Discovery Channel kicked off its literally phenomenal Shark Week with a fake documentary called Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine. Orson Welles would have been proud. Perhaps not since Welles’ famous 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds–a fictional radio tale that had people freaking out about an alien invasion–has a fake documentary made such, um, waves. OregonLive reported a “growing rage over Shark Week’s increasingly deceptive programming.”
Besides the people who were fooled by the obviously ridiculous Submarine Shark–and besides those like “Sharknado” actress Tara Reid who believes that a real Sharknado is possible–there is a more serious protest against the Discovery Channel’s annual summer shark snark. (But first: in Reid’s defense she does say the odds are against a “Sharknado.”) Marine biologist David Shiffman (Why Sharks Matter) thinks the Discovery Channel does the ancient sea creatures a world of wrong each summer–and he wants to reverse the damage. #SaveSharkWeek is one hashtag trying to right the sub–we mean ship.
If you’re not happy with #SharkWeek ‘s focus on pseudoscience and fearmongering, tell @Discovery VP for Public Relations @LaurieGoldberg
— David Shiffman (@WhySharksMatter) August 11, 2014
