SpongeBob SquarePants is 10 years old

China View ^ | 2009-07-16 13:47:45 | Editor: Rob Welham

[pillut48]

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhuanet) -- SpongeBob SquarePants, the fictional character of Nickolodeon's animated television series, is 10 years old.

Designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillengurg, SpongeBob first hit television screens in May 1999. The character, a naive and goofy sea sponge who lives in the fictitious underwater town of Bikini Bottom, has been a favorite for both adults and children alike.

Voiced by actor and comedian Tom Kenny, the character has also courted controversy and been seen by some as promoting homosexuality. In the cartoon series SpongeBob is often seen holding hands with his friend Patrick, something which has promoted him as a gay-icon amongst the homosexual community. However, his creator denies any such link.

[pillut48]

Spongebob is NOT gay!! Good grief, can't ANYTHING be innocent without gay activists making it into something it isn't??

[villagerjoel]

I knew today was special when I rolled out of bed...I just didn’t know why until now.

[WayneS]

The most intelligent show on television.

[nodumbblonde]

I’ll admit it... I watch Spongebob even when the kids aren’t home. :D

[theDentist]

Let's just file this whole story (and wasted bandwidth) under "Who Effin' Cares?".

[domenad]

Spongebob likes Sandy Squirrel for Pete's sake! And Squidward, Mr. Krabs, and Larry the Lobster are all obviously hetero because they fell for Patrick in that one episode where he dressed up like a girl and....

I MEAN what a stupid show thank God I don't have any kids and have to watch stuff like that!

[WayneS]

...at least since The Simpsons went off the deep end about three years ago...

[stuartcr]

I agree.

[OB1kNOb]

For a cartoon it does have good writers. I would say he’s the Bugs Bunny of his day, or at least as close as one is going to get.

[CholeraJoe]

I agree he’s not gay, but he acts prissy.

[pillut48]

Are you READY to face the day now???

“I’m ready! I’m ready! I’m ready!!”

LOL.

[WayneS]

...can't ANYTHING be innocent without gay activists making it into something it isn't??

Apparently not. A fair portion of them are both vile and mentally ill.

[ctdonath2]

Amusing that this report comes from CHINA.

[jagusafr]

Heaven forbid we just have sweet, non-threatening characters in a cartoon. No, they have to be gay because they occasionally hold hands and they love to sing. I guess when you see EVERYTHING in terms of your own twisted sexuality, it’s bound to affect innocence.

Disgusting.

Colonel, USAFR

[pillut48]

Well, he and Patrick are supposed to be just kids, after all. :-)

[CholeraJoe]

I seem to recall Bugs was a cross-dresser and kissed men.

[jagusafr]

“Wadda maroon!!!”

[ctdonath2]

I’ve long been bewildered by the fact this show even exists. Ah mean really: some guy had to give a pitch to a board of directors saying “ok, so for this show, the lead character is named BOB, and he’s a SPONGE ... and he wears PANTS ... SQUARE pants, and I really do want you to sink tens of millions of dollars into not just making it happen but making it a huge hit! and we’ll license the character EVERYWHERE, even boxer shorts! guess where his long nose will be! no really, I’m serious about all this! can I have a big pile of money now?”

Marketing just amazes me.

[big black dog]

at least since The Simpsons went off the deep end about three years ago

3 years?

I've found it unwatchable for at least 7, and I used to love the show. The deal was pretty much sealed when they had like 3 anti-Iraq war episodes in a row, and the matter was treated snidely like Keith Olbermann might treat it, and not cleverly like may have been done in the 90s.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

This is how we do it in our house:
Grandson————————SpongeBob
Me-——————————Patrick (because I am Grandson’s best friend)
Son——————————Mr. Krab
Daughter-in-law-—————Sandy Squirrel
Husband————————Squidward

[shibumi]

"I knew today was special when I rolled out of bed...I just didn’t know why until now."

It's the Best Day Ever!

[OB1kNOb]

Come to think of it, I guess they were pretty screwed up too! LOL!

[big black dog]

The most intelligent show on television

I probably wouldn't agree, but in your favor, my 3 year old would probably agree with you.

It seems like back to back episodes of this show are on Nickleodeon all day long.

[CholeraJoe]

Uh-huh!

[east1234]

My 9 year old thinks SB and Patrick act like girls. lol, he’s right!

[WayneS]

Yes, I initially said three years... but upon further reflection, you are probably more correct in your estimate. It’s more like 5 to 7.

[shibumi]

"The most intelligent show on television."

And, a clever visual metaphor used to personify the abstract concept of thought!

(Now, tell me that line was directed at 6-year-olds. Not that it shouldn't be, of course.)

[FreeManWhoCan]

I saw a SpongeBob episode for the first time this year. It was the one where his friend the squid guy becomes handsome. I couldn’t stop laughing.

[WayneS]

Well, whoever sunk “tens of millions of dollars” into it has certainly made it back about 10 times over.

[weef]

I’ll admit it... I watch Spongebob even when the kids aren’t home

Same here - some episodes are very, very funny. I could be the only adult in the US who actually cares that they changed Spongebob's voice a few years back. I like the "classic" voice.

I'm now getting into Phineas and Ferb...

[WakeUpAndVote]

Oooohhhh, yes!

[Marie2]

He’s a nerd, that’s all.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

Thanks for posting this, pillut48! I’ve been wondering about Spongebob all morning! Now I can get on with my day. :~)

[Marie2]

Garth: When Bugs Bunny dressed up as a girl, did you ever find him attractive?

Wayne: Uh, no.

(Wayne’s World, paraphrase)

[WayneS]

Okay. Please name a current network television series that you think is more consistently intelligently written than Spongebob Squarepants.

I have seen WAY too many episodes of this show (7 year old so) and many, if not most, of them are extremely cleverly written and are very funny. It certainly beats the crap out of “House” and other adult-oriented prime-time “soap opera/drama” series.

I’m trying to think of a current comedy series with better writing than this silly little cartoon and I am coming up with NOTHING!

Doesn’t say much for the state of network television today, does it?

[WayneS]

Exactly!

Maybe that’s why I like him.

[WayneS]

Oops!

It should have read ...(7 year old son)...

[antiRepublicrat]

I thought the same when I saw a commercial for it. A sponge? My exact quote was “We’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel these days.”

Then I saw an episode and my opinion changed. There’s some good writing and voice acting behind the show.

[WayneS]

But Garth did, right?

[Buckeye McFrog]

sometimes a sponge is just a sponge...

[antiRepublicrat]

I’m trying to think of a current comedy series with better writing than this silly little cartoon and I am coming up with NOTHING!

Scrubs. But that's the only one I can think of.

[Larry Lucido]

Come on! Just cause sponges don’t have teeth..... :-)

[EmilyGeiger]

He’s not gay! Haven’t they heard the song “NOw that we’re men!”? :)

[JenB987]

There aren’t many things more annoying than Spongebob’s voice and Patrick’s idiocy. To think kids love this stuff...

[DCBurgess58]

Sorry, there's is proof he's a poof

Spongeback Mountain www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIBmnfvXy7M

[constitutiongirl]

SpongeBob’s not gay, but I have suspicions about Squidward.:) Watching SB is my guilty pleasure. I’ve suffered so much ridicule and scorn over this habit, but I don’t care, everyone needs a bit of friviolity in this cruel world.

[WayneS]

Okay.

I’ll give you that one. S.B.S.P. ranks pretty high up there, though.

[WayneS]

You’ll get no ridicule from me. It’s silly, funny and fun. We enjoy watching it with our 7 year old son. Some evenings, my wife and I even find ourselves leaving it on for another episode or two AFTER he has gone to bed.

[big black dog]

Okay. Please name a current network television series that you think is more consistently intelligently written than Spongebob Squarepants.

I guess you have me there, because there is not one current network show that I watch. So, in that respect, I guess Sponge Bob could be the most intelligent show, and I just don't know it. It's on all the time in my house, though, and I just know I'm not particularly impressed by it as adult entertainment.