2026 marks Al Roker’s 30th year at the Today Show. He took over as weatherman from Willard Scott in 1996. He also co-hosts the third hour of the morning program alongside Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer. After thirty years on live TV, not much can shake Al Roker. However, a recent guest asked a shocking question, causing the weatherman to briefly lose his composure. Keep reading for all the details on the incident.
Al Roker Caught Off Guard By Today Guest’s Shocking Question
Al Roker joined Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer to interview legendary rock singer John Mellencamp. It’s been over 40 years since the rocker’s iconic song “Jack & Diane” topped the charts, but his career is still flourishing. He was on the Today Show to promote his upcoming summer tour.
He’ll perform his biggest hits for the first time in years on the Dancing Words tour, kicking off in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 10. But before the hosts could get into the details about his summer plans, John Mellencamp shocked Al Roker with a dig at his weather forecasting skills.
“I have a question for Al. Why is it that with all the new stuff that you weather people have are you doing as bad a job as they did in 1951?”
The other hosts, especially Craig Melvin, couldn’t contain their laughter at the rocker calling out Al Roker. “You have just spoken for America,” Craig Melvin joked.
Al Roker was taken aback by the question and bought time by responding, “That’s a good question.” Dylan Dreyer, who is a certified meteorologist herself, told Al Roker to remind John Mellencamp that weather forecasters are “predicting the future.”
John Mellencamp pointed out, “David Letterman used to be the weatherman in Indiana, and he was much righter than you guys.” Al Roker took the rock star’s comments in stride, replying, “Guess what? I’m still doing it, and I’m making money. So, I guess I must be doing something right.”
John Mellencamp Shares Update On Daughter’s Cancer Battle
The topic eventually turned to John Mellencamp’s daughter, Teddi. She was a cast member on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for three seasons. She revealed in 2022 that she was diagnosed with Stage 2 skin cancer. Sadly, the cancer spread to her brain. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer in 2025.
She had four brain tumors removed in February. Her latest health update was in October, when she revealed that the remaining tumors had shrunk. However, her dad said she’s now “suffering” amid the cancer fight.
“[She’s] suffering, to be quite honest. You can’t say you’re cancer-free with the type of cancer she’s got for three years,” he told the Today hosts.
The interview ended on a high note about the Indiana Hoosiers Men’s basketball team. Indiana native John Mellencamp is a diehard fan. Tell us in the comments your reaction to the viral moment between the rocker and the weatherman.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
