SpongeBob SquarePants (character)

This is an article about the character. For the animated cartoon, see SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants is the main character in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, which first aired on May 1, 1999 on Nickelodeon. The character was designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, and is voiced by Tom Kenny.

Development

SpongeBob's voice is described as a combination of the mayor of Munchkinland from The Wizard of Oz, and Elroy Jetson from The Jetsons. His character was influenced by Jerry Lewis, Pee Wee Herman, Charlie Chaplin, and Mike C. Doyle. To create SpongeBob's laugh, Tom Kenny jiggles his hand against his Adam's apple, making a high-pitched dolphin-like sound (somewhat sounding like "Ahh") as revealed on the Season One DVD set of SpongeBob SquarePants.

During one appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on December 20, 2006, Tom Kenny described when he was auditioning for a Christmas commercial years before SpongeBob aired, he heard one of the midgets who were chosen for the roles of Santa's elves, who was, in a foul-mouth manner, cursing loudly to his friend. When Kenny heard this voice, he kept it in mind because he thought it was good. When he auditioned for the role of SpongeBob's voice, he kept this voice in mind.

Appearance

SpongeBob is a porous yellow sponge with large blue eyes, a mouth with prominent front teeth, dimples and freckles. He resembles a kitchen sponge more than a sea sponge, as when the show was only a rough idea, Stephen Hillenburg decided that he looked funnier as an ordinary kitchen sponge. SpongeBob can morph into other shapes at will, and can grow back pieces that fall off of him. His limbs can become variable in length and shape at will and are retractable as well as detachable.

SpongeBob typically wears a white collared business shirt with a red tie and brown pants, although he has been seen running in the nude or in his underwear. As a part of the attire, his shoes are shiny black, with an almost green bathrobe, but mostly goes to sleep with his underwear, socks and shoes. When he goes swimming at the Goo Lagoon, he wears a pair of blue swimming trunks (although he still wears his underpants, socks and shoes). In Squirrel Jokes and Party Pooper Pants, He wore a red bow tie in exchange for his necktie on special occasions.

General

SpongeBob is described as cute, sweet, flamboyant, kind, funny, cheerful, hard-working (Squidward always seems to push him off with hurtful sarcasm, which apparently doesn't affect him), and trustworthy. He has a buck-toothed grin, an expressive face and square body that compliments his pure and good nature. SpongeBob will rarely knowingly do wrong or harm to anyone except on April Fool's Day and never without remorse. However, he has been known to shout and curse when angry or frustrated. Although he is an adult, he has a very child-like nature, shown to great effect in the episode "Grandma's Kisses", at which he is at his most childish, as well as in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.

SpongeBob has a career as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab restaurant, home of the Krabby Patty. Having been Employee of the Month 26 consecutive times, he takes his job seriously and also considers it to be his passion. His first words were "May I take your order?" As a baby, he was able to create a perfect burger. He works alongside Squidward, much to Squidward's dismay. Squidward manages the cash register for his money-obsessed boss, Mr. Eugene H. Krabs. SpongeBob, in some episodes, seems to have attained a celebrity like status in Bikini Bottom for his "masterful" fry cooking. In the episode "Squid on Strike", he is referred to as a "legend" by a young fry cook who wants to take his job and is asked to sign the boy's spatula. Spongebob briefly owned the Krusty Krab in the episode, "Patty Hype". In another episode, he is offered a job as King Neptune's fry cook, but turns it down because Patrick was forbidden to go with him.

Education

Much of SpongeBob's early education is unknown; however, it was mentioned that his kindergarten teacher was Mrs. Shell. Also, he encountered a fellow Elementary classmate named Dennis in "The Sponge Who Could Fly." He also mentioned that he was voted most clumsy in High School, and was never able to get a date for his Junior Prom.

SpongeBob has yet to keep a boating license (analogous to a driver's license), because he fails every driver's test at Mrs. Puff's Boating School, mainly due to a tendency to become nervous once behind the wheel as he has been shown to know what he's doing everywhere but inside the boat. Despite this, he perpetually and continuously attends boating school in an attempt to get his license much to the woe and frustration of his boating instructor Mrs. Puff.

Leisure

He frequently gets days off at the Krusty Krab Restaurant, and as a result he spends his free time with his best friend Patrick Star, and especially enjoys practicing karate with his other friend Sandy Cheeks. He also likes eating jelly, collected from the jellyfish at Jellyfish Fields. To date, he has caught, named, and let go all of the 4 million jellyfish in Jellyfish Fields at least once, except the blue jellyfish, until the end of the episode "Jellyfish Hunter". He also likes to blow bubbles, surf, sun bathe, play the ukulele, and watch his favorite TV show, The New Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. SpongeBob is such a fan of the show that, he and Patrick together brought them out of retirement. They also pretend to be Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. He also has a spice garden, but is only mentioned in two episodes (No Weenies Allowed and Squilliam Returns, which are both in the same 30-minute block). SpongeBob portrays Man Sponge.

Trivia

• SpongeBob is afraid of sea bears, ice cubes, gorillas, educational television, giant clams, cheese graters, Krabby Patty monsters and "the darkness" when he goes to bed at night in the episode Night Light.
• Spongebob is often parodied, mentioned and also appeared as himself numerous times in The Simpsons.
• Wooldoor Sockbat of the Comedy Central series Drawn Together is a parody of SpongeBob.