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SpongeBob SquarePants (character)

August 18, 2023

SpongeBob SquarePants is the protagonist of the American animated television series of the same name. Voiced by Tom Kenny, he is characterized by his optimism and childlike attitude. SpongeBob is commonly seen hanging out with his friend Patrick Star, working at the Krusty Krab, and attending Mrs. Puff's Boating School.

SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants character
First appearance
Created byStephen Hillenburg
Designed byStephen Hillenburg
Portrayed byEthan Slater (Broadway)
Voiced byTom Kenny[a]
In-universe information
SpeciesSea sponge
GenderMale
OccupationFry cook at the Krusty Krab
RelativesHarold SquarePants (father)
Margaret SquarePants (mother)
Grandma SquarePants (grandmother)
Stanley S. SquarePants (cousin)
Blackjack SquarePants (second cousin)
Birth date (1986-07-14) July 14, 1986 (age 37)[1]

SpongeBob was created and designed by Stephen Hillenburg, an artist and marine science educator. The character's name is derived from "Bob the Sponge", the host of Hillenburg's unpublished educational book The Intertidal Zone. He drew the book while teaching marine biology to visitors of the Ocean Institute during the 1980s. Hillenburg began developing a show based on the premise shortly after the 1996 cancellation of Rocko's Modern Life, which Hillenburg directed. SpongeBob's first appearance was in the pilot, "Help Wanted", which premiered on May 1, 1999.

SpongeBob SquarePants has become popular among children and adults. The character has garnered a positive response from media critics and is frequently named as one of the greatest cartoon characters of all time.

Role in SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob is a good-natured, naive, and enthusiastic sea sponge. In The SpongeBob Musical, his exact species of animal is identified: Aplysina fistularis, a yellow tube sponge that is common in open waters.[2] He resides in the undersea city of Bikini Bottom with other anthropomorphic aquatic creatures. He works as a fry cook at a local fast food restaurant, the Krusty Krab, to which he is obsessively attached, showing devotion to it above other restaurants.[3] His boss is Eugene Krabs, a greedy crab who nonetheless treats SpongeBob like a son.[4] Squidward Tentacles, an octopus,[5] and SpongeBob's ill-tempered, snobbish neighbor, works as the restaurant's cashier. SpongeBob's hobbies include fishing for jellyfish, practicing karate with his friend Sandy Cheeks (a squirrel from Texas),[6] and blowing bubbles.[7]

SpongeBob is often seen hanging around with his best friend, starfish Patrick Star, one of his neighbors. SpongeBob lives in a submerged pineapple with his pet snail, Gary. His unlimited optimistic cheer often leads him to perceive the outcome of numerous endeavors and the personalities of those around him as happier than they really are. He believes, for instance, that Squidward Tentacles enjoys his company even though he clearly harbors an intense dislike for him (though they have been shown to get along on rare occasions).[8] SpongeBob's greatest goal in life is to obtain his driver's license from Mrs. Puff's boating school, but he often panics and crashes when driving a boat.[9]

Character

Conception

 
Stephen Hillenburg,
creator of SpongeBob SquarePants

Stephen Hillenburg first became fascinated with the ocean as a child. He began developing his artistic abilities at a young age. During college, he studied marine biology and minored in art. He planned to return to graduate school and eventually to pursue a master's degree in art. After graduating in 1984 from Humboldt State University, he joined the Ocean Institute, an organization in Dana Point, California, dedicated to educating the public about marine science and maritime history.[10] While he was there, he had the initial idea that would lead to the creation of SpongeBob SquarePants—a comic book titled The Intertidal Zone. The host of the comic was "Bob the Sponge" who, unlike SpongeBob, resembled an actual sea sponge.[11] In 1987, Hillenburg left the institute to pursue an animation career.[11][12]

A few years after studying experimental animation at the California Institute of the Arts,[12] Hillenburg met Joe Murray, the creator of Rocko's Modern Life, at an animation festival, and was offered a job as a director of the series.[11][13][14][15] While working on the series, Hillenburg met writer Martin Olson, who saw his previous comic The Intertidal Zone.[16] Olson liked the idea and suggested Hillenburg create a series of marine animals, which spurred his decision to create SpongeBob SquarePants. Hillenburg did not think of making a series based on The Intertidal Zone at the time, later telling Thomas F. Wilson in an interview, "a show ... I hadn't even thought about making a show ... and it wasn't my show". Hillenburg later claimed it was "the inspiration for the show".[17]

 
Bob the Sponge,
the host of The Intertidal Zone

Rocko's Modern Life ended in 1996.[18] Shortly afterwards, Hillenburg began working on SpongeBob SquarePants. He began drawing and took some of the show's characters from his comic—like starfish, crab, and sponge.[17] At the time, Hillenburg knew that "everybody was doing buddy shows"—like The Ren & Stimpy Show. He stated, "I can't do a buddy show," so he decided to do a "one character" show instead.[17] He conceived a sponge as the title character because he liked its "versatility ... as an animal."[19] Hillenburg derived the character's name from Bob the Sponge, the host of his comic strip The Intertidal Zone, after changing it from SpongeBoy because of trademark issues.[11][20]

Creation and design

 
An early drawing of the character by Hillenburg with the original name

Hillenburg had made several "horrible impersonations" before he finally conceived of his character.[21] He compared the concept to Laurel and Hardy and Pee-wee Herman[11] saying, "I think SpongeBob [was] born out of my love of Laurel and Hardy shorts. You've got that kind of idiot-buddy situation – that was a huge influence. SpongeBob was inspired by that kind of character: the Innocent – à la Stan Laurel."[21]

The first concept sketch portrayed the character wearing a red hat with a green base and a white business shirt with a tie. SpongeBob's look gradually changed. He also wore brown pants used in the final design.[20] SpongeBob was designed to be a childlike character who was goofy and optimistic in a style similar to that made famous by Jerry Lewis.[22]

Originally, the character was to be named SpongeBoy (and the series named SpongeBoy Ahoy!),[23] but this name was already in use for another product.[24] This was discovered after voice acting for the original seven-minute pilot was recorded.[25] Upon learning this, Hillenburg knew that the character's name still had to contain "Sponge" so viewers would not mistake him for a "Cheese Man". In 1997, he decided to use the name "SpongeBob" with "SquarePants" as a family name, with the latter referring to the character's square shape and having a "nice ring to it".[14]

Before commissioning SpongeBob as a full series, Nickelodeon executives insisted that it would not be popular unless the main character was a child who went to school.[26] Stephen Hillenburg recalled in 2012 that Nickelodeon told him, "Our winning formula is animation about kids in school... We want you to put SpongeBob in school."[17] Hillenburg was ready to "walk out" on Nickelodeon and abandon the series since he wanted SpongeBob to be an adult character. He eventually compromised by adding a new character to the main cast, Mrs. Puff, who is SpongeBob's boat-driving teacher. Hillenburg was happy with the compromise and said, "A positive thing for me that came out of it was [how it brought] in a new character, Mrs. Puff, who I love."[17]

Episodes from 2000 and 2001 have given SpongeBob's birthdate as July 14, 1986,[1] although his age is left unclear throughout the series.[27]

SpongeBob has demonstrated an ability to shapeshift, for example into the shape of Texas[28] or his friends.[29]

Voice

 
Tom Kenny provides the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants.

SpongeBob is voiced by veteran voice actor Tom Kenny who had worked previously with Hillenburg on Rocko's Modern Life. When Hillenburg created SpongeBob SquarePants, he approached Kenny to voice the character.[30] Hillenburg used Kenny's and other people's personalities while creating SpongeBob's.[25]

Kenny said in an episode of WTF with Marc Maron that the voice was based on a bitter dwarf actor he encountered while auditioning for a television commercial.[31] Kenny had originally used SpongeBob's voice for a minor background character in Rocko's Modern Life. At first, Kenny forgot the voice because he had used it only on that occasion. Hillenburg remembered it when he was coming up with SpongeBob, however, and played a video clip of the Rocko episode to remind Kenny of the voice.[25][31] When Hillenburg heard Kenny do the voice, he said, "That's it—I don't want to hear anybody else do the voice. We've got SpongeBob."[32] Kenny recalled that Nickelodeon was unsure of his casting and said, "Well, let's just listen to 100 more people."[32] The network hoped to find a celebrity for the part. Kenny noted: "But one of the advantages of having a strong creator is that the creator can say, 'No, I like that—I don't care about celebrities'." Kenny recalls Hillenburg "let them know that in no uncertain terms."[32] SpongeBob's high-pitched laugh was specifically designed to be unique according to Kenny. They wanted an annoying laugh in the tradition of Popeye and Woody Woodpecker.[33]

Throughout the series, SpongeBob's voice evolved from "low-key" to high-pitched. Kenny said, "I hear the change... It's mostly a question of the pitch."[32] He said that, "It's unconscious on my part" because "I don't wake up and think, 'Hmm, I'm going to change SpongeBob's voice today, just for the hell of it'." He described it as "like erosion: a very slow process. As time goes on, you need to bring him to different places and more places, the more stories and scripts you do."[32] Contrasting first-season episodes to those of the seventh season, Kenny said that "there's a bit of a change [in the voice], but I don't think it's that extreme at all."[32]

When SpongeBob SquarePants was prepared for broadcast in languages other than English, the voice actors dubbing SpongeBob's voice used Tom Kenny's rendition of the character as a starting point but added unique elements. For example, in the French version of the series, SpongeBob speaks with a slight Daffy Duck-style lisp.[25]

Reception

Critical reception

Throughout SpongeBob SquarePants' first run, the SpongeBob character became instantly popular with both children and adults. In June 2010, Entertainment Weekly named him one of the "100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years".[34] TV Guide listed SpongeBob SquarePants at number nine on its "50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time" list.[35]

James Poniewozik of Time magazine considered the character "the anti-Bart Simpson, temperamentally and physically: his head is as squared-off and neat as Bart's is unruly, and he has a personality to match–conscientious, optimistic and blind to the faults in the world and those around him."[36] The New York Times critic Joyce Millman said, "His relentless good cheer would be irritating if he weren't so darned lovable and his world so excellently strange ... Like Pee-wee's Playhouse, SpongeBob joyfully dances on the fine line between childhood and adulthood, guilelessness and camp, the warped and the sweet."[37] Robert Thompson, a professor of communications and director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University, told The New York Times:

There is something kind of unique about [SpongeBob]. It seems to be a refreshing breath from the pre-irony era. There's no sense of the elbow-in-rib, a tongue-in-cheek aesthetic that so permeates the rest of American culture–including kids' shows like the Rugrats. I think what's subversive about it is it's so incredibly naive–deliberately. Because there's nothing in it that's trying to be hip or cool or anything else, hipness can be grafted onto it.[38]

In a 2007 interview with TV Guide, Barack Obama named SpongeBob his favorite TV character, saying SpongeBob SquarePants was "the show I watch with my daughters".[39][40]

Criticism and controversy

In 2005, a promotional video which showed SpongeBob along with other characters from children's shows singing together to promote diversity and tolerance,[41] was criticized by a Christian fundamentalist group in the United States because they felt the SpongeBob character was being used as an advocate for homosexuality, though the video contained "no reference to sex, sexual lifestyle or sexual identity."[42][43] James Dobson of Focus on the Family accused the video's makers of promoting homosexuality because a gay rights group had sponsored the video.[43]

The incident led to the question whether SpongeBob is a homosexual character. In 2002, when SpongeBob's popularity with gay men grew, Hillenburg denied the suggestion. He clarified that he considers the character to be "somewhat asexual."[44][45] SpongeBob has been shown in various episodes to regenerate his limbs and reproduce by "budding", much like real sponges do.[46] After Dobson's comments, Hillenburg repeated his assertion that sexual preference was never considered during the creation of the show.[47] Tom Kenny and other production members were shocked and surprised that such an issue had arisen.[25]

Dobson later said that his comments were taken out of context and that his original complaints were not with SpongeBob or any of the characters in the video but with the organization that sponsored it, the We Are Family Foundation. Dobson noted that the foundation had posted pro-homosexual material on its website, but later removed it.[48] After the controversy, John H. Thomas, the United Church of Christ's general minister and president, said they would welcome SpongeBob into their ministry. He said, "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."[49]

Jeffrey P. Dennis, author of the journal article "The Same Thing We Do Every Night: Signifying Same-Sex Desire in Television Cartoons", argued that SpongeBob and Sandy are not romantically in love while adding that he believed that SpongeBob and Patrick "are paired with arguably erotic intensity." Dennis noted the two are "not consistently coded as romantic partners," since they live in separate residences, and have distinct groups of friends but claimed that in the series, "the possibility of same-sex desire is never excluded."[50] Martin Goodman of Animation World Magazine described Dennis's comments regarding SpongeBob and Patrick as "interesting".[51]

In April 2009, in a tie-in partnership with Burger King and Nickelodeon, Burger King released an advertisement featuring SpongeBob and Sir Mix-a-Lot singing "Baby Got Back".[52] Angry parents and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood protested the ad for being sexist and inappropriately sexual, especially considering SpongeBob's fan base includes pre-schoolers.[53] Susan Linn, the director of the Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood said: "It's bad enough when companies use a beloved media character like SpongeBob to promote junk food to children, but it's utterly reprehensible when that character simultaneously promotes objectified, sexualized images of women."[54][55] In an official statement released by Burger King, the company claimed the campaign was aimed at parents.[56]

After Nickelodeon shared a celebratory Pride Month tweet featuring SpongeBob SquarePants wearing a rainbow-colored tie in June 2020, users online believed it was the network's way of quietly announcing that the TV cartoon character was gay. The tweet read, “Celebrating #Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month Rainbow,” and along with SpongeBob, included photos of transgender actor Michael D. Cohen, who plays Schwoz Schwartz on Henry Danger, and Korra from the Avatar spin-off show Legend of Korra, who's in a same-sex relationship in the series, are presented in a rainbow color collage, appearing as if they are all part of the same LGBTQ community. This tweet received large amounts of backlash from upset parents.[57]

Cultural impact and legacy

 
SpongeBob SquarePants wax statue in the National Wax Museum Plus,
in Dublin, Ireland

Throughout SpongeBob SquarePants' run, the SpongeBob character became very popular with viewers of all ages. His popularity spread from Nickelodeon's original demographic of two- to eleven-year-olds, to teenagers and adults,[58] was popular on college campuses and with celebrities such as Sigourney Weaver and Bruce Willis.[59] Salon.com's Stephanie Zacharek feels that the unadulterated innocence of SpongeBob is what makes him so appealing.[60] SpongeBob also became popular with gay men, despite Stephen Hillenburg asserting that none of the series' characters are homosexual, attracting fans with his flamboyant lifestyle and tolerant attitude.[61]

 
Spongiforma squarepantsii

In July 2009, the Madame Tussauds wax museum in New York unveiled a wax sculpture of SpongeBob,[62] the first fictional character to be featured there.[62] In May 2011, a new species of mushroom, Spongiforma squarepantsii, named after SpongeBob, was described in the journal Mycologia.[63] The authors note that the hymenium, when viewed using scanning electron microscopy, somewhat resembles a "seafloor covered with tube sponges, reminiscent of the fictitious home of SpongeBob."[63] Although the epithet was originally rejected by Mycologia's editors as "too frivolous", the authors insisted that "we could name it whatever we liked."[64] Since 2004, SpongeBob has appeared as a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The character also became a fashion trend. In 2008, American fashion designer Marc Jacobs donned a SpongeBob tattoo on his right arm. He explained that, "I just worked with Richard Prince on the collaboration for Louis Vuitton and Richard has done a series of paintings of SpongeBob. He had brought up in our conversation how he saw the artistic value of SpongeBob as the cartoon and I kind of liked it, so I did it." He added that "It's funny."[65] In the same year, A Bathing Ape released SpongeBob-themed shoes.[66] Singer Pharrell Williams backed a line of SpongeBob T-shirts and shoes targeted at hip adults.[67] In 2014, the character was among the popular culture icons referenced by American fashion designer Jeremy Scott in his Moschino debut collection at the Milan Fashion Week.[68][69]

In Egypt's Tahrir Square, after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, SpongeBob became a fashion phenomenon, appearing on various merchandise items from hijabs to boxer shorts.[70][71][72] The phenomenon led to the creation of the Tumblr project called "SpongeBob on the Nile", founded by American students Andrew Leber and Elisabeth Jaquette, that attempts to document every appearance of SpongeBob in Egypt.[73] Sherief Elkeshta cited the phenomenon in an essay about the incoherent state of politics in Egypt in an independent monthly paper titled Midan Masr. He wrote, "Why isn't he [SpongeBob] at least holding a Molotov cocktail? Or raising a fist?"[74] The phenomenon has even spread to Libya, where a Libyan rebel in SpongeBob dress was photographed celebrating the revolution.[75]

Merchandising

SpongeBob's translated well into related merchandise sales. In 2002, SpongeBob SquarePants dolls sold at a rate of 75,000 per week, which was faster than Tickle Me Elmo dolls were selling at the time.[22] SpongeBob was popular in Japan, specifically with Japanese women. Nickelodeon's parent company Viacom purposefully targeted its marketing at women there as a way to build the SpongeBob SquarePants brand. Skeptics initially doubted that SpongeBob could be popular in Japan as the character's design is very different from the already popular designs for Hello Kitty and Pikachu.[76] The character inspired a soap-filled sponge product manufactured by SpongeTech.[77]

In early 2009, the Simmons Jewelry Co. released a $75,000 diamond pendant as part of a SpongeBob collection.[67]

On May 17, 2013, Build-A-Bear Workshop introduced a new SpongeBob SquarePants collection in stores and online in North America.[78][79]

SpongeBob also inspired an automobile design. On July 13, 2013, Toyota, with Nickelodeon, unveiled plans for a SpongeBob-inspired Toyota Highlander.[80] The 2014 Toyota Highlander concept vehicle was launched as part of a SpongeBob Day promotion at that day's game between the Giants and Padres in San Diego,[81][82] and subsequently visited seven U.S. locations including the Nickelodeon Suites Resort Orlando in Florida.[83]

Notes

  1. ^ SpongeBob is voiced by Tom Kenny in almost all media. Other actors have portrayed him on special occasions; for example, Peter Straus provided his singing voice in "Ripped Pants" and Antonio Raul Corbo voiced a younger SpongeBob in Sponge on the Run.

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  79. ^ "Build-A-Bear Workshop Makes a Splash with New SpongeBob SquarePants Collection". Business Wire. May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  80. ^ Burden, Melissa. "Toyota creates one-of-a-kind SpongeBob Highlander". Detroit News. Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  81. ^ Busis, Hillary (July 12, 2013). "SpongeBob SquareCar! Check out the cartoon's new wheels". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  82. ^ Brindusescu, Gabriel (July 12, 2013). "Toyota to Unveil 2014 Highlander SpongeBob Edition [Video]". Auto Evolution. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  83. ^ Barari, Arman (July 13, 2013). . Motor Ward. Archived from the original on July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013.

Bibliography

  • Banks, Steven (September 24, 2004). SpongeBob Exposed! The Insider's Guide to SpongeBob SquarePants. Schigiel, Gregg (illustrator). Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon. ISBN 978-0-689-86870-2.
  • Neuwirth, Allan (2003). Makin' Toons: Inside the Most Popular Animated TV Shows and Movies. Allworth Press. ISBN 978-1-58115-269-2.

External links

August 18, 2023
spongebob, squarepants, character, spongebob, squarepants, protagonist, american, animated, television, series, same, name, voiced, kenny, characterized, optimism, childlike, attitude, spongebob, commonly, seen, hanging, with, friend, patrick, star, working, k. SpongeBob SquarePants is the protagonist of the American animated television series of the same name Voiced by Tom Kenny he is characterized by his optimism and childlike attitude SpongeBob is commonly seen hanging out with his friend Patrick Star working at the Krusty Krab and attending Mrs Puff s Boating School SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants characterFirst appearance Help Wanted SpongeBob SquarePantsMay 1 1999Created byStephen HillenburgDesigned byStephen HillenburgPortrayed byEthan Slater Broadway Voiced byTom Kenny a In universe informationSpeciesSea spongeGenderMaleOccupationFry cook at the Krusty KrabRelativesHarold SquarePants father Margaret SquarePants mother Grandma SquarePants grandmother Stanley S SquarePants cousin Blackjack SquarePants second cousin Birth date 1986 07 14 July 14 1986 age 37 1 SpongeBob was created and designed by Stephen Hillenburg an artist and marine science educator The character s name is derived from Bob the Sponge the host of Hillenburg s unpublished educational book The Intertidal Zone He drew the book while teaching marine biology to visitors of the Ocean Institute during the 1980s Hillenburg began developing a show based on the premise shortly after the 1996 cancellation of Rocko s Modern Life which Hillenburg directed SpongeBob s first appearance was in the pilot Help Wanted which premiered on May 1 1999 SpongeBob SquarePants has become popular among children and adults The character has garnered a positive response from media critics and is frequently named as one of the greatest cartoon characters of all time Contents 1 Role in SpongeBob SquarePants 2 Character 2 1 Conception 2 2 Creation and design 2 3 Voice 3 Reception 3 1 Critical reception 3 2 Criticism and controversy 3 3 Cultural impact and legacy 4 Merchandising 5 Notes 6 References 6 1 Bibliography 7 External linksRole in SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob is a good natured naive and enthusiastic sea sponge In The SpongeBob Musical his exact species of animal is identified Aplysina fistularis a yellow tube sponge that is common in open waters 2 He resides in the undersea city of Bikini Bottom with other anthropomorphic aquatic creatures He works as a fry cook at a local fast food restaurant the Krusty Krab to which he is obsessively attached showing devotion to it above other restaurants 3 His boss is Eugene Krabs a greedy crab who nonetheless treats SpongeBob like a son 4 Squidward Tentacles an octopus 5 and SpongeBob s ill tempered snobbish neighbor works as the restaurant s cashier SpongeBob s hobbies include fishing for jellyfish practicing karate with his friend Sandy Cheeks a squirrel from Texas 6 and blowing bubbles 7 SpongeBob is often seen hanging around with his best friend starfish Patrick Star one of his neighbors SpongeBob lives in a submerged pineapple with his pet snail Gary His unlimited optimistic cheer often leads him to perceive the outcome of numerous endeavors and the personalities of those around him as happier than they really are He believes for instance that Squidward Tentacles enjoys his company even though he clearly harbors an intense dislike for him though they have been shown to get along on rare occasions 8 SpongeBob s greatest goal in life is to obtain his driver s license from Mrs Puff s boating school but he often panics and crashes when driving a boat 9 CharacterConception Stephen Hillenburg creator of SpongeBob SquarePantsStephen Hillenburg first became fascinated with the ocean as a child He began developing his artistic abilities at a young age During college he studied marine biology and minored in art He planned to return to graduate school and eventually to pursue a master s degree in art After graduating in 1984 from Humboldt State University he joined the Ocean Institute an organization in Dana Point California dedicated to educating the public about marine science and maritime history 10 While he was there he had the initial idea that would lead to the creation of SpongeBob SquarePants a comic book titled The Intertidal Zone The host of the comic was Bob the Sponge who unlike SpongeBob resembled an actual sea sponge 11 In 1987 Hillenburg left the institute to pursue an animation career 11 12 A few years after studying experimental animation at the California Institute of the Arts 12 Hillenburg met Joe Murray the creator of Rocko s Modern Life at an animation festival and was offered a job as a director of the series 11 13 14 15 While working on the series Hillenburg met writer Martin Olson who saw his previous comic The Intertidal Zone 16 Olson liked the idea and suggested Hillenburg create a series of marine animals which spurred his decision to create SpongeBob SquarePants Hillenburg did not think of making a series based on The Intertidal Zone at the time later telling Thomas F Wilson in an interview a show I hadn t even thought about making a show and it wasn t my show Hillenburg later claimed it was the inspiration for the show 17 Bob the Sponge the host of The Intertidal ZoneRocko s Modern Life ended in 1996 18 Shortly afterwards Hillenburg began working on SpongeBob SquarePants He began drawing and took some of the show s characters from his comic like starfish crab and sponge 17 At the time Hillenburg knew that everybody was doing buddy shows like The Ren amp Stimpy Show He stated I can t do a buddy show so he decided to do a one character show instead 17 He conceived a sponge as the title character because he liked its versatility as an animal 19 Hillenburg derived the character s name from Bob the Sponge the host of his comic strip The Intertidal Zone after changing it from SpongeBoy because of trademark issues 11 20 Creation and design An early drawing of the character by Hillenburg with the original nameHillenburg had made several horrible impersonations before he finally conceived of his character 21 He compared the concept to Laurel and Hardy and Pee wee Herman 11 saying I think SpongeBob was born out of my love of Laurel and Hardy shorts You ve got that kind of idiot buddy situation that was a huge influence SpongeBob was inspired by that kind of character the Innocent a la Stan Laurel 21 The first concept sketch portrayed the character wearing a red hat with a green base and a white business shirt with a tie SpongeBob s look gradually changed He also wore brown pants used in the final design 20 SpongeBob was designed to be a childlike character who was goofy and optimistic in a style similar to that made famous by Jerry Lewis 22 Originally the character was to be named SpongeBoy and the series named SpongeBoy Ahoy 23 but this name was already in use for another product 24 This was discovered after voice acting for the original seven minute pilot was recorded 25 Upon learning this Hillenburg knew that the character s name still had to contain Sponge so viewers would not mistake him for a Cheese Man In 1997 he decided to use the name SpongeBob with SquarePants as a family name with the latter referring to the character s square shape and having a nice ring to it 14 Before commissioning SpongeBob as a full series Nickelodeon executives insisted that it would not be popular unless the main character was a child who went to school 26 Stephen Hillenburg recalled in 2012 that Nickelodeon told him Our winning formula is animation about kids in school We want you to put SpongeBob in school 17 Hillenburg was ready to walk out on Nickelodeon and abandon the series since he wanted SpongeBob to be an adult character He eventually compromised by adding a new character to the main cast Mrs Puff who is SpongeBob s boat driving teacher Hillenburg was happy with the compromise and said A positive thing for me that came out of it was how it brought in a new character Mrs Puff who I love 17 Episodes from 2000 and 2001 have given SpongeBob s birthdate as July 14 1986 1 although his age is left unclear throughout the series 27 SpongeBob has demonstrated an ability to shapeshift for example into the shape of Texas 28 or his friends 29 Voice Tom Kenny provides the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob is voiced by veteran voice actor Tom Kenny who had worked previously with Hillenburg on Rocko s Modern Life When Hillenburg created SpongeBob SquarePants he approached Kenny to voice the character 30 Hillenburg used Kenny s and other people s personalities while creating SpongeBob s 25 Kenny said in an episode of WTF with Marc Maron that the voice was based on a bitter dwarf actor he encountered while auditioning for a television commercial 31 Kenny had originally used SpongeBob s voice for a minor background character in Rocko s Modern Life At first Kenny forgot the voice because he had used it only on that occasion Hillenburg remembered it when he was coming up with SpongeBob however and played a video clip of the Rocko episode to remind Kenny of the voice 25 31 When Hillenburg heard Kenny do the voice he said That s it I don t want to hear anybody else do the voice We ve got SpongeBob 32 Kenny recalled that Nickelodeon was unsure of his casting and said Well let s just listen to 100 more people 32 The network hoped to find a celebrity for the part Kenny noted But one of the advantages of having a strong creator is that the creator can say No I like that I don t care about celebrities Kenny recalls Hillenburg let them know that in no uncertain terms 32 SpongeBob s high pitched laugh was specifically designed to be unique according to Kenny They wanted an annoying laugh in the tradition of Popeye and Woody Woodpecker 33 Throughout the series SpongeBob s voice evolved from low key to high pitched Kenny said I hear the change It s mostly a question of the pitch 32 He said that It s unconscious on my part because I don t wake up and think Hmm I m going to change SpongeBob s voice today just for the hell of it He described it as like erosion a very slow process As time goes on you need to bring him to different places and more places the more stories and scripts you do 32 Contrasting first season episodes to those of the seventh season Kenny said that there s a bit of a change in the voice but I don t think it s that extreme at all 32 When SpongeBob SquarePants was prepared for broadcast in languages other than English the voice actors dubbing SpongeBob s voice used Tom Kenny s rendition of the character as a starting point but added unique elements For example in the French version of the series SpongeBob speaks with a slight Daffy Duck style lisp 25 ReceptionCritical reception Throughout SpongeBob SquarePants first run the SpongeBob character became instantly popular with both children and adults In June 2010 Entertainment Weekly named him one of the 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years 34 TV Guide listed SpongeBob SquarePants at number nine on its 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time list 35 James Poniewozik of Time magazine considered the character the anti Bart Simpson temperamentally and physically his head is as squared off and neat as Bart s is unruly and he has a personality to match conscientious optimistic and blind to the faults in the world and those around him 36 The New York Times critic Joyce Millman said His relentless good cheer would be irritating if he weren t so darned lovable and his world so excellently strange Like Pee wee s Playhouse SpongeBob joyfully dances on the fine line between childhood and adulthood guilelessness and camp the warped and the sweet 37 Robert Thompson a professor of communications and director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University told The New York Times There is something kind of unique about SpongeBob It seems to be a refreshing breath from the pre irony era There s no sense of the elbow in rib a tongue in cheek aesthetic that so permeates the rest of American culture including kids shows like the Rugrats I think what s subversive about it is it s so incredibly naive deliberately Because there s nothing in it that s trying to be hip or cool or anything else hipness can be grafted onto it 38 In a 2007 interview with TV Guide Barack Obama named SpongeBob his favorite TV character saying SpongeBob SquarePants was the show I watch with my daughters 39 40 Criticism and controversy In 2005 a promotional video which showed SpongeBob along with other characters from children s shows singing together to promote diversity and tolerance 41 was criticized by a Christian fundamentalist group in the United States because they felt the SpongeBob character was being used as an advocate for homosexuality though the video contained no reference to sex sexual lifestyle or sexual identity 42 43 James Dobson of Focus on the Family accused the video s makers of promoting homosexuality because a gay rights group had sponsored the video 43 The incident led to the question whether SpongeBob is a homosexual character In 2002 when SpongeBob s popularity with gay men grew Hillenburg denied the suggestion He clarified that he considers the character to be somewhat asexual 44 45 SpongeBob has been shown in various episodes to regenerate his limbs and reproduce by budding much like real sponges do 46 After Dobson s comments Hillenburg repeated his assertion that sexual preference was never considered during the creation of the show 47 Tom Kenny and other production members were shocked and surprised that such an issue had arisen 25 Dobson later said that his comments were taken out of context and that his original complaints were not with SpongeBob or any of the characters in the video but with the organization that sponsored it the We Are Family Foundation Dobson noted that the foundation had posted pro homosexual material on its website but later removed it 48 After the controversy John H Thomas the United Church of Christ s general minister and president said they would welcome SpongeBob into their ministry He said Jesus didn t turn people away Neither do we 49 Jeffrey P Dennis author of the journal article The Same Thing We Do Every Night Signifying Same Sex Desire in Television Cartoons argued that SpongeBob and Sandy are not romantically in love while adding that he believed that SpongeBob and Patrick are paired with arguably erotic intensity Dennis noted the two are not consistently coded as romantic partners since they live in separate residences and have distinct groups of friends but claimed that in the series the possibility of same sex desire is never excluded 50 Martin Goodman of Animation World Magazine described Dennis s comments regarding SpongeBob and Patrick as interesting 51 In April 2009 in a tie in partnership with Burger King and Nickelodeon Burger King released an advertisement featuring SpongeBob and Sir Mix a Lot singing Baby Got Back 52 Angry parents and the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood protested the ad for being sexist and inappropriately sexual especially considering SpongeBob s fan base includes pre schoolers 53 Susan Linn the director of the Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood said It s bad enough when companies use a beloved media character like SpongeBob to promote junk food to children but it s utterly reprehensible when that character simultaneously promotes objectified sexualized images of women 54 55 In an official statement released by Burger King the company claimed the campaign was aimed at parents 56 After Nickelodeon shared a celebratory Pride Month tweet featuring SpongeBob SquarePants wearing a rainbow colored tie in June 2020 users online believed it was the network s way of quietly announcing that the TV cartoon character was gay The tweet read Celebrating Pride with the LGBTQ community and their allies this month and every month Rainbow and along with SpongeBob included photos of transgender actor Michael D Cohen who plays Schwoz Schwartz on Henry Danger and Korra from the Avatar spin off show Legend of Korra who s in a same sex relationship in the series are presented in a rainbow color collage appearing as if they are all part of the same LGBTQ community This tweet received large amounts of backlash from upset parents 57 Cultural impact and legacy SpongeBob SquarePants wax statue in the National Wax Museum Plus in Dublin IrelandThroughout SpongeBob SquarePants run the SpongeBob character became very popular with viewers of all ages His popularity spread from Nickelodeon s original demographic of two to eleven year olds to teenagers and adults 58 was popular on college campuses and with celebrities such as Sigourney Weaver and Bruce Willis 59 Salon com s Stephanie Zacharek feels that the unadulterated innocence of SpongeBob is what makes him so appealing 60 SpongeBob also became popular with gay men despite Stephen Hillenburg asserting that none of the series characters are homosexual attracting fans with his flamboyant lifestyle and tolerant attitude 61 Spongiforma squarepantsiiIn July 2009 the Madame Tussauds wax museum in New York unveiled a wax sculpture of SpongeBob 62 the first fictional character to be featured there 62 In May 2011 a new species of mushroom Spongiforma squarepantsii named after SpongeBob was described in the journal Mycologia 63 The authors note that the hymenium when viewed using scanning electron microscopy somewhat resembles a seafloor covered with tube sponges reminiscent of the fictitious home of SpongeBob 63 Although the epithet was originally rejected by Mycologia s editors as too frivolous the authors insisted that we could name it whatever we liked 64 Since 2004 SpongeBob has appeared as a balloon in the Macy s Thanksgiving Day Parade The character also became a fashion trend In 2008 American fashion designer Marc Jacobs donned a SpongeBob tattoo on his right arm He explained that I just worked with Richard Prince on the collaboration for Louis Vuitton and Richard has done a series of paintings of SpongeBob He had brought up in our conversation how he saw the artistic value of SpongeBob as the cartoon and I kind of liked it so I did it He added that It s funny 65 In the same year A Bathing Ape released SpongeBob themed shoes 66 Singer Pharrell Williams backed a line of SpongeBob T shirts and shoes targeted at hip adults 67 In 2014 the character was among the popular culture icons referenced by American fashion designer Jeremy Scott in his Moschino debut collection at the Milan Fashion Week 68 69 In Egypt s Tahrir Square after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 SpongeBob became a fashion phenomenon appearing on various merchandise items from hijabs to boxer shorts 70 71 72 The phenomenon led to the creation of the Tumblr project called SpongeBob on the Nile founded by American students Andrew Leber and Elisabeth Jaquette that attempts to document every appearance of SpongeBob in Egypt 73 Sherief Elkeshta cited the phenomenon in an essay about the incoherent state of politics in Egypt in an independent monthly paper titled Midan Masr He wrote Why isn t he SpongeBob at least holding a Molotov cocktail Or raising a fist 74 The phenomenon has even spread to Libya where a Libyan rebel in SpongeBob dress was photographed celebrating the revolution 75 MerchandisingSpongeBob s translated well into related merchandise sales In 2002 SpongeBob SquarePants dolls sold at a rate of 75 000 per week which was faster than Tickle Me Elmo dolls were selling at the time 22 SpongeBob was popular in Japan specifically with Japanese women Nickelodeon s parent company Viacom purposefully targeted its marketing at women there as a way to build the SpongeBob SquarePants brand Skeptics initially doubted that SpongeBob could be popular in Japan as the character s design is very different from the already popular designs for Hello Kitty and Pikachu 76 The character inspired a soap filled sponge product manufactured by SpongeTech 77 In early 2009 the Simmons Jewelry Co released a 75 000 diamond pendant as part of a SpongeBob collection 67 On May 17 2013 Build A Bear Workshop introduced a new SpongeBob SquarePants collection in stores and online in North America 78 79 SpongeBob also inspired an automobile design On July 13 2013 Toyota with Nickelodeon unveiled plans for a SpongeBob inspired Toyota Highlander 80 The 2014 Toyota Highlander concept vehicle was launched as part of a SpongeBob Day promotion at that day s game between the Giants and Padres in San Diego 81 82 and subsequently visited seven U S locations including the Nickelodeon Suites Resort Orlando in Florida 83 Notes SpongeBob is voiced by Tom Kenny in almost all media Other actors have portrayed him on special occasions for example Peter Straus provided his singing voice in Ripped Pants and Antonio Raul Corbo voiced a younger SpongeBob in Sponge on the Run References a b Writers Aaron Springer C H Greenblatt Mr Lawrence March 7 2001 No Free Rides SpongeBob SquarePants Season 2 Episode 10 Nickelodeon Kyle Jarrow June 7 2016 The SpongeBob Musical Broadway musical Tina Landau French Narrator This fruit is home to one of the most fascinating sea creatures of all Aplysina fistularis the yellow sponge Writers Stephen Hillenburg Derek Drymon Tim Hill May 1 1999 Help Wanted SpongeBob SquarePants Season 1 Episode 1 Nickelodeon Writers Luke Brookshier Tom King Dani Michaeli July 23 2007 Spy Buddies SpongeBob SquarePants Season 4 Episode 84a Nickelodeon Squidward Is Not A Squid And Your Whole Life Is a Lie MTV Retrieved February 19 2020 Writers Aaron Springer Erik Wiese Merriwether Williams December 31 1999 Karate Choppers SpongeBob SquarePants Season 1 Episode 14b Nickelodeon Writers Walt Dohrn Paul Tibbitt Merriwether Williams September 7 2001 The Secret Box SpongeBob SquarePants Season 2 Episode 35a Nickelodeon Writers Aaron Springer C H Greenblatt Merriwether Williams December 28 2000 Dying for Pie SpongeBob SquarePants Season 2 Episode 24a Nickelodeon Writers Casey Alexander Chris Mitchell Tim Hill April 1 2006 Mrs Puff You re Fired SpongeBob SquarePants Season 4 Episode 69b Nickelodeon SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg dies of ALS at 57 PBS November 27 2018 Retrieved February 19 2020 a b c d e Hillenburg Stephen 2003 The Origin of SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob SquarePants The Complete First Season DVD Paramount Home Entertainment a b Banks 2004 p 9 Murray Joe 2003 The Origin of SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob SquarePants The Complete First Season DVD Paramount Home Entertainment a b Neuwirth 2003 p 50 51 Lisa Kiczuk Trainor interviews Joe Murray creator of Rocko s Modern Life title14 com The Rocko s Modern Life FAQ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine SpongeBob SquarePants Meet the Creator Stephen Hillenburg Nickelodeon Animation Studio Interview Interviewed by Nickelodeon Nickelodeon July 27 2015 Retrieved February 19 2020 a b c d e Wilson Thomas F Interviewer Hillenburg Stephen Interviewee May 29 2012 Big Pop Fun 28 Stephen Hillenburg Artist and Animator Interview mp3 Podcast Nerdist Industries Retrieved February 19 2020 Rocko s Modern Life JoeMurrayStudio com Archived from the original on June 15 2013 Retrieved May 21 2013 Flynn Meagan SpongeBob s incredible journey from Bob the Sponge in a marine institute s comic book to global stardom The Washington Post Retrieved February 19 2020 a b Banks 2004 p 53 a b Cavna Michael The Interview SpongeBob Creator Stephen Hillenburg The Washington Post Retrieved July 14 2009 a b Strauss Gary May 17 2002 Life s good for SpongeBob USA Today Retrieved November 8 2008 Banks 2004 p 31 The SpongeBoy Mop Doesn t Exist retrieved December 24 2022 a b c d e Farhat Basima December 5 2006 Tom Kenny Voice of SpongeBob SquarePants Interview Radio production The People Speak Radio Archived from the original mp3 on July 24 2011 Stephen Hillenburg created the undersea world of SpongeBob Orange County Register February 12 2002 Archived from the original on June 10 2014 Writers Kaz Mr Lawrence July 12 2019 SpongeBob s Big Birthday Blowout SpongeBob SquarePants Season 12 Writers Vincent Waller March 22 2000 Texas SpongeBob SquarePants Season 1 Handlen Zack February 17 2014 SpongeBob SquarePants built its undersea empire on nonsense and enthusiasm The A V Club Retrieved February 1 2022 Orlando Dana March 17 2003 SpongeBob the excitable absorbent star of Bikini Bottom St Petersburg Times Retrieved November 8 2008 a b Marc Maron October 15 2012 Episode 324 Tom Kenny WTF with Marc Maron Podcast WTF with Marc Maron Event occurs at 1 00 15 1 04 05 Retrieved August 10 2022 subscription required a b c d e f Kenny Tom 2010 The Oral History of SpongeBob SquarePants Hogan s Alley 17 Bull Moose Publishing Corporation Retrieved September 21 2012 SpongeBob s Alter Ego CBS News December 27 2002 Archived from the original on December 20 2008 Retrieved November 8 2008 Vary Adam B June 1 2010 The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years Here s our full list Entertainment Weekly Retrieved July 7 2012 TV Guide s 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time TV Guide July 30 2002 Archived from the original on March 18 2010 Poniewozik James December 9 2011 Soaking Up Attention Time magazine Retrieved December 27 2013 Millman Joyce July 8 2001 The Gentle World Of a Joyful Sponge The New York Times Retrieved December 27 2013 Zeller Tom Jr July 21 2002 How to Succeed Without Attitude The New York Times Archived from the original on January 4 2020 Retrieved February 20 2020 Eng Joyce August 8 2009 What s on Obama s Must See TV List TV Guide Retrieved April 28 2013 From Bikini Bottom to pop icon SpongeBob turns 10 Reuters July 14 2009 Retrieved April 28 2013 BBC Staff January 20 2005 US right attacks SpongeBob video BBC News Retrieved June 11 2007 Will Spongebob make you gay NBC News Retrieved January 21 2005 a b Spongebob Muppets and the Sister Sledge writer suffer criticism USA Today Associated Press January 22 2005 Retrieved June 11 2007 BBC Staff October 9 2002 Camp cartoon star is not gay BBC News Retrieved June 11 2007 Silverman Stephen M January 28 2005 SpongeBob Asexual Not Gay Creator People Archived from the original on March 20 2008 Retrieved August 26 2009 Writers Jay Lender William Reiss David Fain March 8 2001 Pressure SpongeBob SquarePants Season 2 Episode 32a Nickelodeon SpongeBob isn t gay or straight creator says Reuters January 29 2005 Retrieved November 9 2008 Chang Pauline J January 28 2005 Dobson clarifies Pro Gay SpongeBob Video Controversy The Christian Post Retrieved May 9 2018 Till Francis February 4 2005 Ministry celebrates SpongeBob Gay happy yellow orange whatever he s welcome National Business Review Archived from the original on June 27 2007 Dennis Jeffrey P The Same Thing We Do Every Night Signifying Same Sex Desire in Television Cartoons Archived September 25 2020 at the Wayback Machine Journal of Popular Film amp Television Fall 2003 Volume 31 Issue 3 132 140 9p 3bw Within the PDF document the source info is on p 137 6 10 Goodman Martin March 10 2004 Deconstruction Zone Part 2 Animation World Network Archived from the original on April 13 2010 Ekberg Aida April 15 2009 Spongebob Sir Mix A Lot Burger King Offensive Commercial Yahoo Archived from the original on December 9 2013 Golin Josh April 9 2009 CCFC to Nickelodeon Did You Approve the SpongeBob SquareButt Burger King Commercial Press release Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood Archived from the original on April 19 2009 Retrieved May 21 2013 Kelleher Katy April 8 2009 SpongeBob Meets Sir Mix A Lot In New Burger King Ads Jezebel Retrieved May 21 2013 Douglas Joanna April 8 2009 Is the Sir Mix a Lot Burger King commercial too much for kids Yahoo Retrieved May 21 2013 Newman Craig April 13 2009 Burger King pushes flat butts and SpongeBob to kids hires buttheads to do it Suntimes Archived from the original on November 11 2014 Bicks Emily June 13 2020 Did Nickelodeon Reveal SpongeBob SquarePants Is Gay Park Michael Y October 9 2002 SpongeBob HotPants Fox News Channel Retrieved November 9 2008 Imperiale Wellons Nancy May 1 2001 SpongeBob cartoon proves its hip to be SquarePants Orlando Sentinel Archived from the original on December 19 2008 Zacharek Stephanie September 19 2004 The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie Salon Archived from the original on December 21 2008 Retrieved November 8 2008 Susman Gary October 9 2002 Under the Surface Entertainment Weekly Retrieved November 8 2008 a b Worboy Martha Happy Birthday SpongeBob SquarePants vancouversun com Vancouver Sun Retrieved January 4 2020 a b Desjardin DE Peay KB Bruns TD May 10 2011 Spongiforma squarepantsii a new species of gasteroid bolete from Borneo Mycologia 103 5 1119 23 doi 10 3852 10 433 PMID 21558499 S2CID 15849227 GrrlScientist June 22 2011 The new fungus from Bikini Bottom London Punctuated Equilibrium The Guardian Retrieved October 5 2011 Harrison Jodie August 3 2010 Marc Jacobs exclusive GQ Archived from the original on March 8 2014 Retrieved March 8 2014 To Croc or Not To Croc Billionaire Boys Club Archived from the original on December 15 2013 a b Huff Richard SpongeBob SquarePants one of Nickelodeon s longest running shows after nearly a decade New York Daily News Archived from the original on January 21 2013 Denley Susan February 21 2014 Jeremy Scott for Moschino taps SpongeBob Budweiser and Hershey s Los Angeles Times Retrieved March 8 2014 Davis Allison P February 20 2014 SpongeBob and McDonald s Made Cameos in Jeremy Scott s Moschino Debut The Cut Retrieved March 8 2014 Kingsley Patrick May 27 2013 How SpongeBob SquarePants became massive in Egypt The Guardian London Retrieved June 11 2013 Malsin Jared January 15 2013 Is SpongeBob SquarePants the New Che Guevara Vice Retrieved June 11 2013 Meet Egypt s unusual Tahrir icon SpongeBob SquarePants Al Arabiya May 28 2013 Archived from the original on May 28 2013 Cormack Raphael March 26 2013 SpongeBob SquarePants takes over the Middle East Prospect Archived from the original on June 6 2013 Retrieved June 11 2013 Brooklyn Egypt And SpongeBob Midan Masr Archived from the original on January 21 2013 Retrieved June 11 2013 The New Mascot of Egypt Spongebob Squarepants Tavern Keepers May 28 2013 Archived from the original on June 15 2013 Kageyama Yuri January 24 2007 SpongeBob Goes Trendy to Win Japan Fans San Francisco Chronicle Archived from the original on April 5 2009 Cohen Melanie July 13 2010 SpongeTech Strikes Out in Bankruptcy The Wall Street Journal blogs Retrieved July 13 2010 Dedman Christie April 4 2013 Build A Bear SpongeBob Square Pants coming May 17 AL com Retrieved May 24 2013 Build A Bear Workshop Makes a Splash with New SpongeBob SquarePants Collection Business Wire May 15 2013 Retrieved May 24 2013 Burden Melissa Toyota creates one of a kind SpongeBob Highlander Detroit News Archived from the original on July 13 2013 Retrieved July 13 2013 Busis Hillary July 12 2013 SpongeBob SquareCar Check out the cartoon s new wheels Entertainment Weekly Retrieved July 13 2013 Brindusescu Gabriel July 12 2013 Toyota to Unveil 2014 Highlander SpongeBob Edition Video Auto Evolution Retrieved July 13 2013 Barari Arman July 13 2013 SpongeBob Themed Toyota Highlander by Nickelodeon Motor Ward Archived from the original on July 15 2013 Retrieved July 13 2013 Bibliography Banks Steven September 24 2004 SpongeBob Exposed The Insider s Guide to SpongeBob SquarePants Schigiel Gregg illustrator Simon Spotlight Nickelodeon ISBN 978 0 689 86870 2 Neuwirth Allan 2003 Makin Toons Inside the Most Popular Animated TV Shows and Movies Allworth Press ISBN 978 1 58115 269 2 External linksSpongeBob SquarePants at Don Markstein s Toonopedia Archived from the original on August 8 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SpongeBob SquarePants character amp oldid 1170505718, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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