Hard to believe but the Discovery Channel’s “wildly” popular Shark Week is now in its third decade of production. Now in its 32nd season, Shark Week began as an entertaining effort to educate viewers about common misconceptions while helping draw attention to preservation of the species. The week-long even was a hit and his since garnered a cult-like following which has catapulted it to the front of social media, television advertising and celebrity involvement. In 2010, Shark Week became the longest running cable event series in history and still holds that title today. Hosts have included names like Craig Ferguson, Andy Samberg and even Shaquille O’Neal.
Shark Week 2020 kicks of tomorrow and is hosted by Josh Gates who stars in Discovery’s Expedition Unknown and is also a producer for A&E’s Ghost Nation. This year’s event will see the return of Shaq who meets up with YouTube legends Mark Rober and Dude Perfect to determine which shark has be best predatory attack. There is also an appearance from Will Smith who will take to the open sea to confront his fear of the man-eating ocean dwellers. On a lighter note, this year will see the return of Bob the Shark. Bob the Shark, also know as Bob Oschack, is the costumed co-host of the late night talk show Shark After Dark that aired daily after Shark Week’s daily lineup. Most recently hosted by Rob Riggle, it looks like Shark After Dark has been sidelined this year but that doesn’t mean that Bob the Shark is getting a vacation.
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No, this year Bob the Shark is jumping into the smart home game to bring you Shark Week treats on your Google Assistant (and Alexa) smart home devices. You can say “Hey Google, talk to Shark Week,” to any of your Assistant-enabled devices and you’ll be greeted by Bob the Shark who is ready to tell you a shark joke, give you some interesting facts about the mystic sea creature and tell you a little bit about himself. It’s a fun way to get a little more acquainted with the popular week-long event and I happen to have a son who loves sharks. So, it is built-in and educational entertainment because he loves sharks and he loves talking to Google. Discovery has built an empire with Shark Week and getting into the smart home ecosystem is just another brilliant marketing move on their part. Shark Week begins tomorrow at 8pm with Air Jaws: Ultimate Breach Off, immediately followed by Tyson vs. Jaws: Rumble on the Beach. Until then, you can get to know Bob the Shark a little better by firing up your Google Home and kicking off Shark Week early.
