SpongeBob Square Pants has become a big part of pop culture here in America and all over the world. This is a cartoon about a yellow, square sea sponge and his friends and the adventures that happen to them in their town named Bikini Bottom, which is under the sea. The carton started in 1999 and grew with popularity after the first year. SpongeBob Square Pants celebrated 10 years on T.V. on July 17, 2009 (Stock, 2009). SpongeBob is known and recognizable to all ages, from pre-school children to adult.
I can remember when my oldest son first started watching the show, at the time he was about seven years old. He loved this show and had to watch it before and after school. I did not get the fascination with the show at first, and then as I watched it more closely, I found there were funny parts to each episode. The show has an appeal to grown-ups and kids, some of the episodes are based around things that adults can relate to and even have some things that may not be understood by a younger audience. Examples of this would be words they use or have hidden meanings behind things they do. These things are aimed at the adult audience and probably go over the heads of the younger kids.
The show is based around SpongeBob and his friends. His best friend is a pink starfish named Patrick, who is not very bright. SpongeBob also has a grumpy neighbor named Sqiudward Tentacles, he is a squid. SpongeBob is a cook at a restaurant called the ‘Krusty Krab’ and his boss is cheap, money hungry crab named Eugene Crab. There is also a squirrel that lives in a dome under water with them named Sandy Cheeks. Sandy is from Texas and has a strong southern accent.
Due to the popularity of this cartoon there have been amusements parks created and merchandise made such as video games, stuffed dolls, Lego sets, clothing and many more. In 2002 SpongeBob Square pants dolls sold 75,000 per week, this is more than the Tickle Me Elmo doll that was so popular during this time as well (Strauss, 2002). At the height of SpongeBob popularity was the release of, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie in 2004. My kids and their friends loved this movie and it just increased the popularity of the show and the characters. SpongeBob is part of pop culture because it is easy, quick entertainment for both children and adults. SpongeBob is mindless entertainment, which at times is just what we need.
References
Stock, R. (June 24, 2009). Nickelodeon celebrates pop culture icon SpongeBob Squarepants decade. Media News International. Retrieved January 23, 2011 from http://www.mnilive.com/2009/06/nickelodeon-celebrates-pop-culture-icon-spongebob-squarepants-decade/.
Strauss, G. (May 17, 2002). Life’s good for SpongeBob. USA Today, Section, Money, p. B 1.
Ok this is really funny!! My husband, whom is 33 years old, will watch SpongeBob all day long if there is nothing else on. Now my 7 month old grandson is turning into a yellow Sponge because all my daughter dresses him in is SpongeBob attire. Matter of fact, we just went to Walmart yesterday and she bought him a SpongeBob hat and gloves set and they don't even match his coat. She said she does not care. She puts the pajamas on him and says they are outfits - NOT!! But I don't know nothing she says but I did raise three kids and yes they are pajamas but I guess everybody wears pj's these days as clothes. Great and funny cartoon anyways but not for pulling an all day marathon with it. Oh yea, how can they go seimming in a pool of water when they are already in the water??? Always wondered that myself!!
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