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.

Appearance and characteristics

SpongeBob is a porous, yellow sponge with square pants, hence the name SpongeBob SquarePants. He has large blue eyes, each with three eyelashes, and two prominent front teeth. He also has three freckles on each cheek and dimples. He wears a white shirt with a red tie, brown trousers held up by a black belt and black shoes. He usually replaces the red tie for a bow tie for special occasions. SpongeBob has a very distinctive and high-pitched laugh.

SpongeBob is a sea sponge, like his parents, but he is drawn to resemble a kitchen sponge. It is said that this because Hillenburg found this design to be more amusing. Although in several episodes he is shown to have a spine, he is extremely flexible and can bend in all directions. He can also absorb large amounts of water due to his porous body.

Character info

SpongeBob is cheerful, good-natured and always happy to help anyone. He is kind to everyone and is determined to be friends with those around him. When it comes to doing a job SpongeBob completes it to the best of his ability, and gets extremely upset with himself if he fails to do something right. He is generally a happy-go-lucky character and is friendly to everyone.

SpongeBob lives in a pineapple house in the town of Bikini Bottom, with his pet snail Gary. Next-door to him is Squidward Tentacles, who lives in an Easter Island head house. SpongeBob considers him very close friend, although this isn't mutual. Next-door to Squidward is Patrick Star, SpongeBobs very best friend, who lives under a rock.

SpongeBob's all-time favourite hobby is Jellyfishing, which he enjoys with his best friend Patrick, whenever SpongeBob is not working. SpongeBob and Patrick are also both Goofy Goobers, and spend a lot of time at the Goofy Goober Ice Cream Party Parlour. SpongeBob and Patrick are both very immature adults, as they enjoy activities that are generally favoured by children. This means that Squidward shows a strong dislike for both of them, as he considers himself more sophisticated and mature. SpongeBob sees Squidward as one of his closest friends, despite the fact that Squidward obviously does not share the feeling. This means that Squidward usually bears the brunt of SpongeBob's characteristics and actions, and is particularly annoyed by SpongeBob's laugh. Another very close friend of SpongeBob's is Sandy Cheeks. They both share a love of Karate, and are often shown trying to better each other by performing various moves.

SpongeBob is said to be an adult, but he has a very childlike manner-he is not ashamed to enjoy things generally associated with younger children, such as cartoons and homemade cookies. He is not good at discerning sarcasm from sincerity, and, at times, is very literal-minded, which can lead to disaster for those around him. Despite these traits, his lightweight appearance, and his lack of physical strength, SpongeBob considers himself very mature, and has attempted-and failed-to prove his "manliness" on many occasions.

SpongeBob has a career as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab restaurant. In spite of his meager salary (he once claimed that he is forced to pay his own boss) and the restaurant's poor working conditions, he is very proud of his trade. He is highly skilled at his job, and has won the Employee of the Month award hundreds of times. SpongeBob is always determined to please his boss, Eugene H. Krabs, who sometimes grows weary of SpongeBob's continous enthusiasm. However, he is favoured by Mr Krabs because he is hard-working, and very good at his job.

A recurring joke in the series reveals that SpongeBob is incapable of getting his driving license. He has attended Mrs Puff's boating school for many years, and each year, manages to fail his driving test. SpongeBob attributes this to nervousness behind the wheel; despite knowing how to drive, he loses his composure when driving, often ending up in a car accident.

SpongeBob's Family

• Grandma SquarePants
• Grandpa SquarePants
• Mrs. SquarePants (mother)
• Mr. SquarePants (father)
• Uncle Cap'n Blue SquarePants
• Uncle Sherm SquarePants
• Cousin Todd SquarePants
• Cousin BlackJack SquarePants

Controversy

The creators of Spongebob Squarepants have been attacked by some evangelical groups in the US because they see the character SpongeBob as homosexual, ever since the episode Rock-A-Bye-Bivalve, in which Patrick and Spongebob were parenting a baby scallop.

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 in fact thinks of him as somewhat 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."