Twenty-five (years of SpongeBob Squarepants) is funnier than 24! The Nickelodeon series featuring the energetic fry cook under the sea first aired in 1999 and quickly became an animated icon. In the video above, Tom Kenny (SpongeBob Squarepants) and Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star) discuss the show’s enduring legacy.
Both actors are amazed by how long the show has lasted and the diversity of its fanbase. Kenny mentions, “The legacy of SpongeBob is the impact it had on viewers who watched it during a crucial stage of their lives…and are now sharing it with their own children or even their parents and grandparents.”
Kenny finds it “gratifying” that people credit SpongeBob for shaping their sense of humor. Fagerbakke adds, “…for me, it was Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies and Bugs Bunny that influenced my sense of humor.”
Even after all these years, the popularity of SpongeBob still surprises them. Kenny notes, “SpongeBob seems to bring together people from different cultures with its humor.” He also mentions that when his friends travel around the world, they send him pictures of SpongeBob merchandise.
The actors also reveal that the show’s creator Stephen Hillenburg, who passed away from ALS, appreciated SpongeBob fan art. Fagerbakke adds, “He loved the imperfect fan art because it was genuine.”
SpongeBob SquarePants, All Seasons, Now Streaming on Paramount+
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