Monday 1 August 2011

Shark Week Begins With Andy Samberg

It's that time of year when the Discovery Channel unleashes its insanely popular Shark Week programming where we can get up close and personal with the animal we love to hate. If tuning into content via your 40+ inch High-Definition TV isn't enough, the Discovery Channel has released the Shark Week Live app that offers real-time entertainment on your iOS device that corresponds with the live programming.

From July 31st, to August 5th, viewers using the app using the during the live broadcasts will be treated to exclusive behind-the-scenes content synchronized to the show. If just getting extra knowledge about the sea monsters isn't enough, you can compete against other users by answering shark week Live trivia and receiving points for every correct answer. Finally, the app has built-in social networking features that let you chat with other people who are also watching the live broadcast and using the app. If there are other fans outside of the app who are chatting about the show and using the #sharkweek hashtag, those comments will be pulled into the app's stream as well.

Narration will be heavy on machismo, the soundtracks will veer between horror-movie strings and staccato, annoy-your-neighbors bass lines, and the whole thing will be overseen by Andy Samberg. We're not exactly sure why, and we're certainly not complaining, but the "Saturday Night Live" funnyman has been appointed Discovery's first-ever Chief Shark Officer. Tops among his awesome responsibilities, we found out during a chat with Samberg and his Lonely Islands pals this spring, is the requirement that the CSO taunt all non-CSOs.

Chief Shark Officer! In your face, other dudes!" he cracked.

We're kind of the Chief Shark brain trust on this," Jorma Taccone offered.

No, you guys haven't helped me at all on this," Samberg shot back with killer instinct.

So it's Samberg and Samberg alone guiding us through the hazards and happiness of Shark Week. Can he handle the pressure? After debuting in 1987, the weeklong block of programming was watched by almost 31 million people last year — the highest-rated shark-themed week in Discovery's history. Samberg ain't scared.

I've already been in the water with sharks," he said of a trip to the Bahamas to shoot promotional material for the week.

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