Al Roker

Summary

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Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim

Episode: Al Roker
Date: January 27, 2026
Host: Ego Nwodim
Guest: Al Roker

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Episode Overview

In this lively and heartfelt episode, Ego Nwodim welcomes legendary broadcaster and “Today Show” weatherman Al Roker for a warm, candid, and often humorous exploration of fatherhood, marriage, family dynamics, life lessons, and the journey of personal and parental growth. From Al’s upbringing in Queens as the oldest sibling to reflections on parenthood, relationships, and his career, the episode blends wisdom with wit as the two navigate topics ranging from generational shifts and parenting philosophies to memorable childhood stories and the complexities of love and partnership.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Does Al Roker Want to Say Thanks To?

Timestamp: [06:46]

• Al expresses gratitude to his wife, Deborah Roberts, and his family, particularly for their support during a serious health crisis three and a half years ago. He highlights the importance of advocacy and family in survival and recovery.
• “At no time did I know how actually sick I was...I really do think they saved my life.” – Al Roker

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2. On Marriage & Relationships

Timestamp: [08:41]

• Marriage as Work: Al emphasizes that marriage—and all meaningful relationships—require consistent effort and care.

  • “Marriage is work…any relationship is work…If you care about these people, then you put in the work.” – Al Roker [08:43]

• What Does the 'Work' Look Like?

  • Al describes it as a balance: the good times and happiness should outweigh the tough moments; honest conflict is inevitable.
  • “Anybody who says differently that they…have not been moments where they wanted to kill their significant other is lying. I’m just sorry.” – Al Roker [09:45]

• Humor on Marriage:

  • Al jokes about “being a win-win for his wife” and the idea of “being a hot widow,” immediately undercutting the dark humor with appreciation.

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3. Al’s Journey to Marriage and Advice for Singles

Timestamp: [10:39]

• Early Years & Self-Image:
  • Al recounts growing up as an overweight Black kid in Queens, the impact of “Fat Albert” airing, and his lack of attention from girls in his youth.
  • “The ladies weren’t coming after this. That came later in life.” – Al Roker [11:32]
• Advice to Women:
  • “You can go for the really good-looking guy. But after 30 years of marriage or so, they’re gonna be falling apart…Those looks fade…Deborah, on the other hand, reverse-engineered it. She had a vision.” – Al Roker [12:14]
  • Emphasizes that what matters are “the bones”—the intrinsic qualities that last.

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4. Parenting Philosophies & Family Dynamics

Timestamp: [16:48]

• Being the Oldest Sibling:
  • Al describes both the responsibility and the perks—like directing younger siblings (“go get the remote”).
• Taking Care of Family:
  • Shares about taking his much younger brother to college and potty-training him—benefiting as a “chick magnet.”
• Differences in Parenting:
  • Al acknowledges variations in his parenting across his three children and jokes about varying levels of self-sufficiency.

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5. Al’s Own Father & Multigenerational Lessons

Timestamp: [25:28]

• Relationship with His Dad:
  • Al’s father, a NYC bus driver, was nurturing, emotionally expressive, and always signed off with “I love you.”
  • Stresses the importance of being present and offering advice only when asked.
  • “I don’t offer advice until I ask…unless there is some sort of harm that could happen…otherwise, the job is just to be there, until they need you.” – Al Roker [22:59]
• Cultural Heritage & Work Ethic:
  • As the son of immigrants from the Bahamas and Jamaica, Al discusses having to work “twice as hard to get half as far.”
  • “That’s what I tell you, you gotta work…There’s not a guarantee, but it’s more of a guarantee than if you don’t.” – Al Roker [42:10]

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6. Parenting Styles, Authority, and the “Because I Said So” Debate

Timestamp: [44:48]

• Friend or Parent?
  • “I’m not your friend, I’m your father…this is not a democracy.” – Al Roker [44:51]
• On Providing Structure:
  • “Like a puppy, they need parameters. They need a crate. They need to be trained. And then you can let them off the leash...” – Al Roker [47:04]
• Public Parenting Failures:
  • Al recounts a recent plane incident where he tried to intervene when a child kicked his seat, only to be met with a harsh response from the parent—a springboard for discussing public perceptions of parental authority and boundaries.

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7. Parenthood, Readiness, & Ego’s Dilemma

Timestamp: [19:00 – 53:00]

• Is Anyone Really Ready?
  • Ego shares her fears about the responsibility, calling the parenting leap “positively reckless.” Al reassures her: having a dog is a good test-run, but no one is truly “ready.”
  • “There’s no right time [to have kids].” – Al Roker [36:56]
• On Taking the Leap:
  • Ego: “I need a North Star for when I’ll know I’m ready.”
  • Al: “When your water breaks.” [52:32]
  • Ego: “So Al Roker is telling me to just go get pregnant.”
  • Al: “No, wait…” [52:37]
• Marriage, Nerves, and Officiating:
  • Al is registered to officiate weddings (“I got a free dinner!”), and jokingly commits to officiating Ego’s.

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8. Listener Advice Segment: “That’s Nice But What About Me?”

Timestamp: [52:57 – 65:30]

• Listener Question:
  • “How much partying is okay after 40? My friends are 48, going to the strip club and getting drunk every weekend. I’m 40 and can barely have a martini without regrets. Help.”
• Al’s Verdict:
  • “I think you need to get other friends…there’s something wrong with this person if at 48 [they’re] still going out to the strip club and getting drunk every weekend. That person needs a 12-step program.” – Al Roker [63:17]
• Ego Jokes:
  • Suggests “maybe they need a child,” prompting Al to say, “Not even a dog…that person needs therapy!”

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9. Food, Family, and Baltimore Love

Timestamp: [66:28]

• Bonding over Crab Cakes:
  • Al and Ego reminisce about Baltimore, favorite crab houses, and what constitutes a “real” Maryland crab cake (no filler!).
  • “It’s all crab meat…that’s how it’s supposed to be.” – Al Roker [66:40]
• Lighter Banter:
  • Pigs in a blanket vs. crab cakes at weddings, and whether either is appropriate fare.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Al on Parenting Advice:
  “Don’t be afraid to make a mistake … you’re gonna screw up, you’re gonna fail…no great invention…has been made on its first shot.” [43:02]
• Al on Authority:
  “This is not a democracy.” [44:51]
• Ego on Recklessness:
  “The commitment [to have kids] seems reckless…but it’s a positive reckless.” [19:19]
• On Generational Change:
  “Our parents got married younger and had kids…now their lives are their own. Now, young men and women are waiting till their 30s, 40s…Now you’re old parents.” – Al Roker [38:04]
• On Mistakes and Growing Up:
  “I think half the time…we do [things] are to please our parents…My dad ended every conversation with ‘I love you’ and admitted mistakes.” – Al Roker [27:47]
• On Getting Ready for Big Life Steps:
  “If you care about what you do…you’re always nervous. If you’re not nervous, it’s probably time to go.” – Al Roker [53:58]

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Important Timestamps

• [06:46] — Al thanks his wife and family for saving his life
• [08:41] — What ‘work’ in marriage really looks like
• [10:39] — Al’s childhood and advice to single women
• [16:48] — On being the oldest; family responsibilities
• [25:28] — Relationship with his dad; generational parenting
• [44:48] — On authority, democracy, “because I said so”
• [52:32] — Listener advice segment (“when are you ready for kids?”)
• [63:17] — How much partying is okay after 40?
• [66:28] — Compromise, crab cakes, and Baltimore pride

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Tone, Style, and Chemistry

• Conversational & Warm: Both Ego and Al oscillate between lighthearted banter and the honest, unvarnished wisdom of lived experience.
• Humorous: Jokes about parenting, marriage, dog poop, and wedding food keep the mood buoyant, even as deeper themes are explored.
• Candid: No topic feels off-limits—failed marriages, childrearing mistakes, or the realities of aging and generational changes.

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Takeaways

• The “right time” for life’s big steps rarely announces itself—sometimes you simply “hope for the best.”
• Relationships require real, sometimes uncomfortable effort, but “work” is a sign that you care.
• Empathy, boundaries, and a sense of humor are essential for both parents and partners.
• Generational wisdom can—and should—be adapted, not just inherited.
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; it’s the only way to advance.

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Closing

The episode closes with Ego reflecting on Al’s wisdom and humor, joking that her “takeaway” is to have a baby immediately—while also agreeing to have Al officiate her future wedding (provided there are both pigs in a blanket and Baltimore crab cakes).

Al:
“There’s really no reason on God’s green earth that you shouldn’t be getting married and popping out one or two. Maybe even three…” [60:50]

Ego:
“If you officiate my wedding, I need you to care!” [61:18]

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A relatable, insightful, and hilariously human conversation—full of intergenerational truth, advice, and “real talk” about the joys, pains, and quirks of family life.

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Transcript

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[Al Roker]

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[Al Roker]

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[Al Roker]

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[Ego Wodem]

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[Ego Wodem]

Wow. What a day. What a life. Thank you, guys for listening. For all the people who are listening consistently, thank you. I love you. I really appreciate you. Because honestly, what are we even up to? But I'm so glad you tuned in, and it means the world to me. I gotta tell you what's on the top of my mind right now. Poop. But specifically of the dog variety. Guys, we can't leave it on the sidewalk. We can't leave dog poop on the sidewalk. I guess that's all I want to say about the matter. How crazy is it that people are just leaving their dog poop? And I understand running out of bags and such, but we got to get resourceful. I've once used the, like, disposable cozy on a coffee cup to scoop up dog poop. I've been. This was, like, last week, really creative about how I'm gonna get dog poop up when. When I don't have bags. But we can't just be leaving dog poop on the sidewalk because someone's going to step in it, and that's going to ruin their day. And then this gum. Spitting out gum on the sidewalk. Someone's going to step in it, guys, and that's going to ruin their day. Neither of these things, thankfully, have happened to me in recent memory, but let's all do our part. These are the things that matter to me today. I'm talking to someone incredibly exciting. I cannot wait. Um, I think it's gonna be super fun. I know him. You know him. You love him. I'm excited for this one. I have to introduce you first because this is huge.

[Al Roker]

All right. For me, personally, let's see how you feel when it's over.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. All right. We'll gauge at the end. All right. But I right now feel it's huge. I feel it'll only be huger. Is that a word?

[Al Roker]

I think it is.

[Ego Wodem]

I made it up. Huge.

[Al Roker]

Huger.

[Ego Wodem]

Do you people are making words up now?

[Al Roker]

Oh, please. Six, seven. All this Stu.

[Ego Wodem]

Six, seven.

[Al Roker]

And you know who's enabling? Enabling who?

[Ego Wodem]

Hard word to say.

[Al Roker]

Well, the. The dictionary folks. Like Websters, like the word of the year. Stop it.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, we're looking to you. You don't. Don't look to us.

[Ego Wodem]

They're like, no, we're taking cues from you now.

[Al Roker]

We're gonna take cues from the public.

[Ego Wodem]

Maybe we should start making up words here and maybe then they'll pick up a cue and there'll be a word in the dictionary that you made up. And that would be kind of cool.

[Al Roker]

That would be that.

[Ego Wodem]

That would be that. It's just something to consider. But I should introduce you first because that's how podcasts. Okay.

[Al Roker]

Word on the street.

[Ego Wodem]

Word on the street is I gotta introduce this legend. My next guest who is here before me now is Emmy winning weatherman, broadcaster and journalist. You know him from the Today show. You also love him from the Today show. And if you're as lucky as I am, you love him from run ins as well. It's Al Roker.

[Al Roker]

Hello. Hi.

[Ego Wodem]

How are you? I'm good, I'm good, I'm good. I'm trying to sell it more than twice.

[Al Roker]

Then it sounds like you're trying to convince not just me, but yourself, myself. So I'm like, hey, how are you?

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah, I'm good.

[Al Roker]

Boom.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. He believed it. That's good acting advice as well. How to sell.

[Al Roker]

You know the best acting advice I ever got, Please. From Jason Alexander. I was doing a behind the scenes of Seinfeld years and years and years ago and I said so. And they were going to put me in, in the show to do it. I said, I need some advice. What do you, what do you think? He goes from years of doing soap operas. Here's what I've learned. No matter what somebody says to you, your reaction should be who farted?

[Ego Wodem]

He says it works internally. Internally, you don't articulate.

[Al Roker]

So just say something to me.

[Ego Wodem]

All right. My goodness, the traffic outside was a disaster today. Non verbal as well. Okay.

[Al Roker]

Works for everybody.

[Ego Wodem]

I love that. I'm gonna, you know what? I could stand to do that. Like, if I ever get worked up and I don't want to respond right away. So this is an acting advice. You could also take it into life because if it means you're just kind of mute, Contemplative. Yes, it is. You just go. If you, if we were in conflict and you're coming at me and I just go. That would make someone really upset. If I was on the receiving end of that, though, I would be very upset. But you get a reaction and that's effective. I'm so happy you're here.

[Al Roker]

I'm happy to be here.

[Ego Wodem]

I have to ask you off the bat because this is what we do at the podcast, Al, who or what do you want to say thanks to?

[Al Roker]

Who do I. You know what I would say thanks to? Thanks to my wife, Deborah Roberts, and my family. Because about three and a half years ago I had a major medical issue and they both, Deborah, my daughter Leila, my brother Chris, you know, they were fierce advocates for me and one of the greatest gifts they gave me was that at no time did I know how actually sick I was in that. Like my brother who's in the healthcare field is saying, you've gotta start making plans because this might go. This very well may go the other way. But I really do think they saved my life. That and knock on wood or press particle board.

[Ego Wodem]

Don't out us.

[Al Roker]

Oh, I'm sorry.

[Ego Wodem]

No, it's wood. It's real wood.

[Al Roker]

It's, it's very wood, like. But anyway, I, you know, they really gave me the wherewithal to survive and listen, I'm very fortunate. Good health care and so. But, you know, but I would say thank you to my wife and my family.

[Ego Wodem]

That is incredible. And shout out to them, I.

[Al Roker]

There are days that I think they.

[Ego Wodem]

Regret that we should have let them go.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, that. Where it was like, no. Would it have been that bad?

[Ego Wodem]

No.

[Al Roker]

Because I always say, you know, if that had happened, if the worst had happened, you'd be this hot widow, you know. You know, you already have kids.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

So there's some older rich guys looking for, you know, some arm candy. Oh, ready to go.

[Ego Wodem]

Don't say so.

[Al Roker]

Either way, it was a win win for her.

[Ego Wodem]

Don't say this, don't say we're going to just say thanks to her.

[Al Roker]

Okay, let's go with that.

[Ego Wodem]

We'll go with thanks.

[Al Roker]

Let's go with that.

[Ego Wodem]

She chose you.

[Al Roker]

Yes, she chose me.

[Ego Wodem]

And she chooses you every day. Is that marriage?

[Al Roker]

That is, you know what marriage is?

[Ego Wodem]

Tell me.

[Al Roker]

Actually, marriage is. And, and I don't mean this as a negative. Marriage is work, you know, but any relationship is work, you know, someday. I mean, look, your boyfriend, girlfriend, your kids, it, it's work, you know, but if you care about these people, then you put in the work, you know.

[Ego Wodem]

But okay, I hear people say all the time that it's work. And people say it all. All the time.

[Al Roker]

Yes.

[Ego Wodem]

What does the work look like? Honestly? Because somebody might be in a wrong relationship and they're like, it's work, it's. And then somebody else will say to them, well, it's not supposed to be that, or it's not supposed to be that hard. And another person will say, well, relationships are hard. And so it's all quite confusing. And I know it's case by Case. But how would you describe the work?

[Al Roker]

Well, I think it's. Look, I think it's like everything, you know, you're kind of grade on a curve, you know, it's like an average, you know. Yeah. I mean, but you're hoping at the end of the day or the end of whatever, you know, that the good times and what makes you happy and this person makes you happy far outweigh the times where you want to just.

[Ego Wodem]

Sometimes you want to kill them. Is it true? It's true.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. And. And anybody, anybody who says differently that they. There have not been moments where they wanted to kill their significant other is lying. I'm just sorry.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. I appreciate that. I always, when I hear people saying my partner and I don't fight at all, I'm like, I think that's bad.

[Al Roker]

That's right. You're going to end up dead.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. They're not fighting because one day it's all going to come out.

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

And.

[Al Roker]

And you know, and because it's. And I don't know, in, in your relationship. But it's never about the thing. It's about what came before. The thing isn't.

[Ego Wodem]

It's crazy. We're all actually just children. Yes. Walking around in adult bodies.

[Al Roker]

Exactly.

[Ego Wodem]

And the sooner you realize.

[Al Roker]

Which sounds like a horror movie.

[Ego Wodem]

It does. Maybe I'll write it.

[Al Roker]

I think so.

[Ego Wodem]

Thank you for the idea. I will. Maybe we co. Write it. Okay, we'll co. Write it.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Hunter Woodhull]

We'll EP it.

[Ego Wodem]

Exactly.

[Al Roker]

I'll have your people call Michael.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. No problem. We'll do that offline. Here. You. Did you always know you wanted to be married?

[Al Roker]

I don't. No, I, you know, I never gave it any thought. I, I just, you know. Listen, were you a playboy? Well, no. Okay. No, here's. No, here's the deal. I mean, I was a guy. Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

Tell the truth.

[Al Roker]

No, I am going to tell you the truth. I want to give you a little backstory. I'm here for it. So it's. It's 1970. No, 1968. 67. 68. And I'm a black kid living in Queens. I'm overweight. And there's a special on NBC, an animated special that comes out by a certain stand up comic called Fat Albert.

[Ego Wodem]

Heard of it?

[Al Roker]

Yeah. So that airs. My life is over.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh. Ow.

[Al Roker]

And I'm hoping that maybe by some fluke, nobody at my school saw this.

[Ego Wodem]

Special, but back then there were like five stations, I feel like. And that's not to age you.

[Al Roker]

No.

[Ego Wodem]

You don't look At.

[Al Roker]

I walked into the schoolyard at St. Catherine of Siena in St. Albans, Queens, and I heard this. Hey, hey, hey. And so that pretty much followed me into high school. So there wasn't a lot of. Let's put it this way, the ladies weren't coming after this.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Al Roker]

So that came later in life.

[Ego Wodem]

Little did they know. They had no idea what they were missing out on.

[Al Roker]

And that's what I. Okay, here's some. Here's some advice for the ladies out there, the single ladies.

[Ego Wodem]

Tell, tell.

[Al Roker]

All right. Now you can go for the really good looking guy. But at the end of the day, odds are after 30 years of marriage or so, they're gonna be falling apart.

[Ego Wodem]

Those looks fade.

[Al Roker]

It fades.

[Ego Wodem]

Those looks fade.

[Al Roker]

The hair goes. Deborah, on the other hand, reversed engineered it.

[Ego Wodem]

She had a vision.

[Al Roker]

She had a vision. I was £340 when we got married, and now I look like this.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, come on.

[Al Roker]

So it ends up okay.

[Ego Wodem]

It sure does.

[Al Roker]

So that's the.

[Ego Wodem]

You can't.

[Al Roker]

You.

[Ego Wodem]

You're. So you advise them to have vision.

[Al Roker]

See the diamond in the rough?

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, yes. Go for the one.

[Al Roker]

Because, let's face it, you ladies like to. You look at us as an apartment to be decorated or renovated.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah, I actually. Yes. To be honest, you have to go. Do you like the bones? Do you like the bones of the house? My real estate agent taught me that when I was buying my house, because I kept being like, I don't like this, I don't like that. And he's like, you have to like the bones and the location. And so it's. Think about the bones.

[Al Roker]

I like.

[Ego Wodem]

But. But the thing is, everyone's got bones.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, but some bones are better than others.

[Ego Wodem]

That's facts. That's true. I guess every house bones be bones. But then some bones are.

[Al Roker]

I don't even know what that means.

[Ego Wodem]

Bones are bad. But I like people will figure it out in due time. Maybe by the end of this week, I'll. I'll have it mullabod in my head and I'll sort that out. So Deborah had vision. How old were you guys when you guys are together?

[Al Roker]

I was. Let's see. Well, we've been married 30 years, so I was. I was 41.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

You know, and I won't say how old she was, but.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, we don't. That's not our business. She's not here.

[Al Roker]

Somebody will tell her I said that. Okay, Then I will kill you.

[Ego Wodem]

You will kill her or she will kill. Okay, got it. It would be. Well, within her rights, honestly.

[Al Roker]

Exactly that, you know. Your Honor, my client's husband went on.

[Ego Wodem]

Thanks, dad.

[Al Roker]

Went on a podcast and gave her eight. Well, case closed. Dismissed.

[Ego Wodem]

And, you know, it'd be nice views and listens for me.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, exactly. More clicks for you.

[Ego Wodem]

I don't know, Deborah, consider. No, but we love you, so I don't want that to happen. So you were 40, so you hadn't been really dating much before then. How did you know?

[Al Roker]

Well, this was. I will, to be honest. This was my third marriage.

[Ego Wodem]

Marriage.

[Al Roker]

Okay. So. But this one is stuck, so this one's stuck.

[Ego Wodem]

What feels different, if I may ask, about this marriage, beyond it sticking versus the other two marriages?

[Al Roker]

You know, listen, every. Everybody has their. Their issues, but I think this, you know, it was. I. I think because we did put in the work, you know, that. That, you know, when the, you know, the old saying, they go and get stuff, the tough get going. Well, you know, I mean, listen, there were moments where we could have said, ah, the heck with this, you know, and even, you know, kids are. No, but you say, you know what, at the end of the day, you know, this is my ride or die. So, you know, let's just, you know, and. And let's face it. Do you really want to go back out there?

[Ego Wodem]

Well, that's been the argument for some of my friends staying in relationships. I mean, they're young, not married, but they'll be like, I just don't want to get back out there and start over with someone. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

And, you know, you love this person, you care about them, you have a life with them. So, you know, I mean, which. Which would you rather do? Invest in somebody that, you know, loves you and you love them? Now, listen, if there's an issue, then that's. That's that. And you've got to make a decision. But otherwise, you know, I would much rather invest in what I've already got than try to find the bigger, better deal, you know?

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. And that sounds mature, by the way. That sounds mature.

[Al Roker]

I'm old.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. You know, don't say that.

[Al Roker]

It's like, okay, so my baby brother. Yeah, Chris, is almost 17 years younger than me. And I would look. And my, you know, there are six kids, and my next oldest is my sister. And we would look at my parents and say, they're letting this kid get away with murder. He's doing whatever he wants. And finally I said to my mother, I said, what's the deal? She said, we're tired.

[Ego Wodem]

That's what happens. I'm the Youngest, by the way. Yeah, I'm gonna go be an actor.

[Al Roker]

Like, we had to put ourselves through college. He got a free ride in a car.

[Ego Wodem]

Of course. You want to be the. You want to be the youngest kid. Oh, you want to be the youngest kid.

[Al Roker]

You got to be the responsible one.

[Ego Wodem]

Exactly. And you're kind of like a surrogate parent, even if you have both of your parents. I feel like I don't envy the oldest.

[Al Roker]

That's your job. And then it's.

[Ego Wodem]

No, then you become. You work. Were you kind of a parent to the other kids?

[Al Roker]

In fact, my mom, when I was in college, my mom was sick for a little bit, and so I volunteered. I took my brother Chris, who was at the time was like two and a half, almost three. I took him to college with me for a month. I actually potty trained him.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, yeah. Oh, my gosh. That's a responsibility.

[Al Roker]

But on the upside, he was a chick magnet.

[Ego Wodem]

Really. It's like a dog, a small dog. When you see a guy with a small dog, people are always like, he.

[Al Roker]

Was like a bichon with a fro. It was great.

[Ego Wodem]

Well, so we also. That's part of why we thanked Chris earlier.

[Al Roker]

Exactly, exactly. I paper trained it.

[Ego Wodem]

It was fantastic. That's amazing. Well, so you. Did you like being the oldest, though, is that responsibility aside?

[Al Roker]

I think I did like the old. Because, you know, you could get. While, you know, your, your, your baby siblings were somewhat spoiled. You know, you kind of had control so that you could kind of. They were sort of your servants. Yeah, go do that.

[Ego Wodem]

That too. Go get the remote. Lots of. Go get the remote.

[Al Roker]

Oh, look, I'm sold. It was changed the channel.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, you had to go. There was no remote.

[Al Roker]

There were no remotes.

[Ego Wodem]

I mean, that's. God bless. I can't hold the antenna.

[Al Roker]

Move the antenna. Yeah, okay, no, stop. Stop right there.

[Ego Wodem]

From your throne. From your throne. Directing them from my.

[Al Roker]

From. In our living room with my mother's plastic covered couch.

[Ego Wodem]

Of course.

[Al Roker]

Keep the couch in the summer.

[Ego Wodem]

Of course.

[Al Roker]

That ripping sound, pain.

[Ego Wodem]

It's like that. But going on a leather seat in a car in the summer, that has. Oh my gosh.

[Al Roker]

In fact, it was funny after my, my dad had passed earlier and then my mom had passed and we were getting rid of some of the furniture and this mid century Danish mustard yellow couch was as fresh as the day it was purchased because it had never, it had never been exposed to air, to the elements. It was in that plastic sheeting.

[Ego Wodem]

I'm thinking, let's bring plastic back Onto the couches of the furniture person.

[Al Roker]

Forget about bringing sexy bags. Bring plastic back.

[Ego Wodem]

Bring plastic bags.

[Al Roker]

That's right.

[Ego Wodem]

Preserve.

[Al Roker]

Because then you can hear people moving on it, you know? Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

No funny business.

[Al Roker]

So if you're trying to fool around on the couch, you know your parents can hear you from upstairs.

[Ego Wodem]

I'm doing that as a parent. That's a way to make sure.

[Al Roker]

So let's ask. So are you going to have kids?

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, my goodness, Al. Oh, my gosh. I don't know.

[Al Roker]

Did your heart stop for a second?

[Ego Wodem]

My heart stopped.

[Al Roker]

Okay, let's.

[Ego Wodem]

Let's back it up.

[Al Roker]

Do you want kids?

[Ego Wodem]

Do I want kids? I do want kids. But you know what I decided?

[Al Roker]

What's that?

[Ego Wodem]

I had an epiphany yesterday. It might be garbage.

[Al Roker]

All right.

[Ego Wodem]

I want kids. I'm excited by the notion. I believe now I'm so responsible that I understand what the commitment is. And the commitment seems reckless. Go with me to sign up for that.

[Al Roker]

Is that a.

[Ego Wodem]

It's a positive reckless. Sometimes people will describe love as reckless. I feel like Alicia Keys has a song called Reckless Love. Right. It doesn't have to be negative. I know. It has a negative connotation.

[Al Roker]

Reckless can be just giving in, giving in, giving in.

[Ego Wodem]

And I feel like that's what having a kid would be now.

[Al Roker]

Okay, here's. Do you have a dog?

[Ego Wodem]

I do have a dog.

[Al Roker]

Okay, so that dog is basically a perpetual three year old.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes. Yes.

[Al Roker]

Do you love that dog?

[Ego Wodem]

I do love the dog.

[Al Roker]

Okay, then you can have a kid, I think.

[Ego Wodem]

Well, it was practice for me, really. It was. I got him as a puppy, I trained him. And on my own, I was a single dog mom.

[Al Roker]

There you go.

[Ego Wodem]

My mom was an actual single human mom, but I was a single dog mom. And I was like, this is a lot of work for one little puppy. And you're allowed to like, leave the puppy for right, 10 minutes or something to go get milk outside. But I. I'm like, it's shocking to me how much work it is. It is. People don't talk about puppies and how much work they are, but I do think it's practice.

[Al Roker]

However, the good news is eventually, yeah, if you have a child, yeah. They will, in theory, become self sufficient. And I have three.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

And there, there are varying levels of self sufficiency. I love. I adore them. I love them.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

But there are times my dad had a saying, I can't miss you if you don't leave, you know, and, and.

[Ego Wodem]

You know, like, get out of my get out. Get out.

[Al Roker]

It's good to see you.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

And you can. You can do whatever you want.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Just don't do it here.

[Ego Wodem]

Right.

[Al Roker]

We've had our time.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

You know, now my oldest, I'm. I'm thrilled to see because she's got a baby now, so. Oh, yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Grandparents.

[Al Roker]

Grandparents.

[Ego Wodem]

Is that just the best?

[Al Roker]

It's great. I have no need for my children.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. Oh, unnecessary.

[Al Roker]

You have to prove to me.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

That I should love you.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, my goodness. Well, which of the kids is the most self sufficient of the three?

[Al Roker]

By the way, I am not gonna say that.

[Ego Wodem]

I wondered if I could get you.

[Al Roker]

I almost was comfortable enough. I was about to say that I.

[Ego Wodem]

Was like, that means I haven't done my job.

[Al Roker]

No, you have. It's just I've been doing this longer.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, that's true. Okay, okay, okay. I'm gonna try to get you.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

I'm gonna try to get. This is a gotcha podcast. What your kids listen and go, dad said I'm his favorite. I know I can't get you to say which one is your favorite, but you didn't say you prefer self sufficiency.

[Al Roker]

I do. Their varying levels here is the truth. It goes up and down. They are, in their own way, each self sufficient. But that at the end, as my dad said, and it's funny because I do, my dad wasn't perfect, but I think he was a great dad. He was very nurturing. He was one of those guys that before the whole he, he would have been. If he was growing up now, he would have been considered like a metrosexual. Very in touch with his, his, his. He had a high pq.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. Oh, great.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. And he once said to me, he goes, I don't care how old you get, you're always my kid. Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

And, and, but he had this kind of gruff. And I called my mom, I said, where's dad? You know, he's on his way out to Cleveland to see your sister. She needs some help or something. And that was that. So I think, think, you know, you're there, you just. The job is just to be there, I think, until they need you, you know?

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

I don't offer advice until I ask.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

You know, because even when you have.

[Ego Wodem]

An opinion as a dad and you're.

[Al Roker]

Seeing, you're like, unless there is some sort of harm that could happen either physically or emotionally, you know, financially, whatever that. Otherwise, I think, listen, there's a whole group of kids now. Okay. The group now that's in their 20s. What are they called?

[Ego Wodem]

Gen Z that?

[Al Roker]

Gen Z. Gen Z, those in their 20s, the early 30s, you know, they were raised with. They were getting the trophies for everything. And then, you know, we were helicopter parents, you know, our parents. Okay. Where did you grow up?

[Ego Wodem]

Baltimore.

[Al Roker]

Okay. Balmer. Okay. So here in New York City, you look, go to a playground. Now, everything is padded and safe. And, you know, it's just when I was. When I went to the park, there were like monkey bars. They were basically galvanized pipes stuck into cement. All right.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah, yeah.

[Al Roker]

And you climbed to them. If you slipped, you were like a pachinko ball, you know, and you hit cement.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Asphalt. You went on the slides. It was stainless steel.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Baking in the sun.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, talk about. Oh, yeah.

[Al Roker]

Third degree burns.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

You know, the seesaw.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

What sick puppy came up with that? So that your friend, you're up at the top, they got off. Bam. Now you look at this playground series. It's a safe space.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Learn the school of hard knocks.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes. So you, you're like, let kids make mistakes. Yeah. I do think that's important. Some people, I do think you learn more when you make the mistake yourself. I think more is to you. It resonates the lessons.

[Al Roker]

My mom was. Was one of those that I'll never forget. Deborah came to me once and she said, you need to talk to your mother because, well, she's not letting the kids win at checkers. Oh, no. You have that conversation because when we were kids, it was game night on Friday. We play Scrabble, stuff like that. It was like we had. There was a four, four letter minimum and we had a three minute egg timer, you know, so there was just.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, your parents weren't letting you guys win?

[Al Roker]

Oh, no, no, no.

[Ego Wodem]

It's like we're playing. You're playing against adults.

[Al Roker]

Yes.

[Ego Wodem]

And you want to play. Yeah. Buckle up. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Buckle up, buttercup.

[Ego Wodem]

I respect it. Were you close to your dad?

[Al Roker]

Yeah, I was, you know, was a New York City bus driver for most of my. It was funny. I think everybody. Each child has a different parent.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

I think that's depending on where you fall.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

You know, my dad, my Al Roker Sr. Was a bus driver. We were kind of like. We were literally the Honeymooners, except with kids, because we lived in Brooklyn for a while, then we moved to Queens. We moving on up.

[Ego Wodem]

Which one do you rep? Brooklyn or Queensland?

[Al Roker]

I think I spent most of my time in Queens.

[Ego Wodem]

Queens, okay.

[Al Roker]

But I love Brooklyn. But, you know, I still own the House we grew up in. But, you know, he was. He was a bus driver. He was a blue car. By the time my baby brother came up, he had moved into management at the mta. But I always maintained I had the more fun dad because I would get to. When I was off from school, I would ride the bus with him for eight hours. We'd go goodies luncheonette. He would buy. Get an egg cream and sandwiches. He'd buy comics. And I. I'd see the same people who had gone home, who had gone to work, coming home. It was. It was the best. Whereas my brother only knew this. This guy who worked in an office. Best. Best he got was to. To be on a. To. To work the Xerox machine. I used to sit there with this when bus drivers made change. You know, the money machines were going. I still have my dad's change.

[Ego Wodem]

Make you do incredible. I mean, to get to go around the city with him. Are there some of your most cherished memories? Oh, absolutely. Yeah. That sounds so special.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. I mean, you know, he was up. He was based in Brooklyn.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

You know, so he was. His route was on Flatbush Avenue, you know, and it was. Yeah, it was. It was. You know, it was. I thought. And Deborah thinks I kind of gild the lily a bit, and I probably do. But, you know, it was. It was a good time, you know, and, you know, and so I learned a lot from him. He was. His thing was. I'll never forget, I had a bad report card in high school, and I thought, he's gonna blow up when he gets home. I mean, this is gonna be ugly. And again, he gets sad. And, you know, my mother gives him the report card and he looks at it and he looks at me and he says, if this is the best you can do, then I guess there's not much I can say isn't. Yeah, I'm really disappointed in you and.

[Ego Wodem]

Walk upstairs and how did that make you feel?

[Al Roker]

I felt like crap and got the grades up. And, you know, because, let's face it, I think half the time, three quarters of things we do are to please our parents, impress our parents, to make them think they we've done a good job. So. But. But he. He was the two things I remember that he would always say. He ended every conversation with I love you. And he was a guy who would admit a mistake and say, sorry.

[Ego Wodem]

Wow.

[Al Roker]

You know, and I try. I don't always do it, but I try to remember that, yeah, that is.

[Ego Wodem]

High eq, especially for a different time. Because I feel like that's something people are just sort of figuring out now.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, he was like this big hugger, you know, and. And I didn't. And I just thought that was normal until, like, I'd go to family gatherings and I see my Uncle Champ or something. Oh, hi, Uncle. Oh, hey. Hey.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. Did your dad get a lot of warmth then? This sounds like such a warm individual. Did he get a lot of warmth growing up?

[Al Roker]

Yeah, well, you know. Yeah, listen, it was the Depression, all that stuff, and. But, you know, I think he grew up. He was. My grandmother was a single mom with three kids. My grandfather, you know, had. Was mentally ill, and so she was really left to raise. Had immigrated from the Bahamas and. But, you know, it was this house that we used to love to go to, you know, and that was the era when families lived together.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

My aunt, my dad's sister lived with her family with my grandmother. My mother's sisters lived with her parents, you know, so. So it was great because then you got. You go over, there was always a great meal. You'd always see your cousins.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

And let's face it, cousins are like the better version of siblings.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. I really. I really. Because you don't.

[Al Roker]

You got no emotional bad.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. And we're not like, we're not. We're not tussling over things day to day. It's like, I see you the holidays or I see you on the weekends. It's. Yeah, cousins. Cousins are fun.

[Al Roker]

They're the best.

[Ego Wodem]

If you don't have cousins, man, you got to get a cousin.

[Al Roker]

Adopt a cousin.

[Ego Wodem]

Adopt a cousin.

[Al Roker]

Maybe we should start that.

[Ego Wodem]

We'll start that.

[Al Roker]

So you know those commercials you see for the dogs or whatever?

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. There are children.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

We want you to donate for less than 30 cents a day. You can donate a cousin to a cousinless child.

[Ego Wodem]

I think we should get that started. That's going to go online now, I think. Or someone's going to steal the idea if you don't activate quickly. You're a junior.

[Al Roker]

Yes.

[Ego Wodem]

How did it feel to be a junior? Did that feel like pressure or pride?

[Al Roker]

I feel pride. I was. My full name is Albert Lincoln Roker Jr. The reason I've got Lincoln in my name is that my dad was born on Lincoln's birthday. So my mother, my grandmother named him. But, you know, I always thought it was kind of. Kind of fun, you know, it was like kind of almost like a chair. Albert Lincoln Rooker.

[Ego Wodem]

It's a good name. I'm like, that's the Name.

[Al Roker]

Then I tried. When I was in high school, I tried to be cool. I said, I'm gonna call myself Link. You know.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, how did that. It didn't catch on. How many people did you get to call you Link?

[Al Roker]

Nobody.

[Ego Wodem]

Nobody. Okay. It was just an idea.

[Al Roker]

Just kept trying. I go Link.

[Ego Wodem]

And then, well, what the hell was he talking about?

[Al Roker]

And I went to a military school here in Manhattan. Okay, so you had a name tag. It was your last name. So for the longest time, people just called me Roker.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, so do you prefer. Do you have a preferred nickname?

[Al Roker]

Just Al.

[Ego Wodem]

Al.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, you know, cuz, you know, Albert. You know, only. Only really my siblings and close childhood friends know my full name.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. And now because my. Yes.

[Al Roker]

And now because my mother would. Yeah, back. That was back in the day where your mother would go out on the front stoop and call, oh yes, Albert. And if you didn't quite hear, there was like this chain, you know, like somebody who could. Who heard. Your mother said, I think your mom's calling.

[Ego Wodem]

You know. Oh, that's nice community.

[Al Roker]

Exactly.

[Ego Wodem]

That was. What a. What a way.

[Hunter Woodhull]

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[Ego Wodem]

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[Al Roker]

But also, the problem was back then, if one of your neighbors saw you messing up, they had carte blanche to.

[Ego Wodem]

Give you a spanking. Did you get spankings from your neighbors?

[Al Roker]

A couple of swats on the behind.

[Ego Wodem]

Just a little. What were you doing? Do you remember any recollection of what kind of trouble you used to get in?

[Al Roker]

Trouble? I don't recall, but it was probably. I used to get in trouble. I would mimic people and neighbors and things like that. And I just, you know, you didn't do that.

[Ego Wodem]

You. You did. That'll get you a little.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, I did it in Catholic school. I did. I used to draw caricatures of the nuns and some were appreciative and some not so much.

[Ego Wodem]

Not so much. Did you always know you wanted to be a dad?

[Al Roker]

I. I don't know that I. I don't know that I always wanted to be consciously, but I think I was cut out to be. I think, you know, I mean, I enjoy it. I really do.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

I mean, I like being a dad. My parents had three biological kids, three adopted kids. Two of my kids are biological. My oldest, Courtney, is adopted. And at the end of the day, I enjoy it. I mean, you know, there's especially Now, I mean, because I look at my cousin anchors like Savannah and Craig and Chanel and Dylan, and they've all got these little kids and they have no lives.

[Ego Wodem]

Well, this is what I mean.

[Al Roker]

Mine are grown up and they say. They say, I did this. And how do you have time?

[Ego Wodem]

Kids are out of the house, sucker.

[Al Roker]

Yes.

[Ego Wodem]

That's what I mean. This is what I mean. It's such an endeavor and such a responsibility right now.

[Al Roker]

You are. I mean, you've got a dog.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

You don't have children. And so on the one hand you don't have that emotional component, but on the other hand, you have all the time in the world and plenty of disposable income.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. And that's really nice. And that's what I mean to go. I would like to trade that for children is just an interesting choice. And that's where I say it's a little reckless. You got to go. You got to not overthink it. And you got to just go, I'm going to dive. I'm going to do it. I've always wanted to have kids. I don't know if there's ever like a right time.

[Al Roker]

There is no.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

There's no right time.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. Some of the people I know who are my peers who have children are sort of like kind of got my pregnant. My husband and I got pregnant. Or I wasn't planning in this timing, but here we are and love my kids.

[Al Roker]

Like I think, you know, I think our parents had. Like when. How. You're the youngest. I'm the youngest.

[Ego Wodem]

I'm the baby.

[Al Roker]

How old, roughly? How old would your mom when she got pregnant with. With the oldest.

[Ego Wodem]

With the oldest. Quick math. Quick math. Let's say 22 or 23.

[Al Roker]

Boom.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

So how old is your mom now?

[Ego Wodem]

My mom is. Oh, Al Math. Dang it. Okay. Karen, say my mom is. Cuz I'm like. It means how old is my oldest sibling? Which literally don't know. But let's. Let's call. I know he won't listen, though. It's okay. It's okay. He will never hear this. Maybe he will.

[Al Roker]

Maybe somebody knows.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes. And then send it to him. You know your sister how old you are? But I would say she's in her. Okay, how old am I? She's like 67.

[Al Roker]

Okay, 67.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

But here. So here's the deal. Our parents got married younger and had kids. Bang those kids out. And now their lives are their own.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's a nice.

[Al Roker]

But now a lot of Young men and women are waiting till their 30s.

[Ego Wodem]

It's true.

[Al Roker]

40S. To have their kids.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

And now you're old parents, and you. So you're gonna run. They're gonna run in and it's.

[Ego Wodem]

To me, you can say, okay, going.

[Al Roker]

To run into the case where there's like this little kid and there people are like, is that her daughter?

[Ego Wodem]

Grand.

[Al Roker]

You know, and so like, when I had. When I had Courtney, you know. Oh, your grandbabies. I'm gonna check you right into the peas. You know, you're in the grocery store.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, she's so cute. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

How old, your granddaughter?

[Ego Wodem]

Don't do that.

[Al Roker]

Screw you, lady.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

You know.

[Ego Wodem]

You know, but here's the thing. This. Our. My entire generation has seemingly just done everything later. We're getting married later. Do you know what's going on in my generation with dating?

[Al Roker]

I try not to.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, good for you.

[Al Roker]

To be honest, I could care less.

[Ego Wodem]

Lucky you. It's a jungle out here. It's a jungle. I'm. You know what I'm going to report to you? It's that it's a jungle out here.

[Al Roker]

My. My middle girl is getting married. And I'm so thrilled.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

But she's 27.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. So she's. You know, I mean, there's a thing apparently, like, millennials kind of. Of messed something up in terms of partnership, is my understanding. I've been loosely reading articles about this. Loosely. Like big skin. Read the.

[Al Roker]

Doing some research.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. Some light research. No, No, I don't. Then my own research where I read the first sentence of every paragraph and then say, I read the article. And then Gen Z, they're back today. They're back to wanting to, like. I don't know. That they're dating because of social media. Because I've done some college shows and discovered by polling the audience that they're not dating. The. The college kids.

[Al Roker]

What are they doing?

[Ego Wodem]

I. I don't know. And I asked them, why are we not dating? Do you want to be dating? Yes. Are you dating? No. Why not? And then they all go. Fear of rejection. They're too scared.

[Al Roker]

So then they're alone.

[Ego Wodem]

They're alone. All of them. All of them. Seemingly. Of course, we can't make blanket statements.

[Al Roker]

That's. That's not a sad.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Almost as sad as that plant in the corner.

[Ego Wodem]

It's not real. And neither is the wood.

[Al Roker]

You know what? I don't know that anybody's gonna think it is.

[Ego Wodem]

No. Is it too green?

[Al Roker]

It's too something.

[Ego Wodem]

I have to Get. I'm gonna. I'm gonna lay down the law about the way this. You know what?

[Al Roker]

It's too perfect. That's too. Nobody's got a plant that looks like this.

[Ego Wodem]

You gotta get some burn. Like a little sunburn, a little shriveled up, a little leaves. These are very green. I hadn't looked. I'm boring you so much. You're checking out the planet.

[Al Roker]

I'm a New York. I'm a New Yorker. So your head is situational awareness at all times.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

I'm always looking.

[Ego Wodem]

Do you know what's behind you?

[Al Roker]

There's another plant.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, there is another, but on the wall there's a shelf.

[Al Roker]

There's a shelf. Exactly.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. But you knew that already. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

So I just.

[Ego Wodem]

I'm from Baltimore. And I also like to say that I keep my head on the swivel at all times, and I know what. What's going on around me. I also say I'm hard to surprise, but I don't know that that's actually true.

[Al Roker]

In retrospect, you look like you would be easy to surprise.

[Ego Wodem]

Come on, now. Why would you say that about me?

[Al Roker]

You just do.

[Ego Wodem]

Do I just. Wait, Tell me. Try to. Try to articulate this for me.

[Al Roker]

Because I think you're very focused here, but, like, you really had to think about.

[Ego Wodem]

That plan because I hadn't even looked at the. The plant.

[Al Roker]

And how many of these have you done?

[Ego Wodem]

But I've. This is. I've never been in this studio, so.

[Al Roker]

Even more the reason.

[Ego Wodem]

I should have been like, you give sound advice. I feel like, again, oh, that's how.

[Al Roker]

I've gotten to 71.

[Ego Wodem]

Let's call you wise. I mean, wise is okay. Old's not bad. What skills would you say that you gained from your father? You have tried to instill in your children. Because right now I'm like, I need to be paying more attention. I think I pay attention, but I don't. And you've done that for me today, so thank you.

[Al Roker]

Don't be afraid to make a mistake.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay?

[Al Roker]

That. That. That you're not, you know, it's you. And. And. Well, on a more serious note, one of the things he told me, I remember saying this, that as I was, you know, going to high school and college, that you are going to have to work twice as hard and be twice as good to get half as far. And. And I've taken. And. Plus, you know, he was from the Bahamas. My mother was from Jamaica. You know. You know, they're, you know, working three jobs. You Know. And that's, and that's what I tell you. You gotta work.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

You've. There's. That's not a guarantee, but it certainly is more of a guarantee than if you don't.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah, you know, I think that's, I've heard that advice. I think it rings so true. I can speak to that. But I think that's an important thing to instill in your children and for them to know that that's the case.

[Al Roker]

Listen, you're not going to get everything right. You're going to screw up, you're going to fail. Listen, I do weather that's somewhat science based. No great invention, no great creation, no great. Anything advance has been made on its first shot doesn't happen.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. When they make a mistake, what does it look like? Have they ever come to you? And like I really screwed up here and how have you navigated that as a dad for a while?

[Al Roker]

You know, it's like, well, what did we do? What'd you do? Okay, what would you do differently? What's the next thing you know? But you know, by the same token, you know, you. It's one of the things my dad used to say to me. He goes, listen, no matter what you've tried to get away with, no matter what you, how you thought you were going to get over. I tried. It didn't work for me. Not going to work for you. You know, and, and then you, as, as you get older, you do realize how smart your parents are.

[Ego Wodem]

They really do know stuff.

[Al Roker]

They know they actually know.

[Ego Wodem]

And you think they don't get it. That whole like Will Smith Parents don't understand, just don't understand song. I think about it a lot because I'm like, actually they, they know some stuff.

[Al Roker]

They all, every kid thinks that their parent has no idea what they are thinking. They are feeling. We didn't come out fully formed.

[Ego Wodem]

We went through the same stuff, had those experiences.

[Al Roker]

So I think that's the. To try to show some sort of empathy. And also, but also, I'm not your friend.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. This is something I've asked guests in the past. Is it important for you to feel like your kid or is it important for you to have your kids feel like you are a friend to them? Yeah, yeah.

[Al Roker]

I'm not sure. My dad used to. I'm not your friend, I'm your father.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah, yeah.

[Al Roker]

This is not a democracy.

[Ego Wodem]

You know, have you ever told them to do something? And it's like, then they might ask why? And you go, because I said so.

[Al Roker]

Oh yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah, yeah.

[Al Roker]

Deborah's kind of a. Well, give them an explanation. No.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

First of all, that. That erodes my authority. Just. I want. I want blind devotion.

[Ego Wodem]

It's a bit of a dictatorship.

[Al Roker]

Exactly.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. You know, in my mind, as a person who doesn't have children, I'm always like, I can't wait when I have a kid to be like, talk to me. Why don't you want to do the thing?

[Al Roker]

No, no, no, no.

[Ego Wodem]

And then I see some people whose parents did do that to them, and I go, I don't know that that's the way either.

[Al Roker]

No.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

One of the things. Every now and then, I do violate my rule. And I'll say something to Courtney with my granddaughter Sky. I said, don't ask her what she wants. Tell her, this is what you're eating. Do you want this or do you want that?

[Ego Wodem]

No, there was none of that for you, by the way. There was none of that. Yeah. I didn't know.

[Al Roker]

And my kid and Courtney, Leela nor Nick were given. They ate what we ate. There was no making 2, 3.

[Ego Wodem]

I don't like that. Yeah. That is fascinating, because I also was like, I love your reaction to that. The parents are doing that every night. They're getting a menu. Yeah. This isn't a restaurant.

[Al Roker]

And that's the. And see, and that's why. Because I said so. Because it's easier.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Okay. As I said, I love my children. I will lay down my life for my children.

[Ego Wodem]

But.

[Al Roker]

But on the other hand, I want to make my life as easy as possible.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. All right. I love this. Now, you're. It's because I said so for you. And that's kind of the way you've navigated parenting in that regard. Now, is. Does any part of you or did any part of you worry that they might then have blind devotion to authority and not question authority? Or were you like.

[Al Roker]

No, because eventually they grow up and they realize, oh, he's an idiot, you know, And. No, but. But I think, like a puppy, they need parameters. They need a crate. They need to be trained. And then once they. Then you can let them off the leash.

[Ego Wodem]

Sure, sure.

[Al Roker]

When you know that they're not going to stick a fork in the electrical socket.

[Ego Wodem]

Fair enough. But when I see. When I. When I'm, like, out in public and my dog's being wild and I'm like, stop. Be. Sit. You can see people uncomfortable with you, you know, demonstrating authority with the dog.

[Al Roker]

Well, they're uncomfortable with it until the dog tries to take a whiz on their shoes, you know, I mean, there is nothing to me. Well, I shouldn't say nothing. I hate when people say, you know what the worst is? I said, I can give you whatever you're going to tell me. I can give you 10. 10 things worse.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

So stop. Yeah, but when you're. And listen, I've traveled with my kids when they were small. I want a parent. I. If I, if some parent is with their kid and letting the kid run roughshod, just go crazy. Or they're on the plane and the kid is like being obnoxious and the parent is making no effort. Effort to control that child, then it's like you're a failure.

[Ego Wodem]

That's how you feel.

[Al Roker]

You are a failure.

[Ego Wodem]

Do you do have to make an attempt? I think it's, it's, it's helpful to everyone see you attempt.

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

And then I think you deserve tons of empathy.

[Al Roker]

In fact, I was on a plane, I don't know, about six months ago, and the kid behind me was kicking the seat and kept kicking the seat. And finally I got. And I turned, I said, ma', am, could you. I said, I've traveled with my child. I know it's tough, but could you make at least an effort to be. So that he knows how to behave?

[Ego Wodem]

What did she say to that?

[Al Roker]

I will not repeat it.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, it wasn't positive. I'm like Al Roker. I'd be like Al Roker.

[Al Roker]

It was a little less than fresh.

[Ego Wodem]

Friendly. It wasn't friendly.

[Al Roker]

It was not friendly. But it did begin with friendly.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, yeah.

[Al Roker]

With the same letter.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, F, U.

[Al Roker]

And I said to her, I said, and that's a lovely example for your child.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, everything all around. Then the picture had been painted. How long was the flight?

[Al Roker]

I was going to Chicago.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. So a couple hours.

[Al Roker]

But you know, listen, like the way baby's crying.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

I just thought, like, it's okay. Ear infection maybe, something like that.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. You can't, you can't. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Make an effort.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. Yeah, that is. But that's interesting. I didn't think that story was going to go that way. Yeah. I feel like neither did I. Yeah. We'd hope for the best. We always do. We hope for the best. That's.

[Al Roker]

And that's. You know what? That's, that's, that's a good slogan for parenting.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes. Hope for the best. Are you generally an optimist?

[Al Roker]

Yeah, I think I am. Yeah. I'm an optimist with realistic tense.

[Ego Wodem]

So then maybe you're a realist.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, But I. I do like to think the best of people.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

I really do.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Until proven otherwise.

[Ego Wodem]

Such as on the plane. Miss. Ma'.

[Al Roker]

Am. Yes.

[Ego Wodem]

And. And the. And the little boy, are you closer to. So I'm not trying to find favorites, but are you closer to any of your children right now than the other two? Because I feel like it goes in with, you know, everyone gets different.

[Al Roker]

Our youngest is in college now. He's got, you know, it's no senior. He's got special needs, so he's home. And he's just a sweet boy, you know, he really is. And so I just see more of him. Leela lives in Paris, so, you know. Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

So I have to connect with her.

[Al Roker]

Yes.

[Ego Wodem]

Well, okay. Sorry. Separately.

[Al Roker]

And. And Courtney and my son in law, Wes, and the baby, Scott, I live in. In New Jersey, about an hour away.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

So, you know, it's an ebb and a flow.

[Ego Wodem]

Sure.

[Al Roker]

You know, but emotionally, you know, I really do think we're, you know, there. It's. It's pretty equal, you know.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

I mean, I may see Courtney more only because I almost. I almost every night. FaceTime with Sky.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. You know, Sky. You don't need Courtney. Give sky the phone.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. Once sky knows how to actually FaceTime.

[Ego Wodem]

You won't even be. It's just you.

[Al Roker]

And unless I. It's when I go to pick her up.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Oh.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, my goodness.

[Al Roker]

And I might even be able to circumvent that by just going to daycare and getting.

[Ego Wodem]

I feel bad for new parents because I sometimes my. I have two nieces and what? She's one, the oldest is four. And then her little sister is two. And I'll call my brother and sister in law, but it's like, can I talk to the girls? How are you? You're good? Can I talk to the girls? And then sometimes I have to go. Go. You know what? That has to suck as a new parent to be like, people are calling my phone solely to talk to the child. So then I get the kid a phone. But then. Exactly. But then I go out of my way. Then I go, this phone call is for you. I'm calling now to talk to you.

[Al Roker]

They know you're lying.

[Ego Wodem]

I am. I'm calling to talk to you.

[Al Roker]

And they know that you know.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. And we're all kind of just looking at each other and how are you and how are things? And the girls, Can I see the girl?

[Al Roker]

Girls, I know I did call to talk to you, but if the girls.

[Ego Wodem]

Were around, I wouldn't be upset. It wouldn't be a bad thing. I know. I waited to call till I knew they were home from school.

[Al Roker]

Exactly.

[Ego Wodem]

So, yeah, I guess it's obvious. It is obvious. I. Okay, so now it's time for a segment called that's Nice, but what about me.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

We've talked about me a bit.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

But what about me? More.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. And this was actually the piece of advice I wanted to ask you.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

How to know when you're ready to have kids. And I feel. You have articulated to me that I have a dog. I've practiced with that. And you're never really ready, but if there is one sort of North Star I can look to to go, that's how I know I could maybe do.

[Al Roker]

This when your water breaks.

[Ego Wodem]

So Al Roker is telling me to just go get pregnant.

[Al Roker]

Well, no, wait.

[Ego Wodem]

That's essentially. That's essentially what I'm hearing.

[Al Roker]

We. Okay? Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Just get pregnant and I'll be ready.

[Al Roker]

How about him?

[Ego Wodem]

Just pick any. Just anybody. If that's the case, maybe after this.

[Al Roker]

Well, let's back it up then.

[Ego Wodem]

Let's back it up.

[Al Roker]

Do you want to be married first?

[Ego Wodem]

I'd like to be.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

Why not?

[Al Roker]

Are there prospects?

[Ego Wodem]

I'm in a relationship.

[Al Roker]

Okay. That's a prospect.

[Ego Wodem]

That's a prospect. Seriously serious. I would never claim the man if it wasn't.

[Al Roker]

Then. Have you talked about.

[Ego Wodem]

We've talked about the things. All of them.

[Al Roker]

Children.

[Ego Wodem]

All of it. Yes.

[Al Roker]

He wants children.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

You think I should just do it?

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Would you officiate my wedding?

[Al Roker]

Absolutely. I'm actually registered in the state of New York.

[Ego Wodem]

Have you. So how many weddings have you officiated?

[Al Roker]

Two.

[Ego Wodem]

Two.

[Al Roker]

Three. Three, actually.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh. Have you. Were you more nervous doing that than Perhaps.

[Al Roker]

I got no skin in the game.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. You're supposed to act like you really care, though.

[Al Roker]

I. I did because I got a free dinner. Wow. I don't want them. I got a free trip.

[Ego Wodem]

Do you ever get nervous anymore?

[Al Roker]

Oh, I get. I'm nervous right now. No, I am constant. I'm in a cut. Here's the deal.

[Ego Wodem]

Tell me if I think. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

If you care about what you do.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Whether it's relationship, job, whatever. You're always nervous. You don't want to screw it up.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

If. If you are doing this or whatever it is we do and you're not nervous, it's probably time to go.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. That's good advice, too. That's very good advice.

[Al Roker]

I don't know if it is, but.

[Ego Wodem]

That'S I think it. I mean, that's your take.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. And plus the fact that if you've watched at any given moment, I could say something that could tank this career.

[Ego Wodem]

That's so true in this day and age.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. Anything.

[Ego Wodem]

And we're recording. It'll live on the Internet. It'll live forever. People will clip it.

[Al Roker]

I feel badly, in a way, for the Gen Z millennial typey, because you. You today. Listen, most of us, when we were in our early 20s, late teens, early 20s, we were dopes. You know, we did things, we said things. People grow, people change.

[Ego Wodem]

And there's no real record of that.

[Al Roker]

And there's no record.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

We've got away with it. It's like now everything you say, there's a cop, there's a copy of it somewhere, and someone.

[Ego Wodem]

You know what's always interesting? That someone's, like, sitting on it somewhere, waiting for you to, like, say there's an actor, right? And they've been having this, like, slow build of a career, your normal trajectory. But then they land this big blockbuster film, and everyone's in love with them. And then all of a sudden, this. This video clip from 1992 surfaces, and you're like, who was sitting on this? Just waiting for you to get to the peak? Or what appears to be a family member. Oh, where's the optimism, Al?

[Al Roker]

No, that's realism.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, okay.

[Al Roker]

But, hey, listen, you know, that's what. That's why when a business says, we treat you like family, I run in the office.

[Ego Wodem]

You're like, no. So you don't need that Olive Garden.

[Al Roker]

No.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. No unlimited breadsticks.

[Al Roker]

Nothing wrong with the breadsticks.

[Ego Wodem]

I was gonna say the breadsticks in the Alfredo sauce.

[Al Roker]

Owl.

[Ego Wodem]

When's the last time you've been to Olive Garden?

[Al Roker]

You know what? I have never been to an Olive Garden.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, that's crazy.

[Al Roker]

I've been to a Ponderosa.

[Ego Wodem]

I've never been to a Ponderosa.

[Al Roker]

Whoa. See, I. I don't even. Is Ponderosa still a thing? I don't even know if they're still in it.

[Ego Wodem]

I've never even heard of Ponderosa College.

[Al Roker]

That was a big night out. The Ponderosa.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

I've been to a. Love Me a Red Lobster.

[Ego Wodem]

The cheddar biscuits.

[Al Roker]

Come on.

[Ego Wodem]

Come on. By the way.

[Al Roker]

Yeah?

[Ego Wodem]

They. They have a new CEO, and I find him really funny.

[Al Roker]

Oh, yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

You know, they're not bringing back. He said, we will not be bringing back unlimited. And the shrimp. And then they asked him why, and he said, because I can do math.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. And because that took the, that took them down.

[Ego Wodem]

I respect it. I respect it.

[Al Roker]

And anytime anybody says unlimited something, it's like, how good can that be?

[Ego Wodem]

It's bad.

[Al Roker]

It is a business.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

It's like when you, if you see, here's the, the words, you never really want to see all. You can eat sushi. That's not good.

[Ego Wodem]

That just made my stomach turn. Yeah, that's. I'm. I'm not.

[Al Roker]

Well, now you know. And then just get that and follow it up with one of those, those roller hot dogs at the 7 11.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, no, see, I don't. I don't. And those. I like a hot dog off the grill. Every time I'd see those, I'd be like. And they've just been sitting there.

[Al Roker]

What's going on?

[Ego Wodem]

But if you're hungry and in a pinch, I could see how that happens. I could see how it happens.

[Al Roker]

No, not me.

[Ego Wodem]

Not never. Couldn't be.

[Al Roker]

No. Couldn't I take a Slim Jim before I do that?

[Ego Wodem]

Could it be you? I guess. Al, my big takeaway from our conversation is that I need to just go get pregnant today.

[Al Roker]

Well, I would say I can wait.

[Ego Wodem]

Till tomorrow, you know.

[Al Roker]

Well, there's still tonight.

[Ego Wodem]

You know, wait for night.

[Al Roker]

Okay. But no, listen, I, I just think, you know, it, It. If, if you are in love.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes.

[Al Roker]

If you want to move, so let me. So what. What's stopping you?

[Ego Wodem]

I just am a very reasonable person.

[Al Roker]

But you just said you got to be reckless.

[Ego Wodem]

You got to be. Right.

[Al Roker]

Which is why the two R's. Reasonable, reckless.

[Ego Wodem]

Reasonable, reckless. And it's a balance. Maybe you got to be, like, reasonably reckless.

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Maybe that's the key.

[Al Roker]

If you're already in love.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

If you, you know, if he has a good job.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. You just do it.

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Nike.

[Al Roker]

Yeah. Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

So you get free sneakers.

[Ego Wodem]

I'll get free sneakers.

[Al Roker]

Maybe you'll get cute sneakers. Sneakers.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Come on.

[Ego Wodem]

I'll have that on my tracks.

[Al Roker]

Matching tracksuits.

[Ego Wodem]

Come on.

[Al Roker]

Okay. I can see the Instagram posts already.

[Ego Wodem]

But you know what? This is the thing about it. People are getting in relationships and having babies for the Instagram post, and that troubles me.

[Al Roker]

No, I wouldn't do that. But I, But I, I do think I. Everything you've laid out here. I don't understand why, if we, if we do this in a year from now, you're not.

[Ego Wodem]

Where you officiate my wedding. I absolutely, I need you to care.

[Al Roker]

I, I have. I, I.

[Ego Wodem]

If you officiate my wedding, if you officiate my wedding. I need you to care.

[Al Roker]

I absolutely care. I want to. I don't know what your significant other looks like, but I know what you. So it's. You know what. In fact. And again, not knowing what he looks like. But I think. I think babies of an attractive person and somebody who's not that great looking are beautiful.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, really?

[Al Roker]

Yeah. It's rare that you have two really beautiful people, beautiful children.

[Ego Wodem]

That's what I think, by the way. I think two stunning people always have a okay looking child.

[Al Roker]

Exactly. That's why Deborah. That's why my kids look great.

[Ego Wodem]

Because of Deborah.

[Al Roker]

Because of Deborah.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, you're so humble.

[Al Roker]

I got a mirror.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

You know, it's not like, hey, oh, hey, come get this.

[Ego Wodem]

Wait, now I have to ask, because you said you. If you're not nervous, that's a bad. A bad sign, right? In your marriage. Marriage, yeah. Of X number of years.

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Do you ever feel nervous that Deborah will leave you? This is a question for me, because I'm always like, how do you know? It feels like anyone could go at any time, obviously, but does that ever, like, occur to you?

[Al Roker]

Yeah. Because let's face it, any, any. Anything can happen. I don't think it will. I mean, she's kind of stuck this. This.

[Ego Wodem]

Is she stuck with you or if.

[Al Roker]

She stuck it out with this long.

[Ego Wodem]

Gotcha.

[Al Roker]

She stuck it out.

[Ego Wodem]

Gotcha.

[Al Roker]

So, you know, so I think we're. We're at that point where, you know, like the other day we. I mean, we're just literally sitting around. Okay. Here's. This is when, you know, you've become your parents.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

We're sitting at home. We had just finished watching Jeopardy. And we then queued up on the dvr. Matlock, the new Matlock with Kathy Bates.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

She's really good. It.

[Ego Wodem]

Kathy Bates is Incredible Misery. Have you seen it? Of course. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Anyway, I still have nightmares.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

This Matlock, the pilot. The end of the pilot, you see, there's a turn you never saw coming.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay.

[Al Roker]

It's great. Okay. But that's where we are now. You know, the idea that, you know, we should be out partying and it's. It's over.

[Ego Wodem]

One of the last times I saw you was at a party in Paris.

[Al Roker]

In Paris. Yeah, that's right. But I was working.

[Ego Wodem]

You were working. I was working also.

[Al Roker]

You were. But didn't we look good?

[Ego Wodem]

We looked great.

[Al Roker]

Fantastic.

[Ego Wodem]

Maybe we'll put a picture at the end of this. I have our selfies from that day.

[Al Roker]

That's What? I'm. You know, listen, I just think that there's really no reason on God's green earth that you shouldn't be getting married and popping out. You know, One or two.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. One or two. Maybe even three.

[Al Roker]

You know, or maybe you luck out twins right off the bat.

[Ego Wodem]

I don't. For me, that's not luck.

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

That's misfortune.

[Al Roker]

I know several couples with twins, and I think I love each of my children. I would jump out a window if any one of them was a twin.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes. If they arrived at the same time. Because I keep hearing this thing about, like, so twins run. It's sort of genetic or something. I don't know if that's a myth, but we're gonna go with it. That it, like, skips a generation, and then it's in your family. Yeah. Triplets. My grandmother had triplets. And when I tell you, if I had triplets, I'm saying this now. And if I. These future kids are triplets and they hear this, I stand by this. I don't want that. I really don't want that.

[Al Roker]

Well, you know, I'm over here being.

[Ego Wodem]

Like, should I have one?

[Al Roker]

You know, we children in kindergarten, huh? You get what you get, and you don't get upset.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, goodness. Okay. Okay. Out. Roker, you're officiating my wedding, right? If I give birth to triplets, I'll.

[Al Roker]

Be in the hospital.

[Ego Wodem]

You don't have to come in the room.

[Al Roker]

But I'm not there with a catcher.

[Ego Wodem]

No, no. Hopefully.

[Al Roker]

Come on, Here we go. Come on. Hey. Here we go. Hey. Come on, one more. Come on. We got two. Come on, one more. Hey. All right. Over the plate. Come on. Come on. Here we go.

[Ego Wodem]

My night. Talk about nightmares. Talk about misery giving you nightmares. That would give me nightmares. Everything.

[Al Roker]

Now that's all I can think.

[Ego Wodem]

Why is Al Roker delivering my baby? I thought we could officiate my wedding. And now he's kicked the doctor out of the delivery room, and he's catching my baby, and he. He needs a batter.

[Al Roker]

And. And I'm going to be the moil for the circumcision. Hey, But I only take tips.

[Ego Wodem]

I'm gonna write that movie. That's a spooky movie. Okay, now, it's not just about me. We help our listeners on this podcast, too. Al, I have a text from a listener.

[Al Roker]

Okay. I like that.

[Ego Wodem]

Pull my phone from behind.

[Al Roker]

Nothing up my sleeve.

[Ego Wodem]

Magic trick. I have a text from a listener. Okay. Asking for advice.

[Al Roker]

Okay. And.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, here it is. Hi. From Baltimore City Eggo and guess, shout out to Baltimore. Okay, here's my question for you guys. How much partying is okay after 40? I have friends that are 48 years old, going to the strip club and getting drunk every weekend. I'm 40 and can barely have an occasional martini without regrets. Help.

[Al Roker]

I think you need to get other friends.

[Ego Wodem]

And it also sounds like it's one friend because 48 is a specific age.

[Al Roker]

That's a specific age.

[Ego Wodem]

That is somebody in Baltimore City is shouting out their 48 year old friend who is going to the strip club and getting drunk every weekend.

[Al Roker]

I, well, listen, I think, think, I think they ought to just leave that friend alone.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. It's more about that. Yeah, yeah.

[Al Roker]

That's the friend. Because your life's okay. There's something wrong with this person if there's at 48 still going out to the slip the strip club and getting drunk every weekend.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. It's almost like I feel like that person should have a child, right?

[Al Roker]

No, no, no, no.

[Ego Wodem]

That person should have a child.

[Al Roker]

Not even a dog. No, that person. No, no, no, no. That person needs a 12 step program.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay, fair enough. You know what, you're right. We'll start there.

[Al Roker]

Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

No, no, step one is get into 12 steps.

[Al Roker]

Okay. No, no, no.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes. Okay.

[Al Roker]

In fact, it disturbed me a little bit that you thought that a person should get a child.

[Ego Wodem]

Well, because I'm like there. It feels like they need a different place to put this energy. They have a lot of energy.

[Al Roker]

It's called therapy. It's called rehab.

[Ego Wodem]

You're so right. I don't know why. Well, it's because of my new line of reasoning about having a kid in the recipes.

[Al Roker]

You haven't gotten to that, into that mindset.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Yes, once. Once you flip the switch that. Okay, we're doing this.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

You'll see.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. It'll happen. We'll have you back after that. Okay, we'll have you back. Because also, the person says how much partying is okay after 40? Then they go on to describe their own life and it sounds fine. So it feels like you're asking about your friend.

[Al Roker]

I don't think it's a friend. I think it's them.

[Ego Wodem]

You think it's them and they're pretending, asking for a friend, but it's really. They're the 48 year old, partying and going to strip clubs. I mean, that sounds, that doesn't sound fun to me. And I'm not 48. No, I'm not 40. And that doesn't sound fun to Me. Here's the deal.

[Al Roker]

I never really went out partying. The fact of the matter is, I am very much kind of a homebody. The only reason I know anybody of any significance is because of Deborah, because she likes going out. If it were left to me, other than maybe having some other friends over two or three other couples. Couples.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

I don't know.

[Ego Wodem]

You need that balance.

[Al Roker]

I don't like to go out. Especially those black tie events.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh.

[Al Roker]

Oh, I hate those.

[Ego Wodem]

It's a lot.

[Al Roker]

It's the worst.

[Ego Wodem]

It's so much. Well, like, it's the worst, but I can top you. I got 10 worst things.

[Al Roker]

You'll be at. At a black tie event with a kid kicking your seat. Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh, goodness. And then someone says fu.

[Al Roker]

The only. The only possibly good thing about those one. Especially the cocktail.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

If they've got pigs in a blanket.

[Ego Wodem]

You like pigs in a blanket? Oh, wow.

[Al Roker]

You don't like a pig in a blanket?

[Ego Wodem]

I don't like pigs in a blanket. No, I don't. I don't. I want my pigs. I want my pigs in a bun.

[Al Roker]

I don't know that I can get you.

[Ego Wodem]

Kim.

[Al Roker]

I can get you married, but.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. Because my wedding is probably going to be black tie as well.

[Al Roker]

But you could have pigs in a blanket.

[Ego Wodem]

My boyfriend likes pigs in a blanket.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

So maybe we can. We can compromise if the officiant and the.

[Al Roker]

See, here's the deal. And this is. Okay. Hey, here's one of the secrets to marriage.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Compromise.

[Ego Wodem]

Compromise.

[Al Roker]

You can have pigs in a blanket. You can have crab cakes.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. And I love it. How did you know I wanted crab cakes?

[Al Roker]

From Baltimore?

[Ego Wodem]

Wow. Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Have you been to Fadely's?

[Ego Wodem]

I have, yeah. I love crab cakes. That would be my last.

[Al Roker]

Cake is as big as your head.

[Ego Wodem]

I know. And it's all crab meat. Lump crab meat, no filler.

[Al Roker]

No. It's all crab meat.

[Ego Wodem]

That's how it's supposed to be. Real Maryland.

[Al Roker]

It's like you could almost burrow in there and live.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. It's so good.

[Al Roker]

You know what? Another place that I think is closed now in Baltimore, I used to live love old O. Brickey's Crab House.

[Ego Wodem]

Oh. I don't know if it's. I don't know if it's great.

[Al Roker]

You'd go there. Especially in soft shell crab season.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

A piece of brown paper.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

They would dump a basket of crabs that had been steamed in old bay seasoning. There'd be a ring of fire around your mouth. You had a wooden mallet. You Just went to town.

[Ego Wodem]

Use papers on the table there to clean up your. Instead of tablecloth. It's a dream.

[Al Roker]

I love Baltimore.

[Ego Wodem]

I do too. I love being from there. I remember getting crab. My mom would buy crap on the side of the road. The. The crabbers would have them and put them in a big brown bag for you. You take them home, steam them in old bay heaven.

[Al Roker]

I always did for a moment feel bad for the crabs.

[Ego Wodem]

Really?

[Al Roker]

Well, you know, cuz.

[Ego Wodem]

Cuz then they are trying to cr.

[Al Roker]

I mean, you can't hear that, but.

[Ego Wodem]

But you see them scrambling and you're like, al, what do you say we don't think about that?

[Al Roker]

Okay. Too late.

[Ego Wodem]

Don't ruin. Don't ruin my last meal. Well, you know what? When I have a crab cake, I like it.

[Al Roker]

Because people ask that about the last meal. It's just so.

[Ego Wodem]

It's silly.

[Al Roker]

Yeah, but I know nobody's enjoying that. I'm. It's whatever you're getting, you know, you're not going to enjoy.

[Ego Wodem]

You might.

[Al Roker]

I don't think so.

[Ego Wodem]

I might. See you. Food makes me inordinately.

[Al Roker]

I'm about to strap you in and. And throw about 50, 000 volts through you. But you enjoy that crab cake. It's good. I have another. Nope.

[Ego Wodem]

Too bad. My issue is that I would be like, that's fine. I'm content. Give me a crab cake, lump crab meat. And I'd be like, zap me, zap me wherever I'm ready to go. Every time I have a good meal, I'm like, this could be it.

[Al Roker]

It.

[Ego Wodem]

This could be it.

[Al Roker]

Wow.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah. Good food. Euphoric. To me, it's actually.

[Al Roker]

But I never think, oh, I can die now.

[Ego Wodem]

I do. That's weird, huh? Seek counsel. Should I? Okay.

[Al Roker]

You know, maybe we hold off on the kid thing.

[Ego Wodem]

Okay. This is what I'm trying to tell you now. I knew I could just get it. I knew I could get you a little checkup.

[Al Roker]

Little check up from the neck up. See what's happening.

[Ego Wodem]

I knew I could get you on my side. Al. It's been pure joy talking to you.

[Al Roker]

It's over.

[Ego Wodem]

Was it too soon? We could keep talking.

[Al Roker]

So much of one of my career has been too soon. Yeah.

[Ego Wodem]

I love this. I love this. It was the perfect amount of time I could keep talking to you. I have many. I have so many other questions. Please come back one day.

[Al Roker]

Okay. When you're pregnant.

[Ego Wodem]

When I'm pregnant.

[Al Roker]

After I've officiated.

[Ego Wodem]

After you've officiated the Wedding. We will serve you.

[Al Roker]

You realize I'm going to hold you to this now.

[Ego Wodem]

Yeah.

[Al Roker]

Okay.

[Ego Wodem]

I might then have to have a second officiant, though, as well. Well, then you have to meet. Well, we'll have to talk offline. We'll plan this. We'll plan this. This has been pure to.

[Al Roker]

The boyfriend's gonna love me.

[Ego Wodem]

Yes. I love that. You know that. He will.

[Al Roker]

He's gonna love me.

[Ego Wodem]

He will. Okay. Everyone loves Al Roker. I'm trying to figure out about the lady on the plane. Well, anyway, I've loved having.

[Al Roker]

You know, it's funny because I've had a number of altercations, encounters on the plane, and it's always when Deborah's not with me and she says, you've got to stop traveling without me. I'm thinking, yeah, probably.

[Ego Wodem]

Let's get Deborah on all these flights with you. 2026. That's the mission.

[Al Roker]

That's the fix.

[Ego Wodem]

In 2026, is Deborah on the plane? All right. Thank you so much. Well, that was my talk with the Al Roker. How fun is he? Goodness, I, you know, I didn't know. I didn't know the full scope of Al's personality. Now, I have met him, we've hung out, we've seen each other in the wild, but I'm like, al is a good time. It's too bad he's a homebody. But I can relate because I also like to be at home. And I guess I'm supposed to go have a baby now, so I'm. I have to go. But before I go, I should say, if you want advice, you should call the podcast hotline. That's what I'm calling it right now. It's 5.02. Thanks, dads. That's 502-thx dads. D a d s. I had to think about how to spell dads. Wow. Because I'm. Right now, my mind is just on baby. I don't know that I'm gonna go get pregnant tonight. Guys. Don't. Don't worry. It's not. It's not happening. But that was his advice to me tonight. Tonight's the night anyway. If you want advice, call. Leave a voicemail. My guest and I will give you advice. I hope you enjoyed and see you on the next one. Thanks, dad. Is a production of Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeart podcast. I'm your host, Ego Wodem. Our producer is Kevin Bartelt, and our executive producer is Matt Apodaca.

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[Al Roker]

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[Tara Davis Woodhull]

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