some thoughts re Al Roker..

[Guest guest]

Grad list alums, I am posting this here; It is a message to another list that

was talking about whether Al Roker was on the up and up about how he

approached his surgery: thought you might be interested since we have had

some discussion about his new life here.

ceep

Hi all: Hope you're having a good day today.

Just a couple thoughts about Al Roker; there's a lot that the public does not

know or see...

I think you will see that Al Roker is going to do alot for persons whose

health is severely compromised by enormous weight. He is 5-8 " and was at

about 330, and cruising for a heart attack for certain; It wasn't if, it was

only when. He has little teeny children. He wanted to live. I applaud him.

I have some insight into a few of these thing, don't ask, I just do. The

National Enquirer article was likely leaked by someone at the hospital for

money. Al Roker never denied he had surgery, only said, as is his right, (he

is a human being with a heart and soul first and foremost, regardless of his

'fame' as a weather guy on a morning tv program....) that he preferred his

privacy. He said it in the nicest possible way to those who inquired, and he

didn't have to reply at all. It was amazing to me that a man like him who has

people left and right DAILY wanting to coattail on his fame, use him, exploit

him, have him " give " to them until he is half-dead, that he kindly answered

thousands of letters from post-ops nationwide. I thought that showed a man of

great heart and he must sleep only two hours a night or else have written

those replies in his sleep.

That he had his surgery filmed was a wise move. And not so clever as some

have implied. He belongs to a circle of people who think differently that

others who do not have access to media the way he does. As you saw with

Carny, or with Reeves or with Carol Burnett or the late Carol

O'Connor, even a quasi-celeb can help to fund research, bring the public's

attention, bring legislative focus. I doubt seriously that he will try to

make this into a circus. He will bring a man's point of view, which is good.

See, the difference I think between a celebrity who is battling their weight

and a celebrity who is battling health issues caused by weight are way two

different things. There are lots of celebs who battle the weight, but they

are not ill, or do not realize they are. There is no vitalizing reason for

them to be considering surgery. I think Al Roker did, and much good will come

of it, I hope for him especially.

Someone mentioned Roker did it for the money. I tend to think people should

be paid for their honest work. If he gets paid and the show brings goodness

to the world that suffers so, as far as I am concerned he could be paid a

king's ransom and it would be ok with me. I weigh it against execs at Enron,

Adelphia, other places, who have taken millions and don't give a " r's arse "

for anyone who suffers.

still can't spell

ceep