Broadcast veteran Willard Scott officially retired from the "Today" show after 35 years as the morning show's weatherman and 65 years with NBC, Today reported. Scott's colleagues paid heartfelt tribute to him and commemorated his career in a special segment on Tuesday, Scott's last day on air.
"He's in the marrow and the DNA of this show," co-anchor Savannah Guthrie said in her tribute. "When I think of Willard Scott I just think of joy."
"Willard is the heart and soul of the 'Today' show," host Matt Lauer said in his tribute. "He's entertaining, he's warm, he's endearing, he cares, he represents the tradition of the show all in one loveable package."
The segment included clips of Scott's weather reports over the years. The weatherman joined the "Today" show in 1980 until fellow NBC vet Al Roker became the main weather anchor in 1996, as previously reported by HNGN. Scott continued to fill in for Roker, reprising his role whenever Roker was absent.
"To me, he is a mentor, he's a friend, he is literally my second dad," Roker said in his tribute. "From the inception of the 'Today' show, Willard Scott was part of the weather and part of the 'Today' show."
Roker told an anecdote about Scott's early days after he was hired on at the broadcasting company in 1950 as an NBC page, a 12-month development program that develops young talent, according to NBC Universal's website. During his time as a page, Scott connected the very first phone call between "Today" show founding host Dave Garroway and a meteorologist from the U.S. weather bureau (now known as the National Weather Service) in Washington, D.C.
See the full "Today" show tribute to Scott below.
