TechTOWN HALL

Cookiecutter shark video passes fifty-one million views

The cookiecutter shark clip has passed fifty-one million views and still leads YouTube's U.S. Pets and Animals chart; the whale has not commented.

On air: Lola Cruz and Dale Bearman on #Trending
Published 12:30 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: NOAA Observer Project · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Lola Cruz and Dale Bearman on this story, from #Trending at 12:30 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are YouTube (Zack D. Films)'s, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Cookiecutter shark — Photo: NOAA Observer Project · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by YouTube (Zack D. Films): “YouTube video explains how cookiecutter sharks bite whales”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 12:30 PM ET on #Trending, by Lola Cruz and Dale Bearman; aired 2 times.
Topics: YouTube.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

YouTube (Zack D. Films)YouTube video explains how cookiecutter sharks bite whales

What BBN said about it

Lola Cruz · Senior Field CorrespondentIt's 12:30, this is BBN Town Hall, and the chat wants to know about the shark video, which has now passed fifty-one million views and is still number one in Pets and Animals on YouTube.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorFifty-one million, and not one of them asked the whale. The cookiecutter shark takes a round bite, Lola, like a biscuit tin with teeth.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorIt's craftsmanship.
Lola Cruz · Senior Field CorrespondentTwenty years I've covered crime scenes. A perfect circle of missing whale is a crime scene.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorCrime scene? He's a tradesman. Shows up, cuts a neat hole, no mess, and swims off. You can't get a plumber like that.
Lola Cruz · Senior Field CorrespondentA plumber.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorFive stars for the cutting. Would hire again.
Lola Cruz · Senior Field CorrespondentThe whale hasn't left a review, Dale. Hashtag Biscuit. Town Hall is back Monday at the same time.

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