People Are Boycotting Shark Week Because Of A Fake Documentary About A Giant Shark

Discovery Channel/Megalodon LivesA "mockumentary" about the ancient giant shark Megalodon, called Megalodon: The Monster Shark That Lives, has created an uproar by their viewers, and by the science and science-loving community.

Science bloggers are very upset that the "science" channel was spreading lies about sharks, and even actor-nerd Will Wheaton suggested the the Discovery Channel owed its viewers an apology. Its viewers are using social media — including Facebook and Twitter — to voice their outrage.

This is very similar to another fake documentary, which claimed that Mermaids existed, that aired on Animal Planet a few months ago. The documentaries hire actors to play scientists and create false footage that they call "found" to tell their story. And it's just that — a made up story about as real as a sharknado.

Will Wheaton said:

Last night, Discovery Channel betrayed that trust during its biggest viewing week of the year. Discovery Channel isn’t run by stupid people, and this was not some kind of mistake. Someone made a deliberate choice to present a work of fiction that is more suited for the SyFy channel as a truthful and factual documentary. That is disgusting, and whoever made that decision should be ashamed.

Discover Magazine blogger Christie Wilcox wrote:

Megalodon: The Monster Shark That Lives was not just a disservice to your genuinely curious audience. It was a lie. You used your reputation to deceive your viewers, and you didn’t even apologize for it.

At least the faux Mermaids documentaries on Animal Planet flashed a brief disclaimer explaining that they were false. Megalodon: The Monster Shark That Lives had no such warning. Instead, you did the exact opposite.

As many have noted, there's plenty of awesome things to say about the megalodon, without resorting to making up lies. The only mention that the movie was fiction is a short five-second disclaimer at the beginning of the show which even hedges that "sightings of [a supposed megalodon] continue to this day."

Here's some of the evidence they present. An "image from WWII archives, of a giant shark with a 64 foot tail to dorsal fin span":

Discovery Channel/Megalodon LivesThis disturbing image of a giant whale missing it's tail, which, they say "couldn't have been done by any known shark"... only by something th sizes of Megalodon:

Discovery Channel/Megalodon LivesAnd another image, of a giant shark attacking a whale:

Discovery Channel/Megalodon LivesHopefully they take the chance to explain themselves during the live aftershow tonight.