Al Roker, the NBC and Weather Channel avuncular meteorologist, just crossed a threshold no weatherman has ever done before. At 8 a.m. ET on Friday, Roker finished a 34-hour live weather report, setting a world record.
It wasn’t easy or always pretty. As Roker, 60, told the tale of a massive cold front enveloping the whole nation, his voice grew hoarse and he often had to sit down to rest his legs and back.
He did have a little help in that area. The network's senior fitness trainer Jen Wilson arrived to massage Roker's legs with a bar. The video (below) made for one of the two-day event's weirder images. Wilson later told Mashable that "it seemed less weird in the moment."
The world tracked Roker's attempt on social media via the hashtag #Rokerthon as the weatherman conducted various satellite forecast spots and interacted with well-wishers who walked by NBC's Rockefeller Center Studios. Roker's quest also had a social good side. The 34-hour weathercast was designed to help raise money for the USO, which supports U.S. troops.
It's official for longest weather forecast! Congrats from @the_uso! #rokerthon #USOmoments "Officially amazing!"@GWR! pic.twitter.com/1UJAxnMpJC— USO (@the_USO) November 14, 2014
Here are some other social highlights from Roker's Guinness World Record achievement:
Eli Kari Gjengedal, Norwegian wxcaster who set the @GWR for 33hr Wx broadcast that I will try to break #rokerthon pic.twitter.com/8dFN9GyePj— Al Roker (@alroker) November 12, 2014
This is what a man who has been doing the weather for 16 hours looks like. #Rokerthon pic.twitter.com/X08igk5hTT— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) November 13, 2014
Longest Live TV Weather Report record attempt! @alroker's now on the home stretch http://t.co/4YsrMWJGYo #rokerthon pic.twitter.com/vw534VcLje— GuinnessWorldRecords (@GWR) November 14, 2014
Congratulations on your 34-hour @GWR record and raising $70k for the USO, @AlRoker! Now, GO TO BED! #Rokerthon pic.twitter.com/FzBQUWOVC2— Melea M. (@MeleaAdrianna) November 14, 2014
34 hours complete. Congratulations @alroker! Go to bed! #rokerthon pic.twitter.com/f7RWVM20Be— TODAY (@TODAYshow) November 14, 2014