SpongeBob SquarePants is Nickelodeon’s most popular cartoon on TV and one of the world’s best-loved television series. With over 200 episodes, it’s no surprise that this cartoon has many secrets or facts not widely known. With that, here is a list of the top SpongeBob SquarePants facts.
1. SpogeBob’s Original Name Was SpongeBoy
Yes, as you heard, and the show’s title was initially SpongeBoy Ahoy!. They couldn’t keep it like that because SpongeBoy resulted in being a copyrighted name for a mop but Hillenburg made sure to keep the “sponge” in the name of his protagonist as he was worried that children might mistake him for a block of cheese. And we don’t blame them, we would have been confused too! In the beginning, the appearance of this character was very similar to the one we all know, only adding more cheeks and a marine green hat instead of white. But we ended up loving the final look anyways!
2. SpongeBob Has Won So Many Awards
SpongeBob has been nominated for 20 Annie Awards and 11 Emmy Awards and has won six Annies and 4 Emmys. Among the winning awards, the show has won “Greatest Cartoon”, “Outstanding Special Class Animated Program” and “Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program”. No wonder why this show is so popular! It’s more than obvious that the amount of work and creative talent that is behind it is absolutely astonishing!
3. Spongiforma Squarepantsii
In the summer of 2011, a new species of fungus was found in one of Borneo’s forests. It looked just like a sea sponge, felt like one, and even had a “musty smell” to it, according to BBC. The San Francisco State University researchers that discovered the strange mushroom were inspired by SpongeBob and decided to name it Spongiforma squarepantsii. I think we could say SpongeBob is real!
4. Does SpongeBob Remind You Of Anyone?
SpongeBob is emotional, excitable, lovable, and he tries his absolute hardest in everything he does. SpongeBob always wants to be liked and to be doing something he enjoys doing. He spreads cheer to everyone, including those who are irritated by him. Like Squidward, mainly Squidward!
Derek Drymon, one of SpongeBob’s creative directors, noted that creator Stephen Hillenburg wanted SpongeBob to embody Pee-Wee Herman’s “boyish” flair. He was also inspired by the attitudes of Jerry Lewis and Stan Laurel.
5. Step Aside, Rugrats
Before SpongeBob SquarePants came along, Rugrats was the longest-running series of all time. Rugrats lasted for nine seasons, 172 episodes, and inspired three movies and various spinoffs. We can say they’re pretty famous!
However, after being renewed for a 13th season, SpongeBob SquarePants has blown the adorable baby show out of the water. At the time of this writing, SpongeBob SquarePants has 265 episodes to its name. And we love watching and re-watching all of his amazing adventures!
6. Patrick was originally an angry bar owner
One of the original ideas of Patrick’s character was of him having a “huge chip on his shoulder because he was pink.” In addition, he was also supposed to be an owner of a roadside bar. This idea is quite similar to Mr. Krabs owning a fast-food restaurant. But instead of Patrick being a greedy character like Mr. Krabs, he was initially thought of as a bully instead. Can you imagine Spongebob having no friends and bullied by Patrick? That would be awfully sad.
7. Is Bikini Bottom Real?
Bikini Bottom is the name of SpongeBob’s village and, believe it or not, was inspired by a real area in the Pacific Ocean. The Conversation states that Bikini Bottom is supposed to be below the islands of Pikinni Atoll. Back in the ’40s and ’50s, the US used these islands as a testing site during the Cold War, which resulted in an explosion leaking large amounts of radiation. The islands were evacuated for safety but it’s been theorized that the oddness of Bikini Bottom is because it’s been affected by the test site on Pikinni Atoll. It wouldn’t be to my surprise that this is also the reason everyone is so crazy in that village!
8. There’s A Reason Why SpongeBob Lives In A Pineapple
Viewers learn in the first sentence of the SpongeBob theme song that he’s a sponge who lives in a “pineapple under the sea.” But why? Why on earth does this adorable sponge live in a pineapple?
According to the creator, he imagined SpongeBob enjoying the smell of pineapple. Pineapples are also very significant in Polynesian culture, which we know has a heavy influence on the show and how Bikini Bottom looks.
9. SpongeBob’s Creator Is A Marine Biologist
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the most beloved sponge in history, is much more than a creative genius; he’s also a marine biologist. After teaching at the Orange County Marine Institute, he began working in animation for Nickelodeon’s Rocko’s Modern Life. But after doodling a few different variations of sponges with faces on them, Hype noted that he wanted to create “an innocent who is surrounded by more cynical beings.” Considering SpongeBob’s boss is Mr. Krabs, and his neighbor is Squidward, it’s safe to say his idea was a hit.
10. The Creator Stepped Down As Showrunner After The First Movie
With SpongeBob being Nickelodeon’s longest-running show and most successful show, it’s hard to imagine it slowing down. The series already has five movies to its name! However, back in 2004 when Stephen Hillenburg started working on the first SpongeBob movie, he was ready to call it quits on the show. The movie was supposed to wrap up the series but Nickelodeon had other plans. Just because Hillenburg thought the show had run its course doesn’t mean Nickelodeon felt the same way.
Hillenburg stepped down as showrunner but the show continued on with him being the executive producer. Hillenburg eventually made his way back to SpongeBob by the time the second film came out.
11. Patrick Star Is Goofy For A Scientific Reason
Do starfish have brains? They don’t, but they do have a central nervous system that allows their senses to guide them. They can sense touch, light, and their general status but they do not have brains that can help them calculate and plan their motives in nature. Due to this fun fact, this could be the potential reason why Patrick Star is, well, slow-witted. There’s even an episode called “Patrick SmartPants,” where Patrick has a head injury and becomes incredibly intelligent because of it. If only it was that easy to become a genius, am I right?
12. How Long Does It Take To Create One Episode?
The world of SpongeBob SquarePants is filled with bright colors, fun animation, tropical tunes, and adventurous storylines. But did fans know that it takes roughly nine months to accomplish an episode of SpongeBob? The writing coordinator for Nickelodeon, Melissa Webster, said: “From beginning to end, it takes ten or eleven months to create one eleven-minute long episode.” That is almost one month per minute! Incredible! Considering the show has over 200 episodes, imagine how much time and money goes into creating SpongeBob! It truly deserves all the awards it has won and more!
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