A Sponge, a Star, and a Legacy
Kennedy Dunning
Kennedy Dunning
On November 26, 2018, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants passed away from ALS, a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function. He was only 57 years old.
Stephen Hillenburg, was the visionary that created the smash hit children’s TV show SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon. Premiering in May 1999 and continuing today, SpongeBob has been recognized as the highest rated series to ever air on that network. In addition to the TV show, Spongebob has expanded with movies such as the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie in 2005 , and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water in 2015.
Any viewer, fan or not, can agree that the show contains unique characters, which gives the show a distinct spark. The inspiration for these adored characters and their exciting adventures were based off Hillenburg’s passion for marine life. Hillenburg became fascinated with the ocean as a child and developed an interest in art. He started his professional career in 1984, instructing marine biology, at the Orange County Marine Institute, where he wrote The Intertidal Zone, an informative comic book about tide-pool animals, which he used to educate his students.The bikini bottom, the fictional underwater city in which the characters live, is full of humor and aquatic imagination just like comic. From a young age, fans of the show have connected and fell in love with the happiness of Spongebob Squarepants, the stupidity of Patrick Star, and the grumpiness of SquidWard Tentacles, which Kristina Branon calls “pure savage-ness.”
Another reason why the show has remained so relevant for many years, is due to the power of memes. Kids who grew up watching the show are now internet savvy young adults, who take a scene from the show and make reactions memes out of it. Some of the most popular memes this year were the “winded SpongeBob” and “evil Partick.” These memes are pure comedic gold.
If you ask any fan about Spongebob they will eagerly tell you their favorite episode and lines. The most popular episodes by far would be Pizza Delivery with the iconic “Krusty Krab Pizza” song and the Bank Geeks episode with the “Sweet Victory” concert scene which Kennedee Little called “nothing but a classic.” The melody and performance has been enjoyed so much, that after Hillenburg’s passing, fans across the globe are petitioning for the tune to be played at the Super Bowl halftime show in remembrance of his incredible work.
On behalf of anyone who fell in love with the masterpiece that is Spongebob Squarepants, we want to thank Stephen Hillenburg for all of the laughs and joy he gave us from a pineapple under the sea.
Stephen Hillenburg, was the visionary that created the smash hit children’s TV show SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon. Premiering in May 1999 and continuing today, SpongeBob has been recognized as the highest rated series to ever air on that network. In addition to the TV show, Spongebob has expanded with movies such as the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie in 2005 , and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water in 2015.
Any viewer, fan or not, can agree that the show contains unique characters, which gives the show a distinct spark. The inspiration for these adored characters and their exciting adventures were based off Hillenburg’s passion for marine life. Hillenburg became fascinated with the ocean as a child and developed an interest in art. He started his professional career in 1984, instructing marine biology, at the Orange County Marine Institute, where he wrote The Intertidal Zone, an informative comic book about tide-pool animals, which he used to educate his students.The bikini bottom, the fictional underwater city in which the characters live, is full of humor and aquatic imagination just like comic. From a young age, fans of the show have connected and fell in love with the happiness of Spongebob Squarepants, the stupidity of Patrick Star, and the grumpiness of SquidWard Tentacles, which Kristina Branon calls “pure savage-ness.”
Another reason why the show has remained so relevant for many years, is due to the power of memes. Kids who grew up watching the show are now internet savvy young adults, who take a scene from the show and make reactions memes out of it. Some of the most popular memes this year were the “winded SpongeBob” and “evil Partick.” These memes are pure comedic gold.
If you ask any fan about Spongebob they will eagerly tell you their favorite episode and lines. The most popular episodes by far would be Pizza Delivery with the iconic “Krusty Krab Pizza” song and the Bank Geeks episode with the “Sweet Victory” concert scene which Kennedee Little called “nothing but a classic.” The melody and performance has been enjoyed so much, that after Hillenburg’s passing, fans across the globe are petitioning for the tune to be played at the Super Bowl halftime show in remembrance of his incredible work.
On behalf of anyone who fell in love with the masterpiece that is Spongebob Squarepants, we want to thank Stephen Hillenburg for all of the laughs and joy he gave us from a pineapple under the sea.