SpongeBob SquarePants (character)

For the television show, see SpongeBob SquarePants.

SpongeBob SquarePants is the eponymous character of the Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants. He was designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, and is voiced by Tom Kenny.

Creation

Stephen Hillenburg intended to create a series about an over-optimistic sponge that annoys other characters. Hillenburg compared the concept to Laurel and Hardy and Pee-wee Herman. As he drew the character, he decided that a "squeaky-clean square" fit the concept. Originally he intended to name the character Sponge Boy. In an interview he said that he created the name as adding "Boy" to a name of an inanimate object "and it becomes alive." The first concept sketch portrayed him as wearing a red hat with a green base and a white business shirt with a tie. The name "SpongeBoy" did not make it into the show since the name was already officially trademarked by Bob Burden, creator of Flaming Carrot. When Hillenburg discovered an existing copyright on the name, he decided that his given name still had to contain "Sponge" so viewers would not mistake the character for a "Cheese Man." Hillenburg created "SpongeBob." He decided that "SquarePants" would fit as a family name as it referred to the character's square shape and his "funny name".

Although his drivers license says he's born in 1986, SpongeBob creator, Stephen Hillenburg explains in an interview that he is fifty in "sponge years" as a joke. He explains that SpongeBob actually has no specific age, but that he is old enough to be on his own and still be going to boating school.

Appearance and characteristics

SpongeBob is a porous yellow sponge with large blue eyes, many holes appearing all around his body, a mouth with prominent front buck teeth, dimples and freckles. He is also, at times, shown to have hair, although usually this is a wig. In one episode when his hair has naturally grown longer, he has blond hair, something quite obvious because of his blue eyes and "light" skin that further 'develop' the image of SpongeBob having blond hair. He typically wears a white shirt with a red tie and brown square trousers (the entire outfit is sometimes referred to as his "pants") - hence his family name - and black leather shoes. When he works at the Krusty Krab, he wears a hat with an anchor on it as a uniform. He replaces the necktie with a chokie bow tie for special events. He sleeps in his street clothes (in the episode Sleepy Time), in pajamas or in underwear, with shoes, or barefoot in various episodes, in the movie he sleeps wearing socks and underwear.

SpongeBob is a sea sponge, but he is drawn to resemble a kitchen sponge. Due to his soft, pliable frame, he is capable of shape shifting. He is sometimes shown to have a skeleton, but he is mainly portrayed as soft, squishy, and boneless. Being a sponge, he is also absorbent, as shown by engulfing the entire treedome after Sandy force-fed water to him. When he cries, he often reabsorbs his tears.

SpongeBob is a child-like happy-go-lucky character. Spongebob is also talented fry cook and uses this skill at his job, the Krusty Krab restaurant. He also attends Mrs. Puff's Boating School and has failed the boating test over a million times times. SpongeBob's best friend is a starfish named Patrick. He enjoys jelly-fishing, blowing bubbles with Patrick, and often gets into a lot of mischief. He also, won employee of the month over 300 times.

SpongeBob lives with his pet snail Gary in a large "pineapple-house" on 124 Conch Street, Bikini Bottom. The house has been shown to be edible in some episodes. His neighbor is Squidward an octopus who is a co-worker at the Krusty Krab, and right beside Squidwards house SpongeBob's best friend Patrick.

Three of SpongeBob's ancestors are seen: SpongeGar of the Permian period, SpongeBuck SquarePants of 1882's Dead Eye Gulch, and SpongeBob's Grandpa has come up two or three times.

Controversy

The creators of SpongeBob SquarePants have been attacked by some evangelical groups in the US because they see the character SpongeBob as an advocate for homosexuality.

James Dobson of Focus on the Family accused the makers of a video in which SpongeBob appears with other cartoon characters meant to promote diversity and tolerance as promoting homosexuality. Creator of the character, Stephen Hillenburg, has denied that SpongeBob is gay and has said that he is in fact asexual.

Dobson later clarified his comments by saying his original complaints were not with the video, but with the We Are Family Foundation, who he says make available pro-homosexual material on their website. 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."

External links

• SpongeBob SquarePants at IMDB