Saturday, June 09, 2018

How ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Invaded Our Brains

Tom Kenny never thought SpongeBob SquarePants, a character he originated on the children’s program almost 20 years ago, would one day end up on Broadway. Why would he have?


A rainbow coming out of SpongeBob’s hands is one of the many memes the cartoon has sparked. (Knowyourmeme.com)

And yet, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical is up for 12 Tonys on Sunday, tied with Mean Girls for the most nominations. Its resonance with serious theatergoers is surprising until you consider that even as adults, those of us who watched the series can’t shake its omnipresent songs, references and memes. Somehow, it became a cultural earworm.

At 25, Ethan Slater, who plays the character in the musical, can’t imagine a life without SpongeBob.

“It doesn’t seem like anything that was ever new,” he said. “It’s sort of a silly comparison, but I’ve likened SpongeBob to the Greek gods, these hegemonic characters who everybody knows. Nobody is going to see a picture of SpongeBob and ask who it is.”

The same goes for Slater’s performance in the stage production, which director Tina Landau ensured would emulate the Stephen Hillenburg-created TV character’s most prominent qualities. SpongeBob is still a silly guy who lives in a pineapple under the sea and who, with his dolt of a best friend, Patrick Star, bothers their curmudgeonly neighbor Squidward Tentacles. Bikini Bottom is still an inexplicably psychedelic setting for the creatures’ antics. Their singsong-y outpouring of nonsense will still get stuck in your head, although this time it’s actually music.


Ethan Slater, front, leads the cast of “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical,” which features songs by the likes of John Legend, Steven Tyler and Cyndi Lauper and has been nominated for 12 Tony Awards. (Joan Marcus)

Tori Mueller, a self-proclaimed Z-list Twitter celebrity behind the popular fan account Fred MyLeg, said the musical captures the quirkiness of the show’s first three seasons, those most popular among young millennials. The 23-year-old remembers watching SpongeBob after school in the first grade, munching on popcorn as the sponge flipped Krabby Patties. Bits of dialogue like “I was born with glass bones and paper skin” cemented in her mind, an experience shared by her eventual high school classmate Peter Marshall, now 25. The two have tweeted out quotes and accompanying images since 2011 from a once-“grass-roots Twitter account,” as Marshall described it, that now boasts around 210,000 followers.

“Sometimes people ask, ‘how do you remember it all?’ ” Mueller told The Washington Post. “Cartoons are very singsong-y, and that’s for a reason. It sticks with you if you have that creative musical brain.”

This cartoon also happens to include characters so meme-able they’ve dominated the Internet for years. Ryan Milner, author of “The World Made Meme,” said he has never witnessed a single pop culture text pop up in as many different ways as SpongeBob has in the decade he has studied the wacky Web.

The mainstream memery began innocently, with a widely circulated image of SpongeBob smiling as a rainbow came out of his hands; you can almost hear him go, “Imaginaaation.”

But the humor quickly changed. A blurred image of Mr. Krabs is how some people on social media express deep confusion. Others announce their controversial preferences and start fights by placing an image from real life (say, pineapple pizza) over SpongeBob’s workplace, the Krusty Krab, and another (plain pizza) over its chaotic evil rival, the Chum Bucket. An image of a devious-looking Patrick gives everyone an excuse to caption it with similarly “devious” things — such as, “Me leaving the pot in the sink because it needs to soak” and "Me seeing your number but ignoring your call" — under the guise of celebrating our favorite Nickelodeon cartoon.

Kenny, 55, said his favorite meme — “I know about SpongeBob memes! What do you think? I’ve got kids” — is the one in which SpongeBob imitates a chicken. The sponge bawks alongside a two-part caption: an questionable statement from one person, and the mocking repetition of it CaPiTaLiZeD lIkE tHiS and attributed to someone else.

Me: Wow, this meme will never die.

Someone who loves it: WoW, tHiS mEmE wIlL nEvEr DiE.

“These poses, these facial expressions — it’s a paintbox that people use to make paintings of their own and give it new meanings and jokes,” Kenny said. “A joke spawned a joke, [which] spawned another joke. Like an amoeba splitting and resplitting. To me, that’s beautiful.”



Milner points to the characters’ archetypal nature and the show’s 19 years (and counting - the show has been renewed for a 12th season, has a third movie, It's a Wonderful Sponge coming out in 2020, and will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2019) of source material as reasons for this phenomenon. An image of Squidward’s grumpy face can capture anything from intense irritation to a bad case of the Monday blues. Others, such as SpongeBob, appeal to the nonsensicality of everyday life.

This absurdity mirrors that of the show, which even attracts some adult viewers — such as Barack Obama, who told the crowd at a Michigan rally in 2016 that SpongeBob was his favorite cartoon of the ones Malia and Sasha forced him to watch. Mueller likened the show’s humor to dadaism, because “it’s obscure and anything can happen at any time.” Is SpongeBob an actual sea creature or a misplaced dish-cleaning tool? Why is Mr. Krabs’s daughter a whale? Wouldn’t SpongeBob’s fruity abode float in water?

And does that ridiculousness translate onstage?

Of course it does, you barnacleheads. To be fair, Kenny had reservations before seeing the musical in Chicago, where it premiered in 2016. He feels like SpongeBob’s caretaker, having gotten involved in the TV show’s development so early on that the protagonist’s name was still Spongeboy. (Can you imagine?!) But his low expectations were “blown into the stratosphere” once he realized that an appreciation of his and Hillenburg’s work pervaded this new version of Bikini Bottom.

“It’s such a great realization of the characters,” Kenny said.



Danny Skinner as Patrick Star and Ethan Slater as SpongeBob, in the Broadway musical. (Joan Marcus)

Landau and collaborators managed to make the show their own, between the celebrity-written (David Bowie! John Legend! Steven Tyler! Cyndi Lauper!) songs and subtle costuming, as Slater dresses in a simple yellow collared shirt. Kenny had little to do with how Slater tapped into the character — “it wasn’t exactly a Luke Skywalker-Ben Kenobi situation,” he said — because he didn’t have to. Slater is “first-generation ‘SpongeBob,’ ” Kenny continued, and therefore “absorbed it subatomically through thousands of hours of watching it.”

The show, currently in its 11th season, now reaches a new generation of young viewers. In April, Kenny won his first-ever Daytime Emmy for voicing the character. He’d never been to a Broadway premiere before this, and now a song he co-wrote with Andy Paley, “The Best Day Ever,” is part of a Tony-nominated score.

All the while, Kenny continues to work on the cartoon. He recalled flipping through a recent storyboard and cracking up at the veins popping out of Squidward’s head as he drives a bus with a babbling SpongeBob onboard.

“We’re still doing new episodes every Wednesday that blow my mind,” Kenny said. “I have a house and am not living in a cardboard box under a bridge. Thanks, SpongeBob!”

Watch SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons, and get your tickets for Nickelodeon's critically acclaimed SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical at SpongeBobBroadway.com!

More Nick: 'SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical' Nominated For 12 Awards In The 72nd Annual Tony Awards!
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Nickelodeon UK To Premiere New Episodes Of 'School Of Rock' Season Three From Monday 4th June 2018 [Updated]

Rock out to brand-new episodes of School of Rock season three, including a special guest appearance from The Thundermans star Jack Griffo as Slade Von Slade, weekdays at 4:00pm from Monday 4th June 2018, only on Nickelodeon UK & Ireland!


Below is a list of the currently announced all-new School of Rock season three episodes set to premiere on Nick UK & Eire in June 2018:

Monday 4th June 2018 - A Matter of Trust: Summer (Jade Pettyjohn) takes pity on the band's nemesis after he falls on hard times, and agrees to help his music career despite her friends' caution. Guest starring Kendall Schmidt from Big Time Rush!

Tuesday 5th June 2018 - Don't Know What You've Got ('Til It's Gone): The band's instruments get stolen, so they hold a sale to raise money to replace them.

Wednesday 6th June 2018 - Surprise, Surprise: Freddy's (Ricardo Hurtado) decision to reveal his feelings for Summer backfires after his anonymous note leads to a series of misunderstandings.

Thursday 7th June 2018 - Gotta Get Out of This Place: Freddy is looking for a response from Summer after telling her how he feels. The band agrees to help Dewey (Tony Cavalero) save a local ice cream shop.

Friday 8th June 2018 - Every Picture Tells a Story: The whole band works together to get Zack (Lance Lim) to look perfect for photo day, so he can finally have a picture on his parents' mantle at home.

Following the debut of each episode, Nick UK & Eire will encore each brand-new School of Rock series three episode the same day at 8:00pm and the following weekday at 6:30am.

Update (9/6): Following the week of new episodes, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland will premiere the two-part series finale of School of Rock, "I Love Rock and Roll", guest starring over two weeks in June:

Friday 15th June 2018 - I Love Rock and Roll (Part 1): When Dewey's old band gets to play his dream venue at the Austin Music Festival, he is forced to make a choice between his former life and School of Rock. Guest stars The Thundermans star Jack Griffo as Slade Von Slade. (encore at 7:00pm)

Friday 22nd June 2018 - I Love Rock and Roll (Part 2): When Dewey's old band gets to play his dream venue at the Austin Music Festival, he is forced to make a choice between his former life and School of Rock. The Thundermans star Jack Griffo as Slade Von Slade. (encore at 7:00pm)

More Nick: Viacom Launches Nick Play VoD App on Virgin Media in the UK!

Originally published: Sunday, June 03, 2018.

Schedule source: Digiguide.
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How to Make a Thundermans Inspired Memory Box 💝 (ft. Kira Kosarin) | DIY With Me Ep. 4 | Nickelodeon

Are you missing The Thundermans💥 as much as I am? Then learn how to make this fabulous memory box so you’ll always remember all of your favorite moments from The Thundermans! And don’t forget to stick around until the end of the video to learn how to make a custom tissue box holder! 💝



Catch more of your favorite shows on Nickelodeon!

Let Nick know YOUR favorite DIY With Me craft is so far in the comments on YouTube! Need to brush up? Watch all of the episodes right here! 🎨 http://bit.ly/DIYwithME

More Nick: Make Henry Danger Fluffy Slime & Bubblegum Rug 🍬 DIY With Me Ep. 2 | Nickelodeon!
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Flattery Face Off Challenge 🤣 w/ Kira Kosarin, Jack Griffo, Riele Downs & More! | #NickStarsIRL | Nickelodeon

Your favorite Nickelodeon stars like Kira Kosarin, Jack Griffo, Owen Joyner, Riele Downs, Lilimar and Ricardo Hurtado are squaring off in an epic competition of compliments. What’s the catch? They have to give and take angry compliments without laughing. How do you think they did holding in their giggles? Let me know who you think won the Flattery Face Off in the comments below. Catch more on Nick! 🤣



More Nickelodeon: Nickelodeon USA's June 2018 Premiere Highlights!
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Max vs. Phoebe: The Epic Battle for the Z-Force 💥 | The Thundermans | Nickelodeon

The battle for the Z-Force is getting personal when the Thunderman twins are pitted against each other. Max (Jack Griffo) takes on Phoebe (Kira Kosarin) in this clip from the series finale! Catch more of The Thundermans on Nickelodeon!



More Nick: NBA Star Chris Paul to Host Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Sports Awards 2018!
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The Adventures of Kid Danger | King Jasper | Nickelodeon UK

Jasper (Sean Ryan Fox) has been taken hostage by an underground community, who believe he is their reincarnated king.



Catch The Adventures of Kid Danger on Nicktoons UK & Ireland! Visit nicktoons.co.uk/kiddanger to watch more Kid Danger videos!

More Nick: Viacom Launches Nick Play VoD App on Virgin Media in the UK!
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All Galvanax Scenes | Eps 1 – 20 | Power Rangers Ninja Steel

The Story of Power Rangers Ninja Steel, from Galvanax’s perspective! Follow his journey on the hunt for the Nexus Prism and the Ninja Steel!



Fans can catch brand-new episodes of the latest season of Power Rangers, Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel on Nickelodeon USA.

Missed any episodes of Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel? Catch up now at nick.com/ninjasteel and on the Nick App!

Connect with Power Rangers:
Web - http://www.powerrangers.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/powerrangers
Twitter - http://twitter.com/PowerRangers
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/powerrangers

More Nick: Saban Brands Announces Power Rangers’ 26th Season, 'Power Rangers Beast Morphers'!
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iCarly | Egg Roll | Nickelodeon UK

Sam (Jennette McCurdy) orders some Chinese food, and when the delivery guy turns up he gets pulled into an impromptu interview.



Watch more iCarly on Nickelodeon!

More Nick: Viacom Launches Nick Play VoD App on Virgin Media in the UK!
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Blaze and the Monster Machines | Pegwheel the Pirate | Nick Jr. UK

Blaze and his friends are participating in one of their biggest races yet. They get help along the way by Pegwheel and his crew!



Watch all your favourite Nick Jr. friends everyday on Nick Jr.! For more magical Nick Jr. activities and games visit NickJr.co.uk and download the Nick Jr. Play app!

More Nick: Nick Jr. Adventure Centre Set To Tour The UK This Summer!
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Words beginning with V! - Featuring PAW Patrol | Nick Jr. UK

Which words start with the letter V? Watch this special alphabet video featuring characters from your favourite shows including PAW Patrol, Shimmer and Shine and Dora and Friends!



Watch all your favourite Nick Jr. friends everyday on Nick Jr.! For more magical Nick Jr. activities and games visit NickJr.co.uk and download the Nick Jr. Play app!

More Nick: Nick Jr. Adventure Centre Set To Tour The UK This Summer!
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Shade e i vincitori di #MaiGettareLaSpugna alla partita della Juventus | Nickelodeon italia

Shade ha accompagnato i vincitori del concorso #MaiGettareLaSpugna a vedere la partita della Juventus!



Di Più Nickelodeon: Nickelodeon Italy and Juventus F.C. Partner to Launch SpongeBob-Themed Summer Capsule Collection!
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