunters” dear to Roker’s heart because of his love of animation, but also it is a show that touches on a variety of topics such as geography, culture and family.
Roker says, “Because it’s not your typical kids show where there’s maybe 11 minutes – and then you know everything gets done boom, boom, boom – we can take our time with this because we have 22-minute episodes. PBS research has shown that kids can take in more complicated storylines.
“What I’m very proud of. Is that it shows relationships. It’s a loving family. It’s a family that likes to make fun. There are a lot of dad jokes. I don’t think there’s very many shows like it on the air right now.”
One reason “Weather Hunters” has so many layers goes back to Roker’s early days working in local television news. He had a news director tell him that every story needed to have two things. It should answer the question that is foremost on the viewer’s mind and have something that will spark conversations.
“Weather Hunters” is loaded with facts and figures to make young viewers and adults think. In the case of the “Christmas in Africa” episode, the family learns where Nigeria is located, the types of holiday traditions that are observed and why the weather is so unique.
Roker stresses this kind of program that blends entertainment with education is what PBS does best. There is a large department vetting every script to make sure they are adhering to the STEM curriculums. This kind of attention to detail is why Roker cannot imagine a better partner to make his love of animation a reality.
The fact the family hunts weather also is a major factor for Roker.
“Whether it’s everyday weather phenomena or some of the more obscure weather phenomena, we want all of our viewers to come away with a sense of awe,” Roker says. “Our weather is really cool and that there’s all these interesting things around us that we may take for granted.
“Hopefully, kids will start using the powers of observation more to look at the world around them and marvel in all things big and small that take place in their world.”
It took Roker decades to finally get involved with the animation world and he has taken advantage of the opportunity to learn more in regard to the animation process.
“Even though I’m not an animator on the show, I got to really delve into the business of animation. I thought I knew how much went into this, but I really had no idea,” Roker says. “It’s been truly, truly, a labor of love to be able to have co-stars like Holly Robinson Peete – who plays my wife – or Sheryl Lee Ralph, who’s Miss Joyce, our next-door neighbor, or the OG of PBS Kids Levar Burton playing my grandfather.”
“Weather Hunters” is the latest accomplishment in Roker’s long career. The surprising part is that Roker never had a master plan for his life. The way Roker describes his life is that he has just “bumbled along.”
He credits his parents for giving him the tools he needed. From his father he got the gift of talking and schmoozing while his mother taught him to be open and take things as they come.
“And, and to not say no. I mean unless it has something to do with bomb diffusing,” Roker says.
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