Al Roker and Craig Melvin’s close friendship is apparent to viewers, as they often rib each other on-air. In October 2019, the two argued about the World Series, which led to Melvin teasing Roker about his “inaccurate forecasts” (via Us Weekly). Although the exchange appeared heated, a source told the publication, “Craig and Al play around like this all of the time on camera and are friends [and] hang out off camera.”
Earlier that month, Melvin was among the 50 to make Variety’s “New Power of New York” list. Roker wrote a touching tribute to his colleague and admitted he had a “man crush” on Melvin. “How can you not love this guy? He’s a young Southerner who was raised by a mom who was a teacher and a dad who worked shifts at the post office in South Carolina. I love that even though he is so young, he has made his success the old-fashioned way: through hard work, coming up through local news in South Carolina, winning Emmy Awards, becoming an honored anchorman,” Roker penned (via Variety). The esteemed weatherman went on to say that he witnessed Melvin juggle his career, while being a great father to his kids.
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In 2021, Melvin attended Roker’s eldest daughter’s wedding. “What a special night. Enjoyed celebrating love. My friend and mentor @alroker walked his oldest down the aisle,” he shared on Instagram. A year later, Melvin supported his dear friend through a health crisis.
