Saturday, October 17, 2026Sat, Oct 17
Live nowOn the air 24/7Watch live

U.S.WEEKEND WEIRDNESS

Spam string with Córdoba university's name goes viral

The Universidad de Córdoba's name appears on a spam post tagged with a Masranga Tv and Instagram clip title; the school did not post it.

On air: Chip Darnell on Weekend Edition
Published
▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Chip Darnell on this story, from Weekend Edition at 2:37 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Universidad de Córdoba (UCO)'s, the jokes are ours.

At a glance

The real story

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

What BBN said about it

  1. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorA spam post with a very long string of symbols has the name of the Universidad de Córdoba stuck on it, and joining us is Imelda Okonkwo-Reyes, the university's director of reputation.

  2. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesThank you, Chip.

  3. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesThe university wishes to say clearly that it has never posted, endorsed, or even read this string, which begins with an at sign and a triangle.

  4. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorSo the school did nothing at all, and its name is on it anyway. How is that a crisis?

  5. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesBetween us and the record, we convened an emergency session on Thursday, and the minutes are eleven pages, mostly an apology to the triangle.

  6. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorEleven pages about a triangle?

  7. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesThe triangle is a delta, and the faculty of mathematics wants it known that we have never been so insulted. I'm turning the Provost away from you now, Chip.

  8. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe Provost is an owl, and it's facing the wall. I'm just going to say that out loud for the viewers at home.

  9. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesHe has strong feelings about the number at the end, hd4554.

  10. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesWe now have a standing committee on that number, and it has met four times.

  11. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorSo the committee has met more often than anyone has opened the post. What is it doing about the bot?

  12. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesBetween us and the record, we are preparing a strongly worded letter, addressed to a bot, which has no address, so we have begun a committee to find one.

  13. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorYour open house is coming up too. Is it hurting turnout?

  14. Imelda Okonkwo-ReyesWe have published since nineteen seventy-two, Chip, and the only thing anyone has ever shared from us is hd4554.

  15. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorBrock has the weather, and I hear he has a name for the cloud that's following him.

▶ Watch BBN liveMore U.S. →

More Shorts

All videos →
  1. Photo: ArildV · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.Thank Gen Z for the 'Girls' RevivalRead the story
  2. Photo: David Shankbone · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.Scholten says she got threatening letter claiming DSA linkRead the story
  3. ▶ Hot Take or Not · U.S.LeBron and the 76ers: Maxey Is the Real GM, Sandwich LosesAbout this segment
  4. Photo: Pierre cb · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.Tourists ordered to evacuate Outer Banks island or risk being…Read the story
  5. ▶ Short · U.S.The Vase Was Worthless, but the Lid Was PricelessMore about this Short
  6. ▶ Interviews · U.S.Secret Service Deputy Exit: Anonymous Source Is Guarding a Parking ReceiptAbout this segment
  7. ▶ As it aired · U.S.Kate Cassidy recalls Liam Payne; Omar lawyers accuse DOJRead the story
  8. Photo: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
    ▶ As it aired · U.S.Netanyahu to Obama: 'Our Land Is Not Stolen Land'Read the story
  9. ▶ Interviews · U.S.California Ballot Officials Count Votes in a Dark Closet to Stay CluelessAbout this segment
  10. ▶ As it aired · U.S.Friendly Neighborhood Cat Tests Positive For Rabies In Gainesville…Read the story
Aired onWeekend EditionThe week's stories, the weekend's weirdnessAbout the show →

The story so far

  1. Garbled viral Instagram video posted by Córdoba university account… · Universidad de Córdoba (UCO)
  2. Spam-style 'leaked video' listing appears on a Córdoba university page · Universidad de Córdoba (UCO)
  3. Spam string with Córdoba university's name goes viral (this story)

From the archive: everything BBN aired on Saturday, October 17, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months

More in U.S.

All U.S. →
Photo: ArildV · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0
BBN INVESTIGATES

Thank Gen Z for the 'Girls' Revival

Wired reports the HBO series was once a stand-in for everything wrong with white millennial women; a new, younger audience has since started watching.

Via Wired

Photo: David Shankbone · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
BBN USA

Scholten says she got threatening letter claiming DSA link

The FBI is investigating the Michigan Democrat's letter, one of several threatening warnings lawmakers and election officials have reported lately…

Via Washington Examiner