Weird NewsPET OF THE DAY

Penguin zoo race: the penguins are file footage, not entrants

The zoo race proceeded as planned, but promotional footage showing penguins was archive material unrelated to the actual event or course.

On air: Chip Darnell and Gloria Vance on BBN Overnight
Published 12:34 AM ET, Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Photo: Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · Weird News

Watch it as it aired: Chip Darnell and Gloria Vance on this story, from BBN Overnight at 12:34 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are WBAL-TV's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Penguin — Photo: Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Footage: chrisjmit · Pixabay Content License · Pixabay

Watch the segment

Viral Video Breakdown“I am not. Two of them are facing opposite ways, and that's the most disciplined cooldown I've ever seen.”Vera Bullock▶ Full · 0:48Penguins at the Zoo Race: Judged Like Marathon RunnersViral Video Breakdown · Oct 12

At a glance

First reported by WBAL-TV: “'Wait a minute, is that a penguin?': Runners to pass through zoo - WBAL-TV”.
Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 12:34 AM ET on BBN Overnight, by Chip Darnell and Gloria Vance; aired 3 times.

The real story

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

WBAL-TV'Wait a minute, is that a penguin?': Runners to pass through zoo - WBAL-TV

What BBN said about it

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThe zoo race is still on, but the penguin video tied to it is archive footage, not from the course, so tonight's winner may not have been there at all.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThen this is the first award for a no-show, and I am honored to be here.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorLook at this file footage: three penguins in shallow water, completely calm. Their stat line is zero false starts and no complaints about the course.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorZero. They just stand there and let the whole world run past.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorBy the rules of this desk, they are hereby named Race Officials of the Year.
Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorDo they get a medal, or do we just hand out little fish?

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