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*Pleasant Tomorrow* · 04-20-2009, 11:09 PM

SpongeBob: Still Soaking Up Ratings After 10 Years
by Elizabeth Blair

Morning Edition, April 17, 2009 · SpongeBob SquarePants makes no sense. Created by marine biologist turned animator Stephen Hillenburg, the character lives in an underwater pineapple in a place called Bikini Bottom. He keeps company with a lumpy starfish named Patrick, a cranky neighbor named Squidward, a greedy crab of a boss and an evil plankton.

The show is like The Honeymooners meets The Flintstones — on speed. Brown Johnson, the vice president of animation for Nickelodeon, says it was a fight to get SpongeBob on the air.

"Certain parts of the business at Nickelodeon were like, 'Oh no. It'll never be successful. It's about a sponge. What's that? It's yellow. That's a bad color,' " she recalls.

But now, 10 years after SpongeBob made its on-air debut, the show is still wildly popular. One week last month, nine of the top 20 shows on cable were SpongeBob cartoons. According to Nickelodeon, 45 million people over 18 watch the show every month. President Obama, Scarlett Johansson and LeBron James are among the character's legion of fans.

SpongeBob is so popular that Nickelodeon squeezes everything it can out of it. You can buy SpongeBob underwear and SpongeBob macaroni and cheese.

"If we are sort of down in the ratings we sort of put it everywhere," says Johnson. "Sometimes it's on eight times a day."

Syracuse University professor Bob Thompson says it's impossible to overestimate how much SpongeBob has penetrated American culture.

"You watch when you're a little kid and you like it because it's pretty and it's funny and they do goofy things," says Thompson. "You watch it again when you're 10, and suddenly all of the new mysteries of life begin to pop up in here as well. And then you watch it when you're a 21-year-old in a frat house and suddenly there's a whole other quality that appeals to you."

SpongeBob the character is an eternal optimist — though one prone to melodrama. Tom Kenny, who provides the voice of SpongeBob, calls the character "pretty bipolar ... his highs are very high but he can also be dashed into the most abject sorrow."

Kenny says he'll gladly be the voice of SpongeBob for another 10 years.

"Even if the show doesn't go for 10 years, I'll be the guy pushing a grocery cart around with a tinfoil hat on his head going 'Hey you know who I used to be?' " he jokes.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=103170924

comedyfreak · 04-21-2009, 05:35 AM

Not to mention the many specials that are aired, the newest one having Johnny Depp as the guest voice.

steevo · 04-22-2009, 11:54 PM

Man, a world without Spongebob????

I would just hate to imagine that.

Spongebob is awesome.

Wreckless · 04-22-2009, 11:59 PM

stupidest show ever... wish it never got aired, or at least I wish it ended soon after it started..

Brian Damage · 04-23-2009, 12:35 AM

SpongeBob Rocks!

Zoneboy · 04-23-2009, 12:40 AM

Brian Damage · 04-23-2009, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Wreckless · 04-23-2009, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

SpongeBob Rocks!

Yeah I guess, for kids. So you and your kids enjoy it.

browneyes106 · 05-09-2009, 06:45 PM

I like Spongebob but I hated that prehistoric special they did a few years back.

04-20-2009, 11:09 PM	#1
Pleasant Tomorrow Member Forum Addict Join Date: Feb 19, 2003 Location: New York Posts: 69,525	10 Years Ago: SpongeBob nearly didn't make it on the air SpongeBob: Still Soaking Up Ratings After 10 Years by Elizabeth Blair Morning Edition, April 17, 2009 · SpongeBob SquarePants makes no sense. Created by marine biologist turned animator Stephen Hillenburg, the character lives in an underwater pineapple in a place called Bikini Bottom. He keeps company with a lumpy starfish named Patrick, a cranky neighbor named Squidward, a greedy crab of a boss and an evil plankton. The show is like The Honeymooners meets The Flintstones — on speed. Brown Johnson, the vice president of animation for Nickelodeon, says it was a fight to get SpongeBob on the air. "Certain parts of the business at Nickelodeon were like, 'Oh no. It'll never be successful. It's about a sponge. What's that? It's yellow. That's a bad color,' " she recalls. But now, 10 years after SpongeBob made its on-air debut, the show is still wildly popular. One week last month, nine of the top 20 shows on cable were SpongeBob cartoons. According to Nickelodeon, 45 million people over 18 watch the show every month. President Obama, Scarlett Johansson and LeBron James are among the character's legion of fans. SpongeBob is so popular that Nickelodeon squeezes everything it can out of it. You can buy SpongeBob underwear and SpongeBob macaroni and cheese. "If we are sort of down in the ratings we sort of put it everywhere," says Johnson. "Sometimes it's on eight times a day." Syracuse University professor Bob Thompson says it's impossible to overestimate how much SpongeBob has penetrated American culture. "You watch when you're a little kid and you like it because it's pretty and it's funny and they do goofy things," says Thompson. "You watch it again when you're 10, and suddenly all of the new mysteries of life begin to pop up in here as well. And then you watch it when you're a 21-year-old in a frat house and suddenly there's a whole other quality that appeals to you." SpongeBob the character is an eternal optimist — though one prone to melodrama. Tom Kenny, who provides the voice of SpongeBob, calls the character "pretty bipolar ... his highs are very high but he can also be dashed into the most abject sorrow." Kenny says he'll gladly be the voice of SpongeBob for another 10 years. "Even if the show doesn't go for 10 years, I'll be the guy pushing a grocery cart around with a tinfoil hat on his head going 'Hey you know who I used to be?' " he jokes. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=103170924
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04-21-2009, 05:35 AM	#2
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,059	Not to mention the many specials that are aired, the newest one having Johnny Depp as the guest voice.
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04-22-2009, 11:54 PM	#3
steevo It is Green Senior Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,474	Man, a world without Spongebob???? I would just hate to imagine that. Spongebob is awesome.
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04-23-2009, 12:35 AM	#5
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	SpongeBob Rocks!
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04-23-2009, 12:40 AM	#6
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,375
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04-22-2009, 11:59 PM	#4
Wreckless Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 04, 2007 Location: Banned Posts: 9,406	stupidest show ever... wish it never got aired, or at least I wish it ended soon after it started..

05-09-2009, 06:45 PM	#9
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,097	I like Spongebob but I hated that prehistoric special they did a few years back.