Today Hosts Celebrate Al Roker’s 72nd Birthday With Special Tributes, Surprises And A Heartwarming On-Air Toast

Al Roker’s 72nd birthday became a memorable celebration on Today as his co-hosts honored the beloved weatherman with a series of surprises, heartfelt messages, and a special on-air toast.

The Thursday, August 20, 2026 episode of NBC’s morning show featured a birthday tribute during the “Pop Start” segment before Grammy nominee Raye’s performance at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Sebastian Maniscalco Delivers A Personalized Birthday Message

During the segment, Carson Daly revealed that comedian Sebastian Maniscalco had teamed up with America Greetings to create personalized birthday cards — and Roker was one of the first recipients.

“This is your birthday, and here’s your personalized message,” Daly told Roker before introducing the video.

In the clip, Maniscalco jokingly reflected on how birthday celebrations have changed over the years, poking fun at modern parties and social media trends while wishing Roker a happy birthday.

Roker watched the message with a big smile and reacted with excitement, saying, “That’s amazing!”

The celebration continued as the Today hosts raised their cocktail glasses for a birthday toast in honor of Roker. During the moment, Daly also gave a special shout-out to his daughter London, who was celebrating her 12th birthday on the same day.

More Birthday Surprises For Al Roker

The birthday celebrations continued during the third hour of Today, where Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer prepared additional surprises.

Dreyer pointed out that Roker’s birthday fell on National Bacon Lovers Day, highlighting his well-known love of bacon. The team surprised him with a bouquet made of bacon roses, which Roker called “fantastic.”

Melvin joked that eating all the bacon might prevent Roker from making it to 73, prompting laughter from Roker, who replied, “Well, you know, it was a good run.”

The hosts also included other playful birthday moments, including the show’s “Hump Day” camel graphic appearing with a birthday sign for Roker and another toast featuring the third hour’s signature cocktail, the Paper Plane.

A Special Day For A Today Favorite

Roker thanked his colleagues for the celebration, saying, “This is nice. Thank you so much.”

He also shared details about his birthday plans, explaining that he would spend the evening having dinner with family and friends.

Earlier that morning, Roker recalled a funny interaction with a young boy at 30 Rock Plaza. When the child was asked how old he thought Roker was, he guessed 53 — a number Roker said he would happily accept.

With decades as one of morning television’s most recognizable personalities, Roker’s birthday celebration highlighted the affection and friendship he shares with the Today team.

Today airs weekdays at 7 a.m./6c on NBC.