Shark Week debuted in 1988 and is now the longest-running programming event. This year will be the 33rd anniversary of Shark Week. It's thought that it took off in 2006 because of a 30 Rock episode where they quote "Live every week like it's Shark Week," but it's also been referenced and a series of other shows since then, including in an interview with Stormy Daniels on 60 Minutes. The long list of other movies and shows about sharks has also hyped it up over the years, from Guy Fieri's Feeding Frenzy to Megalodon.
The hype was originally to bring viewership to the scary and terrifying world of sharks, but has evolved over the years, including helping with conservation and highlighting the problems shark populations face. It also keeps people interested based on the facts that while they can be dangerous, attacks are few and far between, and most people are far enough away that sharks won't affect them. --NPR
Learn more about Shark Week with these articles:
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Discovery 2025's Shark Week: Hosted by Tom Bergeron
Catch up on some Shark Week Podcasts
Fun Facts about Sharks: (Brought to you by NOAA Fisheries, Reader's Digest, & Australian Museum)