Discovery Channel broke with tradition last year, naming its first non-Discovery-star to host Shark Week : CBS late-night personality Craig Ferguson. Shark Week last year was sampled by the largest audience ever: Nearly 31 million people checked it out for at least six minutes and some, of course, watched much longer.
Coincidence? I think not.
Neither does Discovery, which Wednesday named another broadcast TV late-night comic to host this year’s Shark Week. That someone is Andy Samberg, a member of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” cast.
Samberg has a better agent than Ferguson; we know this because he’s gotten a better title. Samberg will be Shark Week’s CSO — Chief Shark Officer.
Shark Week is “about being scared out of your swim trunks, but it’s also about being entertained and learning something new,” Discovery Channel President Clark Bunting said in Wednesday’s announcement, wisely leaving the funny business to Samberg.
Discovery says Shark Week is the longest-running programming event in cable history.
“Everyone loves Shark Week. It’s the Bill Cosby of week-long television blocks dedicated to sea animals,” Samberg said...
Discovery thinks the week has become a “pop culture phenomenon” because Tracy Morgan of “30 Rock” once told the character of NBC page Kenneth: “Live every week like it’s Shark Week.”
Excerpt from:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-tv-column-host-andy-samberg-braves-the-waters-of-discoverys-shark-week/2011/04/20/AFo7WeEE_story.html
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This was a nice editorial. It shows that Discovery hit big with Ferguson and hopes to repeat the success with Samberg. The "leaving the funny business to Samberg" has me hoping that TLI will go all out with jokes and digital shorts for Shark Week!
Enjoy!
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