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Extreme weather hit the United States as Hurricane Ida barreled across cities like New Orleans, Louisiana leaving many without power and rescue teams scrambling to get people safely out of their homes.
NBC's weatherman Al Roker took to the streets as he always has, standing in gushing waves off the New Orleans coast with strong winds blowing his windbreaker.
It turns out, Roker has been paying attention to his Twitter mentions lately. Many people commented it might be too dangerous for him to be out there citing his age—67.
Al Roker is almost 70 years old, why is this necessaryhttps://twitter.com/meetthepress/status/1431979147459452934\u00a0\u2026— philip lewis (@philip lewis) 1630249074
Why is this still a thing? Is anything helped by sticking near-elderly weathermen out into a hurricane that you're supposed to be evacuated from? This is stupid and dangerous for no reason at all.— boredsuburbanmom (@boredsuburbanmom) 1630249471
There's absolutely no reason why he had to stand that close amd get crushed by waves. Looks ridiculous as they zoom further out— jay (@jay) 1630251542
Al roker is 67 lmao nbc doing him dirtypic.twitter.com/XAnO939Pjc— jw (@jw) 1630245593
Afghanistan is complicated, tragic, and divisive. So let\u2019s welcome the opportunity to unanimously condemn NBC for endangering Al Roker. So reckless and irresponsible.— Larry Sabato (@Larry Sabato) 1630250207
Why y'all send Al Roker old ass to the middle of that hurricane? My momma called me about it and everything— America Is Musty (@America Is Musty) 1630277731
Man went in the middle of a Hurricane just to tell us it was bad, like it\u2019s not a Hurricanehttps://twitter.com/nuffsaidny/status/1431993925842219011?s=21\u00a0\u2026— Attachment: 1 Video (@Attachment: 1 Video) 1630277887
But Roker was ready to come for anyone saying he was too old to be out reporting on the storm.
@TeflonTom Try it, punk. I will drop you like a bag of dirt— Al Roker (@Al Roker) 1371175569
In a clip from The Sunday Show, Jonathan Capehart spoke to Roker who decided he needed to address the Twitter mob.
"Folks on Twitter were, 'first of all, why is NBC putting him out there?' I volunteered to come out here. This is what I do."
"I've done this for 40 years …"
"We all make sure we're safe. We're not going to do something that puts ourselves in harm's way."
He then called out the people saying he's "too old" to be reporting from in the field.
To those people he said:
"Well, hey, guess what? Screw you, okay?"
"Try to keep up. Keep up, okay?"
"These young punks. I will come after them. I will drop them like a bag of dirt."
.@alroker has a message for those who think he\u2019s too old to stand outside in a hurricane! #SundayShowpic.twitter.com/v2RD6xA7ku— The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart (@The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart) 1630252609
People are eating it up.
.@alroker should get extra pay for this ..— samuel crenshaw (@samuel crenshaw) 1630255227
Thank you for standing up for the 65+ generation. Now get inside, OK?— THEE Notorious R.A.V. (@THEE Notorious R.A.V.) 1630254886
Isn't it grand when your knowledge reputation and body of work allows you the freedom to tell all trolls to KMA.— Ken Garrett (@Ken Garrett) 1630254804
listen up young punks!! Not Al with the \u201dI will drop them like a bag of dirt\u201d hahahahh LOVE AL! Looks like my dad\u2019s brother.— Lindiwe Suttle M\u00fcller-Westernhagen (@Lindiwe Suttle M\u00fcller-Westernhagen) 1630271719
@alroker is a rare and special breed of journalists who can and will do what he needs to do while younger journalists cower at his might and bravery. Love ya, man!— Canadianmouse (@Canadianmouse) 1630254039
Not everyone felt the same though.
The criticism was less about his age and more about the danger he put himself in when the city was evacuating.
it's not the age, it's the irresponsibility of telling people they needed to evacuate and then going out and standing in an oncoming storm. It's stupid and unecessary no matter how old he is.— boredsuburbanmom (@boredsuburbanmom) 1630254948
"We're not going to do something that will put ourselves in harms way"...stands in the middle of a category 4 hurricane storm surge.— Linda Castro (@Linda Castro) 1630257359
Cool. Still unnecessary. I would feel the same way if he was 27. We have eyes. The sideways rain, crashing waves, flooding roads and bending trees are a good indicator. Be safe out there Al!— SBINAWYL (@SBINAWYL) 1630253960
Roker did give an update tweet with a video of his boots being emptied of water into the hotel bathroom tub.
For all those who were worried about me out on #lakepontchartrain covering #Ida a) I volunteered to do this. Part of the job. b) My crew and I were safe and we are back at our hotel and c) for those who think I\u2019m too old to to be doing this, try and keep uppic.twitter.com/DctJBFKD0D— Al Roker (@Al Roker) 1630249303
He shared he and his crew were safe and sound in their hotel and he certainly is not too old.