Al Roker Says Madame Tussauds Remade His Wax Figure After Weight Loss

Al Roker Says Madame Tussauds Remade His Wax Figure After Weight Loss


NEED TO KNOW

  • Al Roker said Madame Tussauds remade his wax figure after his 2002 gastric bypass surgery
  • His original wax figure, when he weighed 300 lbs., is now stored in the museum archives
  • Roker underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2002, inspired by a promise to his late father to get healthy

Al Roker wasn’t the only one to undergo a gastric bypass surgery, of sorts, in 2002.

The 71-year-oldTodayshow weatherman revealed on Friday, Nov. 21, that after he lost weight, his Madame Tussauds wax figure did as well.

“They had to redo mine because I lost weight,” Roker told his co-hosts while discussing actor Jeff Goldblum’s recent wax figure unveiling.

“Wait, you have a wax figure? Could you be iconic?” Savannah Guthrie teased.

“Yeah, I have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds,” Roker confirmed. “There was one of me at 300 pounds, and then they melted me down.”

Guthrie quipped in response, “You didn’t even have to microdose!”

Al Roker’s wife, Deborah Roberts, and daughter Lelia meet his wax figure in 2000.
Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty

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Madame Tussauds provided insight into the decision in a statement to PEOPLE, confirming that Roker’s new figure was made in 2003.

“Madame Tussauds figures reflect a moment in time, and Al Roker has long been one of New York’s most recognizable icons,” Senior Communications Manager Brittany Williams tells PEOPLE. “His figure was replaced after he met with our studio artists at Madame Tussauds for a sitting in 2003, where they took detailed measurements.”

Roker’s figure can currently be found at Madame Tussauds New York in the “Seasons of New York City” section of the museum.

Al Roker’s wax figure at Madame Tussauds New York.
Madame Tussauds

As for what happened to Roker’s first wax figure, Madame Tussauds has kept it in the museum archives.

Roker has been open about his health journey through the years. In 2002 he underwent a gastric bypass surgery to shrink the size of his stomach.

“To be honest, I struggled with my weight for most of my adult life,” Roker told PEOPLE in January. “And my dad had gotten very ill, and at one point toward the end, he made me promise that I was going to get in shape. And he said, point-blank, ‘Look, we both know I’m not going to be here to help you raise your kids. You’ve got to be here for your children.’ And that really stuck with me, and that led me to do a gastric bypass.”

Al Roker on ‘Today’ Plaza in Aug. 2024.
NDZ/Star Max/GC Image

And while the surgery helped Roker shed a significant amount of weight, the meteorologist has made a point of noting that his weight loss journey didn’t end there.

“It’s a means to an end, but it’s not the end,” he explained. “It’s not the final thing. Every day I work at this. You’re never quite done, and that’s okay because anything (good) in life is worthwhile.”

Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification.
We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.


Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification. We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.


Author: uaetodaynews
Published on: 2025-11-21 18:31:00
Source: uaetodaynews.com

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