SpongeBob turns 20 as Nickelodeon celebrates
Are ya ready kids? “SpongeBob SquarePants” is turning 20, and SpongeBob, coincidentally, is having a birthday too. (How old is ’Bob? That mystery won’t be revealed tonight). His friends, neighbors and co-workers decide to throw a surprise birthday party in his pineapple house. Preparations for this party do not go well, and in fact disastrously. (“Uh oh,” says Sandy Cheeks. “I hope someone brings a wall as a present.”)
Meanwhile, ’Bob’s dear friend and neighbor Patrick Star has taken him on a bus tour of the Surface World (that would be dry land), where David Hasselhoff is still surfing, or trying to, and where Kel Mitchell (“All That”) reveals that he has an uncommon passion for canned beans.
Besides a star cameo or three, “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout” also features birthday wishes from a diverse group of stars (Are Sigourney Weaver and Rob Gronkowski diverse enough for you?)
It all closes with this simple message: “Thank you Steve Hillenburg.” Hillenburg, the series creator, died last November at age 57 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
When Nickelodeon (officially) launched “SpongeBob SquarePants” on July 17, 1999, this was hardly the only series that had mastered the art of keeping both kids and parents tuned in. However, none worked that particular balance beam quite as effortlessly, particularly during the early seasons. Those other immortal animated series, “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” (which also launched in ’99) neither sought nor particularly wanted young children as viewers but “SpongeBob” was an instant hit among them, as well as among teens, young adults and middle-aged ones — really, pretty much anyone who saw a little of themselves, or their better selves, in a square, porous, bright yellow sponge.
Then there were the other characters, each made more vivid by ’Bob while they, in turn, made him more vivid. The irascibility of Squidward, the parsimony of Mr. Krabs, the feistiness of Sandy, the innocence of Patrick and the evil of Plankton were all set in sharp contrast to our beloved sponge. They became equally beloved themselves.
And what finally can be said of this cast, with those perfect voices and comic actors behind each? They are the biggest gift here: For the first time in show history, each appears in an extended live-action sequence playing the human counterpart of his or her undersea self. There’s Rodger Bumpass (Squidward) working the register at a burger joint, and Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs) as its cheapskate proprietor. Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks) is there, too, and so is Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star), who is about as dim (and hilarious) as you would hope.
Best of all is Tom Kenny (’Bob). To watch Kenny flip burgers with the joy and unbridled lunacy of his cartoon doppelganger is to watch the other secret to this classic’s longevity. Kenny is the true jedi master of animated comedy, and this sponge his masterpiece. A big “thank you” to him as well.