Usually I post videos that I think are funny, interesting, clever, or maybe important. This one I'm posting because it's unfunny, silly, and only important because it shows what the Tonight Showis like now (unfortunately).
Last week Discovery had Shark Week. Last night, Conan showed up a preview of Bark Week. Yeah, a week dedicated to tree bark. This is one of the reasons I can't get into the Tonight Show. It seems like they're throwing every lame idea for a video into the show. Conan and Andy are funny guys, but there's so much on this show that just kills it (and I still hate Conan's mugging after every video and joke, and his painful introductions to bits).
We're in the middle of the Discovery Channel's annual Shark Week celebration, a whole of programming involving sharks, sharks, sharks, sharks, and the people who love/fear them. But David Zurawik over at The Baltimore Sun doesn't understand why some people get excited about it. He wants someone to explain its appeal.
I almost chose the above pic for this week's "What the heck is this?," but realized it would be too obscure for readers to get. What is it? It's a bloody pair of chewed up shorts, and it's part of the press kit for Discovery Channel's "Shark Week." James Hibberd over at The Hollywood Reportergives a rundown on what the kit looks like up close. It includes Hibberd's obituary.
I once got a "Shark Week" T-shirt from the network but nothing like this.
Jessica Alba could be facing vandalism and tagging charges for gluing several "shark conservation posters" all over Oklahoma City in an organized stunt.
Alba apologized for her participation in the incident after she was busted online. She's in Oklahoma City shooting her new movie and somehow got lured into this sticky "save the shark" poster campaign.
The city wide display is an obvious move for shark preservationists, as millions of the large fish are slaughtered every year by heavy hunting off the Oklahoma coast. Also, the classic film Jaws was set near Tulsa.
Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Andy DeHart, a shark expert who currently works at the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. Dehart talked to me about his first experience with sharks (when he was five!), about his interest in conservation of the species, and about Shark Week, Discovery's annual documentary series (in its 21st year this summer). Other than Big Brother, Shark Week is the only reason I turn on the TV in the summer. I was pretty excited to talk to him about this year's event.
The 21st annual Shark Week is coming this summer to Discovery. Les Stroud (Survivorman) and Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs) will join Adam Savage and Jamie Hyman (MythBusters) and many more experts on excursions to Bahamas, South Africa, the Arctic, Australia and a whole lot of places in between. This year they will spotlight lesser-known and unusual sharks, address myths about sharks, and educate the public on the conservation of sharks.
Shark Week will air July 27 to August 2nd. Sunday through Friday programming will run from 7 p.m. till midnight ET/PT. And on Saturday programming will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET/PT.
Find out what show I'm looking forward to and what other shows Discovery has planned after the jump.
A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.
Jimmy Hall: Hall was a documentary filmmaker and Discovery Channel host. He is part of the network's annual "Shark Week," which will air this year starting July 29. Hall was killed in a parachute accident while filming a documentary for the network near the Arctic Circle. He was 41.
They make a damn good point. Every time I seem to turn on one of the alleged educational cable channels they seem to be running some silly ghost-chaser, psychic, or UFO "documentary" without any serious rigorous examination. Things may be changing a little, shows like Penn & Teller's Bullshit, and Mythbusters (which also runs on Discovery) have been successful the past few years. Shows as different American Chopper and Modern Marvels prove at least some of cable's audience is interested in more than crop circles -- interested rather in the natural world, science, and how real things actually work.
At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother: All-Stars, followed by a new Rock Star: Supernova.
NBC has a new Fear Factor at 8, followed by a new Last Comic Standing.
ESPN has two new episodes of The World Series of Poker, starting at 8.
At 9, Bravo has a new Work Out.
Also at 9: Sci-Fi has a new episode of Eureka.
At 9:30 on Food Network, a new Tasty Travels has Rachael Ray in San Diego.
Discovery Channel's "Shark Week" continues, and at 10 there's a special episode of Dirty Jobs titled Dirty Jobs: Jobs That Bite, profiling a biologist studying great white sharks.
GSN continues to countdown the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All-Time at 10. Tonight it's shows 32-29.
Programs from the Discovery Channel and some of its associated networks are now available through iTunes. The shows include Mythbusters, Shark Week, The Save-Ums, Extreme Engineering, Breed All About It, The Most Extreme, Passport to Europe, World's Best, America's National Parks, and Kenny the Shark. The episodes will cost the usual $1.99. Personally, I like the idea of having Mythbusters and Shark Week being made available, but I'm not to sure people will be that interested in downloading and watching something like America's National Parks, much less paying to watch it. Then again, everyone isn't me.
Sorry for the lame headline.
Discovery's Shark Week continues all night.
Jessica Alba could be facing vandalism and tagging charges for gluing several "shark conservation posters" all over Oklahoma City in an organized stunt.
At 8, ABC has a new Wipeout, followed by new episodes of I Survived A Japanese Game Show and Primetime.
The Discovery Channel's Shark Week continues. 
The 21st annual Shark Week is coming this summer to Discovery. Les Stroud (Survivorman) and Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs) will join Adam Savage and Jamie Hyman (MythBusters) and many more experts on excursions to Bahamas, South Africa, the Arctic, Australia and a whole lot of places in between. This year they will spotlight lesser-known and unusual sharks, address myths about sharks, and educate the public on the conservation of sharks. 
Discovery's "Shark Week" continues all night. 
Please, no more Top 10 Simpsons lists. 
A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.
Ah, shark week. Sharks are to the Discovery Channel what Regis is to ABC, always worth trotting out one more go-around. Our good friends at Divester have weighed in on Shark Week, praising the use of actual science by Discovery (and check out this cool photo contest while you're visiting Divester). 
At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother: All-Stars, followed by a new Rock Star: Supernova. 
Programs from the Discovery Channel and some of its associated networks are now available through iTunes. The shows include Mythbusters, Shark Week, The Save-Ums, Extreme Engineering, Breed All About It, The Most Extreme, Passport to Europe, World's Best, America's National Parks, and Kenny the Shark. The episodes will cost the usual $1.99. Personally, I like the idea of having Mythbusters and Shark Week being made available, but I'm not to sure people will be that interested in downloading and watching something like America's National Parks, much less paying to watch it. Then again, everyone isn't me.
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