Al Roker Explains No Cats Were Hurt In Embarrassing Segment

The Today Show host Al Roker explained this week to viewers that no cats were hurt after an embarrassing segment.

Al has been facing significant criticism over his behavior during the past few weeks. But he found himself explaining something he probably didn’t expect: an embarrassing segment on the show. And there were cats involved. Or rather, no cats were involved at all. Keep reading to find out what exactly happened and why Al felt the need to explain himself.

Al’s Joking With Co-Hosts Receives Fan Backlash

Al Roker is known for his biting humor and frequently sarcastic nature. But over the past few weeks, some fans think he has crossed the line.

Last week, Al took a sarcastic jab at an NBC correspondent that fell a little flat for viewers. Sportscaster Mike Tirico called into the show from Paris, where he’s covering the network’s countdown to the Summer Olympics. In 2024, the Olympics will be held in France, and the country’s hype is building rapidly. Mike told his colleagues that he had shared a meal with the Mayor of Paris, and the head of the International Olympics Committee. Al decided that Mike was bragging, and mockingly imitated him; “Oh, look at me I’m Mike Tirico ooh Lala.” Mike reminded him that he was simply sharing information.

Then last Thursday, Al was shut down hard by another colleague after a sarcastic comment went awry. During a segment about travel, the Today Show video did not sync properly with the location they were discussing. Instead of showing an indoor water park, the video cut to someone jet skiing on the ocean. Al quipped, “That’s a huge water park!” And colleague Craig Melvin snapped, “Shut up!” But in both of those situations, Al did not explain. It wasn’t until the cats were involved that Al felt an explanation was necessary. Or rather, the cats were not involved.

Today‘s Al Roker Reassures That No Cats Were Hurt In Embarrassing Segment

Al Roker was on set when a segment aired promoting a cat’s litter box. The meteorologist tried to look at the item more closely. He told the audience, “This is our green room cat.” When he picked the box up, it fell and broke. Pebbles from the top of the box tumbled onto the cat and scattered across the floor.

An embarrassed Al stepped back while trying to contain his laughter. Luckily, the cat that they had in the litter box was just a prop. The product segment’s host tried to make light of the situation, saying, “This didn’t happen during the rehearsal.” She called for a broom to clean up the mess, and Al joked in the process, “No cats were hurt in the making of this.”

Al Roker accidentally broke a decorative cat litter box — and pebbles went everywhere! 🤣 But don't worry — our green room cat was SAFE! pic.twitter.com/brSQ6YBVrY

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 27, 2023

Viewers took to online forums to chide Al for making the mess. But some found the humor in the situation, saying that Al and his colleagues salvaged the moment with some hilarity.

Do you think Al Roker recovered well from the mess he made? And do you think he has been crossing the line recently with some of his jokes? Sound off in the comments. And catch The Today Show crew on NBC every weekday morning at 7 AM EST.