Some Fans Like the Former, Fuller Roker

By Stephen M. Silverman

Monday November 18, 2002 11:00 AM EST

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Recent PEOPLE coverboy Al Roker, who dropped 100 pounds after undergoing gastric bypass surgery last March, could be in for some stormy weather when it comes to his commercial endorsements -- most notably his work for the Weatherproof outerwear company's advertising campaign.

The New York Post reports that ads featuring the jovial -- but now greatly slimmed down -- "Today" show weatherman depict Roker before his life-altering surgery. (As Roker, 48, first revealed in PEOPLE, he lost a third of his body weight in the eight months since his surgery, going from a 56" jacket and 54" slacks to a 46" jacket and 40" slacks. )

Billboards of the "old" Al dressed in Weatherproof gear appear coast to coast, as do full-page ads in national magazines spotlighting his former physique.

The ad campaign also seems to be successful -- sales of Weatherproof are reportedly up. And therein lies the rub.

"We applaud Al for having the surgery and losing the weight -- he looks great," Weatherproof president Fredric Stollmack tells the Post. "But people resist change. We heard a lot of our customers say they love the images of Al in his great, big, lovable, full-figured glory, while they're finding the new Al, well, underwhelming."

The Post reports the company is now "seriously considering" reshooting Al's ads.