# Left Shark Left Shark is an internet meme born from Katy Perry's Super Bowl XLIX halftime show on February 1, 2015, when one of two backup dancers in shark costumes appeared to fumble choreography on live television in front of over 118 million viewers[1]. The endearingly off-beat dancer on Perry's left side instantly became the star of the night, spawning reaction images, fan art, 3D-printed figurines, and a slang term for anyone lovably out of their depth[2]. ## Origin The Super Bowl XLIX halftime show took place on February 1, 2015, at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona[3]. Katy Perry headlined the performance, with Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott as special guests[3]. The broadcast on NBC drew over 118 million viewers according to Nielsen, making it one of the most-watched halftime shows in history[3]. Midway through the set, Perry transitioned into a beach-themed medley of "Teenage Dream" and "California Gurls," with the stage transformed into a tropical setting complete with dancers dressed as sharks, palm trees, and smiling beach balls[3]. The dancer in the shark costume on Perry's left side appeared noticeably out of sync with the choreography. Whether the performer was genuinely confused, limited by the bulky costume's visibility, or improvising has been debated ever since. The dancer was later identified as Scott Myrick, a longtime Perry backup dancer. - **Platform:** NBC Super Bowl broadcast (source moment), Twitter / Tumblr (viral spread) - **Creator:** Scott Myrick (dancer/performer), Katy Perry (halftime show headliner) - **Date:** 2015 ## Overview During the "California Gurls" / "Teenage Dream" segment of the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show, two performers in matching blue shark costumes flanked Katy Perry on a beach-themed stage[3]. The dancer on the viewer's right ("Right Shark") hit every mark. The one on the left did not. Left Shark flailed, paused, appeared to forget entire sequences, and generally looked like someone who had wandered onto the wrong stage. The contrast between the two was impossible to miss, and within minutes the internet had a new hero. The meme works because Left Shark captured something deeply relatable: the experience of being completely lost while everyone around you seems to have it figured out. Urban Dictionary entries define "left shark" as doing something "to break from the pack in the most awesome way possible" and as shorthand for "an endearingly awkward or incompetent person"[1]. ## How It Spread Twitter exploded in real time during the halftime performance. Users screenshotted the shark's most awkward moments and began sharing them with the hashtag #LeftShark before the game even resumed. Within hours, Left Shark was trending worldwide. Tumblr artists began posting fan art of the confused shark, and GIFs of its flailing dance moves spread across every major platform. By February 2, "Left Shark" had its own Urban Dictionary entries describing it as slang for someone charmingly out of their element[1]. The term quickly entered casual vocabulary online. Within the first week, a maker named Fernando Sosa created a 3D-printed Left Shark figurine and began selling it online, prompting a trademark dispute when Perry's legal team sent a takedown notice claiming ownership of the shark design. The halftime show itself was critically acclaimed. Rolling Stone's James Montgomery called the performance "bright and booming" with "triumphant" vocals from Perry[3]. But no amount of professional polish could compete with Left Shark for internet attention. The dancer's unscripted chaos became the single most discussed element of the entire Super Bowl broadcast. ## How to Use Left Shark works in several ways online: - **As a reaction image:** Post a screenshot or GIF of Left Shark when you or someone else is visibly out of their depth, unprepared, or winging it in a group setting. - **As slang:** Call someone "a left shark" when they're endearingly bad at something but having a great time anyway[1]. "I totally left sharked that presentation." - **As a costume/cosplay:** Left Shark costumes became a popular Halloween choice starting in 2015. The key detail is performing the dance moves *wrong* on purpose. - **As an exploitable template:** The two-shark setup lends itself to comparison memes. Left Shark and Right Shark can represent any pair where one person is competent and the other is winging it. ## Cultural Impact Left Shark crossed from internet joke to mainstream cultural reference almost instantly. News outlets from CNN to the BBC covered the phenomenon, and late-night hosts including Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers ran segments on the viral dancer. The 3D-printing controversy between Fernando Sosa and Katy Perry's legal team sparked a broader conversation about intellectual property and meme ownership. Perry's team filed a trademark application for "Left Shark," raising questions about whether a performer could own a meme that the internet collectively created from a live broadcast moment. Perry herself embraced the meme, later selling official Left Shark merchandise and referencing the dancer in interviews. The halftime show won two Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Lighting Design and Outstanding Costumes[3], but Left Shark's cultural footprint outpaced any formal recognition. The Super Bowl halftime show had always generated memes (see: Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction, Beyoncé's Unflattering Photo), but Left Shark marked a turning point where the meme *became* the legacy of the performance rather than a footnote to it. ## Fun Facts - The halftime show used images projected over 18,000 square feet of field space and 616 wirelessly controlled light globes created by GlowMotion Technologies[3]. - Perry created four separate costumes for the performance with designer Jeremy Scott, managing wardrobe changes in just ten seconds each[3]. - Perry prepared for the show by studying halftime performances by Diana Ross, Beyoncé, Madonna, and Michael Jackson, and personally consulted with Bruno Mars for advice[3]. - The beach segment where Left Shark appeared was sandwiched between a "flame-adorned" dress opening and a "star-encrusted gown" finale where Perry flew over the stadium on a shooting star prop[3]. - Left Shark trended on Twitter longer than any play from the actual game between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Left Shark? Left Shark is a meme originating from one of two shark-costumed backup dancers during Katy Perry's Super Bowl XLIX halftime show on February 1, 2015, who appeared to dance out of sync on live television[3]. ### Where did Left Shark come from? Left Shark came from the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, broadcast on NBC to over 118 million viewers[3]. ### What does Left Shark mean? Left Shark is used as slang for someone who is endearingly awkward, out of their depth, or has no idea what they're doing in a given situation[1]. ### How do you use Left Shark? You can share GIFs or screenshots of Left Shark as a reaction when someone is visibly winging it. You can also use "left shark" as a verb or adjective to describe lovable incompetence[1]. ### Is Left Shark still popular? Left Shark is a classic meme that peaked in early 2015 but still gets referenced whenever someone fumbles publicly in an endearing way. It's a standard part of internet vocabulary and Super Bowl meme history[3]. ### Who was inside the Left Shark costume? The dancer was Scott Myrick, a professional backup dancer who had worked with Katy Perry on multiple tours. He later confirmed his identity and embraced the viral moment. ### Did Katy Perry trademark Left Shark? Perry's legal team filed a trademark application for "Left Shark" and sent takedown notices to a 3D-printing artist selling shark figurines, sparking debate about meme ownership and intellectual property. ### Was Left Shark intentionally bad? That's still debated. The bulky shark costume severely limited visibility, which may have caused the dancer to lose track of choreography. Some believe the improvised moves were partly intentional. ### Who performed at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show? Katy Perry headlined with special guests Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott[3]. The show won two Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards[3]. ### What song was playing during the Left Shark moment? Left Shark went viral during a beach-themed medley of "Teenage Dream" and "California Gurls," where dancers wore shark, palm tree, and beach ball costumes[3]. ## References 1. [Super Bowl XLIX halftime show]() 2. [Left Shark - Urban Dictionary]() 3. [Left Shark - Know Your Meme]() 4. [Shark]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/left-shark Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library