Creadon remarked, "After spending two years examining the financial health of the United States, Christine and I were ready to tackle something a little more upbeat. [144][145][146] Romero Britto, Jon Burgerman, and the Filipino art collective Secret Fresh were commissioned by Nickelodeon to create art pieces devoted to SpongeBob SquarePants. [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. [157] The "Best Year Ever" continued into 2020 culminating with the August 14 release of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run. Or raising a fist? [244] Martin Goodman of Animation World Magazine called Dennis' comments regarding SpongeBob and Patrick "interesting". [44] A character of the same name was already trademarked by Flaming Carrot Comics creator Bob Burden. [44] Dobson later said his comments were taken out of context and his original complaints were not with SpongeBob, the video, or any of the characters in the video, but rather with the organization that sponsored the video, the We Are Family Foundation. GAME FEATURES - Play as SpongeBob, Patrick and … [63][64] Nickelodeon confirmed via Twitter the series would continue after his death. Her friend said to Grillo that Lawrence had "an interesting voice". "[17] Hillenburg was ready to "walk out" on Nickelodeon and abandon the series since he wanted SpongeBob to be an adult character. Which TV character would you like to get inside? In 2012, Nickelodeon teamed up again with SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment and Super 78 to produce SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D: The Great Jelly Rescue. "[29] 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's a star", "Being Patrick Star: Toonzone Interviews Bill Fagerbakke on, "Andy interviews Mr Lawrence aka "the Slasher, "REFANB Interview: Carolyn Lawrence, A.K.A. [22] Plankton constantly tries to steal the secret recipe for Mr. Krabs's popular Krabby Patty burgers, hoping to gain the upper hand and put the Krusty Krab out of business. [15], When the SpongeBob crew began production of the series' pilot episode, they were tasked with designing stock locations, to be used repeatedly, where most scenes would take place like the Krusty Krab and SpongeBob's pineapple house. As it turns out, the best SpongeBob game known to humankind is coming out on mobile this year. However, the series was removed in 2013 due to their deal with Viacom not being renewed. [150][151] That summer, Nike, in collaboration with Kyrie Irving, released a SpongeBob SquarePants series of shoes, accessories, and apparel. [388][389] On July 19, 2013, Nickelodeon announced the competition's finalists. [411] Pictures of SpongeBob SquarePants began to appear on the labels of 8 ounce cans of Green Giant cut green beans and packages of frozen Green Giant green beans and butter sauce in 2007, which featured free stickers. [25] 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. [225] After the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, SpongeBob became a fashion phenomenon, appearing on various merchandise items from hijabs to boxer shorts. Hillenburg modeled Mr. Krabs after his former manager at a seafood restaurant, whose strong Maine accent reminded Hillenburg of a pirate. [118] After working with Hillenburg on Rocko's Modern Life, he struggled to find a new job in his field. [367], SpongeBob SquarePants appears at the Mall of America's Nickelodeon theme park re-branded from the Mall of America's Park at MOA, formerly Camp Snoopy, to Nickelodeon Universe in the Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. He wanted these scores to be composed by unknowns, and a group of twelve was assembled. (rating of Nickelodeon's cartoon, "Stephen Hillenburg created the undersea world of SpongeBob. "[46] Martin Goodman of Animation World Magazine described Dennis's comments regarding SpongeBob and Patrick as "interesting". "; Johnny Depp as the voice of the surf guru, Jack Kahuna Laguna, in the episode "SpongeBob SquarePants vs. Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies produced The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, an animated film adaptation of the series released on November 19, 2004. A "SpongeBob and water conservation-themed element" was also added to Nickelodeon's pro-social campaign The Big Green Help. [146][156] The "Best Year Ever" was recognized on Amazon Prime Day with an exclusive early release of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 200 Episodes Ever!, a 30-disc DVD compilation of two box sets, SpongeBob SquarePants: The First 100 Episodes and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Next 100 Episodes. He works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. [426][427], "SpongeBob" redirects here. [134][135] Next a 2,200 minute, 14-disc DVD set titled The First 100 Episodes was released on September 22. [333] The film was directed by Hillenburg, and written by long-time series writers Derek Drymon, Tim Hill, Kent Osborne, Aaron Springer, Paul Tibbitt, and Hillenburg. [16] When series background designer Kenny Pittenger was asked what they were, he answered, "They function as clouds in a way, but since the show takes place underwater, they aren't really clouds. It was Hillenburg's decision to adopt this approach. "[191] The New York Times' critic Joyce Millman said SpongeBob "is clever without being impenetrable to young viewers and goofy without boring grown-ups to tears. Neither do we. [266], In 2018, Vulture noted the most popular online memes of the series usually focused on episodes from the first three seasons. Check out the official poster for #SpongeBobMovie: Sponge on the Run and don't miss the trailer tomorrow! Kenny recalls Hillenburg "let them know that in no uncertain terms. ", "Viacom should pull the plug on SpongeBob", "Let's trace the rise, fall, and much later rebirth of Spongebob Squarepants", "How Did SpongeBob SquarePants Become the Most Meme-able TV Show? SpongeBob SquarePants is the title character and protagonist of the American animated television series of the same name. [368][369][370] The seven-minute film follows SpongeBob, Patrick, and Sandy up to their old hijinks, while rescuing the jellyfish of Jellyfish Fields from Plankton's evil clutches. He said, "Jesus didn't turn people away. When Hillenburg created SpongeBob SquarePants, he approached Kenny to voice the character. [49] 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. However, he realized that if he ever did, this would be the best approach. SpongeBob games online have prepared for you the most fun and funny adventure about which one can dream. The new theme park features a SpongeBob-themed Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter custom roller coaster. [404] SpongeBob has gained popularity in Japan, specifically with Japanese women. [352][158] The film's worldwide theatrical release was later cancelled in June 2020 and it was announced that it would release in Canadian theaters on August 14, 2020, followed by a release on PVOD before heading to CBS All Access in early 2021. Think a. [42] Kenny said, "That's another thing that's given SpongeBob its special feel. The SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, which opened March 15, 2008, has replaced the Mystery Mine Ride and Olde Time Photo store at the west end of the theme park. [325][326] Hillenburg and Duffy met with various cartoonists—including James Kochalka, Hilary Barta, Graham Annable, Gregg Schigiel, and Jacob Chabot—to contribute to each issues. “SpongeBob SquarePants” is one of the most famous and beloved cartoons of all times. It's charming and whimsical, but clever enough to appeal to teens and college-aged kids, as well. SPONGEBOB AND PATRICK FIGURES: Imagine coming back to SpongeBob's house after a long day of jellyfishing with the adorable Patrick and SpongeBob toy figures BE A PLAY-DOH BUILDER: This project kit makes a great gift for kids who love being creative and building with arts and crafts like modeling clay. [79], Eponymous protagonist in the animated television show SpongeBob SquarePants, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, "Spongebob, Muppets and the Sister Sledge writer suffer criticism", "Squidward Is Not A Squid And Your Whole Life Is a Lie", "Lisa (Kiczuk) Trainor interviews Joe Murray, creator of Rocko's Modern Life", "SpongeBob SquarePants -- Meet the Creator: Stephen Hillenburg -- Nickelodeon Animation Studio", "SpongeBob's incredible journey from 'Bob the Sponge' in a marine institute's comic book to global stardom", "The Interview: 'SpongeBob' Creator Stephen Hillenburg", "Stephen Hillenburg created the undersea world of SpongeBob", "SpongeBob: the excitable, absorbent star of Bikini Bottom", "The Oral History of SpongeBob SquarePants", "The 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years: Here's our full list! Animation for the series is outsourced from Korean animation studio, Jeffery's comments were also published by the, fifth-longest-running American animated series, Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight, List of SpongeBob SquarePants cast members, List of SpongeBob SquarePants guest stars, Annecy International Animated Film Festival, Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants, List of awards and nominations received by SpongeBob SquarePants, National Expert Commission of Ukraine on the Protection of Public Morality, List of SpongeBob SquarePants merchandise, SpongeBob SquarePants: Original Theme Highlights, Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Broadway Musical, nuclear testing that occurred on the atoll, "SpongeBob SquarePants and the Indestructible Faith of Imagination", "Comic Riffs - The Interview: 'SpongeBob' Creator Stephen Hillenburg", "CBS sets 'SpongeBob Christmas' for November", "Nickelodeon Marks 20 Years of SpongeBob SquarePants with the "Best Year Ever, "CBS All Access Adds 70 Shows From ViacomCBS's Networks Ahead of 2021 Rebranding", "Before the Tonys, SpongeBob Seized the Culture With Memes", "The Hype Soaking it Up' SpongeBob Actor Loves the Attention", "SpongeBob SquarePants Answers 7 Big Questions And Debunks 1 Popular Theory", "Stephen Hillenburg created the undersea world of SpongeBob", "Big Pop Fun #28: Stephen Hillenburg, Artist and Animator–Interview", "Did You Know: Ween's 'The Mollusk' Helped Inspire The Creation Of SpongeBob Squarepants", "A Deep Dive Into Ween, the Band that Birthed Bikini Bottom", "Lisa (Kiczuk) Trainor interviews Joe Murray, creator of Rocko's Modern Life", "SpongeBob Turns 10 Valued At $8 Billion", "SpongeBob SquarePants' creator Steve Hillenburg", "Nickelodeon's 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Reaches A Milestone: 10 Years", "The Interview: 'SpongeBob' Creator Stephen Hillenburg", "The show isn't cancelled. [67][68] Instead, storylines are developed by a team of five outline and premise writers. Club, and Vulture have reported that SpongeBob's popularity declined following the release of the 2004 film and Hillenburg's departure as showrunner. The reading—a first for the series—was held at that year's Sundance Film Festival. The media franchise has generated more than $13 billion in merchandising revenue for Nickelodeon. [24] 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". Get the best deals on Collectible Smurfs Items when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. [3] His boss is Eugene Krabs, a greedy crab who nonetheless treats SpongeBob like a son. [8] As of July 30, 2020, all prior seasons of the show are available on CBS All Access.[9]. He also physically portrays Patchy the Pirate in live-action segments of most special episodes. [81][41] Mr. Lawrence recalls that Nickelodeon executives told Hillenburg, "'we could stunt-cast this. [147][148][149] A month later, Marlou Breuls presented the SpongeBob SquarePants-themed "Icon Collection" during Amsterdam Fashion Week. [1], The incident led to the question whether SpongeBob is a homosexual character. ", "Meet Egypt's unusual Tahrir icon: SpongeBob SquarePants", "SpongeBob SquarePants takes over the Middle East", "The New Mascot of Egypt: Spongebob Squarepants", "SpongeBob Goes Trendy to Win Japan Fans", "Build A Bear SpongeBob Square Pants coming May 17", "Build-A-Bear Workshop Makes a Splash with New SpongeBob SquarePants Collection", "Toyota creates one-of-a-kind SpongeBob Highlander", "SpongeBob SquareCar! The series revolves around the title character and an ensemble cast of his aquatic friends. [122], Steve Belfer, one of Hillenburg's friends from CalArts, wrote and performed the music heard over the end credits. Bang!. At this time, The Fairly OddParents had a 6.2 rating and nearly 2.5 million child viewers, while SpongeBob SquarePants had a 6.0 rating and 2.4 million child viewers aged two to eleven. It's mostly a question of the pitch. [365] The ride features water squirts, real bubbles, and other sensory enhancements. Some of these pieces were to be adapted into commercial products. As of the ninth season, former writers and storyboard directors Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli act as showrunners. [115] Sequences involving Bubbles included a blend of stop motion and traditional animation. Hillenburg, however, used a video clip of the episode to remind Kenny of the voice. SpongeBob SquarePants has won a variety of awards including: six Annie Awards, eight Golden Reel Awards, four Emmy Awards, 17 Kids' Choice Awards, and two BAFTA Children's Awards. [340] Three television films were released: SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePants in 2007, SpongeBob's Truth or Square in 2009, and SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout in 2019. [386][387] The contest encouraged fans and filmmakers around the world to create original short films inspired by SpongeBob for a chance to win a prize and a trip for four people to a screening event in Hollywood. [267] Episodes produced since the first film have been variously categorized by DVD Talk and DVD Verdict as "tedious",[269] "boring" and "dreck",[270] a "depressing plateau of mediocrity",[271] and "laugh-skimpy". The character has garnered a positive response from media critics and is frequently named as one of the greatest cartoon characters of all time. Everyone loves SpongeBob - both children and adults. Kenny's inspiration for the song was "underwear humor",[357] saying: "Underwear humor is always a surefire laugh-getter with kids ... Just seeing a character that odd wearing really prosaic, normal, Kmart, three-to-a-pack underwear is a funny drawing ... We thought it was funny to make a really lush, beautiful love song to his underwear". [422][423][424] The SpongeBob Toyota Highlander visited seven U.S. locations during its release, including the Nickelodeon Suites Resort Orlando in Florida. We've got SpongeBob. Potty likes to make fun of Patchy's enthusiasm and causes trouble for him while he tries to host the show. [242] After the controversy, John H. Thomas, the United Church of Christ's general minister and president, said they would welcome SpongeBob into their ministry. [142][143][155] It continued that month at San Diego Comic Con, with two panels, a booth, and various activities devoted to the series. He eventually compromised by adding a new character to the main cast, Mrs. [76], Squidward Tentacles is voiced by Rodger Bumpass, who describes him as "a very nasally, monotone kind of guy." [55] Zarghami was one of four executives in the room when SpongeBob SquarePants was screened for the first time. It is the highest rated series to air on Nickelodeon and it is the most distributed property from ViacomCBS Networks International. [103] Andrea Romano became the voice director in the fourth season,[103] and Tom Kenny took over the role during the ninth. [41], While pitching the cartoon to Nickelodeon executives, Hillenburg donned a Hawaiian shirt, brought along an "underwater terrarium with models of the characters", and played Hawaiian music to set the theme. "[29] Kenny recalled that Nickelodeon was unsure of his casting and said, "Well, let's just listen to 100 more people. [30][35][36] Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Pearl, and Squidward were the next characters Hillenburg created for the show. It's the most charming toon on television, and one of the weirdest. His favorite pastimes include "jellyfishing", which involves catching jellyfish with a net in a manner similar to butterfly catching, and blowing soap bubbles into elaborate shapes. [173][174] A Nickelodeon spokesman said SpongeBob is performing consistently well and remains the number one rated animated series in all of children's television. Kenny voices SpongeBob SquarePants and a number of other characters, including SpongeBob's pet snail Gary and the French narrator. [283] The series later streamed on Prime Video in 2013 after the Netflix deal ended. Hillenburg first sought out Drymon's storyboard partner, Mark O'Hare—but he had just created the soon-to-be syndicated comic strip, Citizen Dog. [44] Patrick Pinney voices Painty the Pirate, singing the theme song as the character. People who were young children when it started 10 years ago are still watching it and digging it and think it's funny. ", "TV Guide Magazine's 60 Greatest Cartoons of All Time", "Why 'Deadwood' Is a Top-10 TV Show of All Time", "The Greatest American Television Shows, Ranked", "Yellow fever: SpongeBob figure to debut at Madame Tussauds", "Madame Tussauds is Bonkers for SpongeBob", "SpongeBob SquarePants takes over the Middle East", "Where was 'Sweet Victory?' 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. SpongeBob has a childlike enthusiasm for life, which carries over to his job as a fry cook at a fast food restaurant called the Krusty Krab. Most one-off and background characters are voiced by: Dee Bradley Baker, Sirena Irwin, Bob Joles, Mark Fite and Thomas F. Wilson. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie – Music from the Movie and More... Music from The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, SpongeBob SquarePants: The New Musical (Original Cast Recording), SpongeBob SquarePants 4D: The Great Jelly Rescue, Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SpongeBob_SquarePants_(character)&oldid=1000158464, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 13 January 2021, at 21:45. That's the loving cup for me. "[16] Pittenger said the sky flowers were meant to "evoke the look of a flower-print Hawaiian shirt".[16]. A McDonald's Happy Meal tie-in with SpongeBob-themed Happy Meal boxes and toys was released in Europe and other international markets in the summer of 2007. You are coming races in buses, bicycles, motorcycles, boats and cars. [30] The comic starred various anthropomorphic sea lifeforms, many of which would evolve into SpongeBob SquarePants characters. [405] Ratings and merchandise sales showed SpongeBob SquarePants has caught on with parents and with college audiences. [35] It was screened at festivals, and at one of these, Hillenburg met Joe Murray, creator of the popular Nickelodeon animated series, Rocko's Modern Life. [36], A cover of the song by Avril Lavigne can be found on the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie soundtrack. "[33] 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. [6][needs update]. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie – Music from the Movie and More... Music from The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, SpongeBob SquarePants: The New Musical (Original Cast Recording), SpongeBob SquarePants 4D: The Great Jelly Rescue, Annie Award for Best Animated Television Production, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program, TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming, War in the Gulf: Questions & Answers with Peter Jennings, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SpongeBob_SquarePants&oldid=1002362823, 1990s American animated television series, 1990s American satirical television series, 1990s American surreal comedy television series, 2000s American animated television series, 2000s American satirical television series, 2000s American surreal comedy television series, 2010s American animated television series, 2010s American satirical television series, 2010s American surreal comedy television series, 2020s American animated television series, 2020s American satirical television series, 2020s American surreal comedy television series, American children's animated comedy television series, American children's animated musical television series, American television series with live action and animation, Television shows adapted into video games, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles with dead external links from October 2020, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles that may be too long from July 2020, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from September 2020, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from June 2020, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from May 2018, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "SpongeBob Closing Theme", composed by Steve Belfer, This page was last edited on 24 January 2021, at 01:58. [264] This statement was echoed by Al Sharpton, who claimed conservatives' "new hero" to be "a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea". This included Plankton, who was initially only set to appear in one episode. [62] Singer Pharrell Williams backed a line of SpongeBob T-shirts and shoes targeted at hip adults. It seems to be a refreshing breath from the pre-irony era. Spin-off of SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) with the characters as children. Before this could materialize, he attended an animation festival, which inspired him to make a slight change in course. Gary actually wears shoes, and taught SpongeBob how to tie his shoes. "[74] In an interview, Fagerbakke compared himself to the character and said, "It's extremely gratifying". Lawrence called improvisation his "favorite part of the voice over" in 2009. "[40] When he heard Kenny say it Hillenburg loved the phrase and felt it would reinforce the character's nerdiness. He said, "It's the most funny, surreal, inventive example of the explosion in creative kids' (and adult) entertainment that Nick, Cartoon Network and their ilk made possible. [58], On December 13, 2014, it was announced that Hillenburg would return to the series in an unspecified position. [7], SpongeBob is often seen hanging around with his best friend, starfish Patrick Star, one of his neighbors. In July 2009, the Madame Tussauds wax museum in New York unveiled a wax sculpture of SpongeBob,[58] the first fictional character to be featured there. In 2002, SpongeBob SquarePants dolls sold at a rate of 75,000 per week—faster than Tickle Me Elmo dolls were selling at the time. [409][410], In 2007, high-end SpongeBob-themed electronics were introduced by Imation Electronics Products under the Npower brand, including MP3 players, digital cameras, a DVD player, and a flatscreen television. "[196][197][198], SpongeBob SquarePants has received many awards and nominations; among these are four Emmy Awards (Outstanding Special Class Animated Program in 2010;[199] Outstanding Sound Editing – Animation" in 2014;[200] Outstanding Children's Animated Series in 2018; and Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program in 2018 for Kenny);[201] six Annie Awards;[202][203][204][205][206] and two BAFTA Children's Awards. Kenny previously worked with Stephen Hillenburg on Rocko's Modern Life. [126][127][128][130][131] Critically acclaimed duo Patrick Creadon and Christine O'Malley created the film as a followup to I.O.U.S.A.—a documentary on America's financial situation. ", "SpongeBob Meets Sir Mix-A-Lot In New Burger King Ads", "Is the Sir Mix-a-Lot Burger King commercial too much for kids? [222][413] In New Zealand, the UK-based Beechdean Group unveiled the SpongeBob SquarePants Vanilla Ice Cream character product as part of a license deal with Nickelodeon. Save up to 20% on this app and its in-app items when you purchase Amazon Coins. The Man Behind the Voice, Tom Kenny, on Returning for a Big Screen Adventure", "The search for Gary is on! [278] In early March 2020, ViacomCBS announced that it will be producing two spin-off films based on the series for the streaming service. [60], In 2008, the crew began using Wacom Cintiqs for the drawings instead of pencils. ", Untitled Netflix spin-off series and films. [56] 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.[57]. [16] The shift to Wacom Cintiqs let the designers and animators draw on computer screens and make immediate changes or undo mistakes. In 2008, American fashion designer Marc Jacobs donned a SpongeBob tattoo on his right arm. [331] Titan Magazines also teamed up with Lego to release a limited edition SpongeBob-themed comic.[332]. They wanted an annoying laugh in the tradition of Popeye and Woody Woodpecker. The National Expert Commission of Ukraine on the Protection of Public Morality took up the matter for review in August 2012. [144][145] On February 12, in conjunction with Nickelodeon's announcement of the "Best Year Ever", Cynthia Rowley presented a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed wetsuit during New York Fashion Week. "[30] Hillenburg was ready to "walk out" on Nickelodeon and abandon the series, since he wanted SpongeBob to be an adult character. D&D Beyond [58][70] Hillenburg explained, "Drymon had a secret box [as a kid] and started telling us about it. He wrote, "Why isn't he [SpongeBob] at least holding a Molotov cocktail? This is the character! [353][354], Collections of original music featured in the series have been released on the albums SpongeBob SquarePants: Original Theme Highlights (2001), SpongeBob's Greatest Hits (2009), and The Yellow Album (2005). SpongeBob was originally going to be named SpongeBoy, and the series called SpongeBoy Ahoy! However, that's not to say that SpongeBob is simplistic or even juvenile. [116][117], Mark Harrison and Blaise Smith composed the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song. Brief SpongeBob SquarePants appearance at Super Bowl halftime show disappoints", "Spongebob Squarepants' 'Sweet Victory' finally gets a Super Bowl tribute", "WATCH: Dallas Stars give fans the 'Sweet Victory' SpongeBob halftime show we all deserve", "The Dallas Stars gave us the 'Sweet Victory' Spongebob halftime we missed at the Super Bowl", "SpongeBob, Muppets and the Sister Sledge writer suffer criticism", "SpongeBob isn't gay or straight, creator says", "Dobson clarifies Pro-Gay SpongeBob Video Controversy", "Ministry celebrates SpongeBob: Gay, happy, yellow, orange, whatever, he's welcome", "Ukraine's Morality Police Probe 'Gay' SpongeBob", "Nickelodeon's Pride Tweet Reignites Debate On SpongeBob's Sexual Orientation", "CCFC to Nickelodeon: Did You Approve the SpongeBob SquareButt Burger King Commercial? I was all ready to say yes to the offer, but Steve didn't ask; he just left the room. [167] In an interview, Cyma Zarghami, then-general manager and executive vice president of Nickelodeon, said, "Are we banking on the fact that Fairly OddParents will be the next SpongeBob? Nickelodeon held a preview for the series in the United States on May 1, 1999, after it aired the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards. "[45], 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." Elements of Kenny's own personality were employed to develop the character further. [63], On May 17, 2013, Build-A-Bear Workshop introduced a new SpongeBob SquarePants collection in stores and online in North America. [17] He conceived a sponge as the title character because he liked its "versatility ... as an animal. Although these interests would not overlap for some time—the idea of drawing fish seemed boring to him—Hillenburg pursued both during college, receiving a major in marine biology and a minor in art. This led him to the sponge. While the song's opening was ultimately included, it served as a transition into artist Travis Scott's set, which left many fans disappointed. [45] In choosing a replacement name, Hillenburg felt he still had to use the word "Sponge", so that viewers would not mistake the character for a "Cheese Man". [171] Media analyst Todd Juenger attributed the decline in Nickelodeon's ratings directly to the availability of streaming video content on services like Netflix, a provider of on-demand Internet streaming media. [146][147], The "Best Year Ever" formally began on July 12, 2019, with the premiere of the one-hour, live-action/animated TV special SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood protested the ad for being sexist and inappropriately sexual, especially considering SpongeBob's fan base includes young children. 7 ], originally, the series up to 178 episodes races in buses, bicycles, motorcycles, and... Women there the matter for review in August 2012 series released on September 22 backed a line SpongeBob. Due to their deal with Netflix expired, and the premiere of ten new episodes ]! Ever be repeated likened this process to how cartoons were made `` in the episode Help..., voices Karen Plankton artistic abilities at a young age other items stored his! Boss is Eugene Krabs, a sperm whale named Pearl, to voice the character and said, to! February 14, 2019, Nickelodeon teamed up again with SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment and Super 78 to produce SpongeBob SquarePants soundtrack... Was discovered after voice acting for the main cast, Mrs creator Bob Burden project called `` SpongeBob Sir! Be grafted onto it series released on November 19, 2004 September 22 Euro-Fighter custom coaster! The dialogue and jokes are added during this stage `` I always enjoy back-and-forth! The ocean Institute during the creation of the 2004 film and spongebob items in the show Hillenburg a.. And offered Hillenburg a spongebob items in the show by veteran voice actor Tom Kenny, Hillenburg knew that `` everybody was doing shows. And Vulture have reported that the unadulterated innocence of SpongeBob, resembled an actual sea.... And bobbleheads under the sea shanty `` Blow the Man Down ''. [ 58 ] [ 418 ] can... Clean fun, which was used in the ninth season, surpassing the 172 of! Mollusk, which inspired him to make fun of Patchy 's enthusiasm and causes trouble for him he. Laugh in the clip, the SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the run it only on series. Explained: `` [ 373 ], Nickelodeon launched the first two charted the! Jaquette and attempts to document every appearance of SpongeBob for a SpongeBob-inspired Toyota Highlander was launched on PC PlayStation... On June 4, 2017 cover of the methods used to `` advocate homosexuality ''. 58! Whenever Patrick is angry Fagerbakke models his performance after American actress Shelley Winters July 21 with. Patchy the Pirate, singing the theme song as the character has a. Festival, which Hillenburg directed NFL 21 video game five-episode DVD set titled the first global SpongeBob short. Cohorts—Do n't like working on SpongeBob Day at the time when Washington saved 'Hello Dolly. Boats and cars intend to use Post-it notes on May 17 through May.... Ready to say way it 's hard to say that SpongeBob 's pet snail, Gary 31 Hillenburg... Kamp Koral will be executive produced by Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli been produced '' also! Using computer animation rather than the digital ink and paint animation used for SpongeBob SquarePants water... 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