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Nickelodeon celebrated 20 years of SpongeBob SquarePants at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 with a "Big Birthday Blowout!" panel for the happy-go-lucky fry cook who lives in a pineapple under the sea. In attendance were co-executive producers, Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli, as well as the principal voice cast: Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) and Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs).
“It was about time for the characters to meet themselves ... We had to keep them wet," said Waller of “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout”, the animated/live-action star-studded special that aired on television July 12. In it, SpongeBob and Patrick travel onto the surface in an aquarium-like coach bus and meet their real-world counterparts at the Trusty Slab restaurant.
"The live-action stuff was a little more bizarre," Kenny said, explaining how you're so much more aware of your body movements as opposed to when you're just recording in a booth somewhere. Bumpass—who jokingly voiced his support for a live-action SpongeBob series to much applause from the audience—seconded those sentiments by singing the Twilight Zone theme song.
Combining animation with live-action elements was more in line with the two feature films based on the show. Longtime fans probably remember a time when the characters were represented by really low-budget puppets on sticks whenever they came up on dry land.
"It was so ghetto," offered Kenny, also describing the current trend of SpongeBob memes as "pop culture recycling."
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Credit: Josh Weiss
The panel was even more poignant given the death of series creator, Stephen Hillenburg, in November of last year. The marine-biologist-turned-animator was 57-years-old when he succumbed to the effects of ALS, a neurodegenerative disease.
“SpongeBob, to me, represents Steve in a really profound way … It’s built on his spirit," said Fagerbakke, who didn't believe the pilot episode (for which he was paid $600) would go anywhere. Years later, however, he admitted his love for the Tiny Tim scene, where SpongeBob feeds the anchovies Krabby Patties.
"It embodies, to me, everything perfect about SpongeBob, that sequence," he added.
“It just reminds me of a time when SpongeBob only existed in Steve Hillenburg’s desk drawer," Kenny continued. "I just remember when he had me come over [and talked about pitching it to Nickelodeon and showed me the initial artwork] ... It turned into this thing that conquered the world. Talk about the power of ideas ... “About four seasons in, I was resigned to the fact that Tom Kenny was just SpongeBob’s host body.”
Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway were also fondly remembered by the cast. The McHale's Navy alums voiced Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy for many years and died within a few years of one another. Conway just passed away in May.
And, of course, Mr. Lawrence couldn't let the panel finish without the iconic exclamation from Fred the Fish, "MY LEG!!!"
Things really wrapped up with a "Sweet Victory" sing-along with dancing costumed characters in an attempt to make up for the fact that the iconic "Band Geeks" track was not sung at the 2019 Super Bowl.
The debut of “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout” on Friday, July 12 kicked off "Best Year Ever", Nickelodeon's year-long global celebration commemorating 20 years of SpongeBob SquarePants, one of the most iconic TV series and characters ever created, which includes the launch of the official SpongeBob SquarePants YouTube channel, brand-new merchandise and a app, and will lead up to the Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies theatrical, The SpongeBob Movie: It's a Wonderful Sponge, coming 2020.
From Variety:
‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Team Honors Stephen Hillenburg at Comic-Con
![]()
Credit: Dave Allocca/Starpix/REX/Shutter
The cast of “SpongeBob SquarePants” paid tribute to the late Stephen Hillenburg during their panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday.
“SpongeBob to me represents Steve in a really profound way,” said Bill Fagerbakke, who voices Patrick Star. “The nature of that character is what the whole show is built on and so it’s kind of built on his spirit in that way.”
Tom Kenny, who voices the titular talking sponge, added, “SpongeBob has conquered the world. He’s probably in almost every language on earth in every country on earth. He’s on every conceivable product you could put him on…It reminds me of a time where SpongeBob only existed in Steve Hillenburg’s desk drawer.”
“It was something he drew on a piece of paper from his own head that conquered the world,” Kenny added. “Talk about the power of ideas and art and silliness.”
Hillenburg, the creator of “SpongeBob,” passed away in November after battling ALS. After college, Hillenburg became a marine biology teacher at the Orange County Marine Institute (now the Ocean Institute). That, combined with his love of art, led him to write and illustrate stories as teaching tools with characters that would later become the denizens of SpongeBob’s home, Bikini Bottom.
“SpongeBob Squarepants” has gone on to become one of the most successful and well-recognized animated series of all time, reigning as the number-one kids’ animated series on TV for nearly two decades. The show was recently renewed for a thirteenth season at Nickelodeon following the success of the anniversary special “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout.”
Nickelodeon announced back in June that the series would get its first spinoff, currently titled “Kamp Koral.” The series will see SpongeBob and his friends as 10 year olds at summer camp. The series has received an initial 13 episode order.
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More Nick:Nickelodeon Brings SpongeBob SquarePants' Bikini Bottom to Life at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2019!
Originally published: Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 23:27 BST.
Original source: SYFY WIRE.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and SpongeBob SquarePants News and Highlights!
Nickelodeon celebrated 20 years of SpongeBob SquarePants at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 with a "Big Birthday Blowout!" panel for the happy-go-lucky fry cook who lives in a pineapple under the sea. In attendance were co-executive producers, Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli, as well as the principal voice cast: Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) and Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs).
“It was about time for the characters to meet themselves ... We had to keep them wet," said Waller of “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout”, the animated/live-action star-studded special that aired on television July 12. In it, SpongeBob and Patrick travel onto the surface in an aquarium-like coach bus and meet their real-world counterparts at the Trusty Slab restaurant.
"The live-action stuff was a little more bizarre," Kenny said, explaining how you're so much more aware of your body movements as opposed to when you're just recording in a booth somewhere. Bumpass—who jokingly voiced his support for a live-action SpongeBob series to much applause from the audience—seconded those sentiments by singing the Twilight Zone theme song.
Combining animation with live-action elements was more in line with the two feature films based on the show. Longtime fans probably remember a time when the characters were represented by really low-budget puppets on sticks whenever they came up on dry land.
"It was so ghetto," offered Kenny, also describing the current trend of SpongeBob memes as "pop culture recycling."
Credit: Josh Weiss
The panel was even more poignant given the death of series creator, Stephen Hillenburg, in November of last year. The marine-biologist-turned-animator was 57-years-old when he succumbed to the effects of ALS, a neurodegenerative disease.
“SpongeBob, to me, represents Steve in a really profound way … It’s built on his spirit," said Fagerbakke, who didn't believe the pilot episode (for which he was paid $600) would go anywhere. Years later, however, he admitted his love for the Tiny Tim scene, where SpongeBob feeds the anchovies Krabby Patties.
"It embodies, to me, everything perfect about SpongeBob, that sequence," he added.
“It just reminds me of a time when SpongeBob only existed in Steve Hillenburg’s desk drawer," Kenny continued. "I just remember when he had me come over [and talked about pitching it to Nickelodeon and showed me the initial artwork] ... It turned into this thing that conquered the world. Talk about the power of ideas ... “About four seasons in, I was resigned to the fact that Tom Kenny was just SpongeBob’s host body.”
Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway were also fondly remembered by the cast. The McHale's Navy alums voiced Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy for many years and died within a few years of one another. Conway just passed away in May.
And, of course, Mr. Lawrence couldn't let the panel finish without the iconic exclamation from Fred the Fish, "MY LEG!!!"
Things really wrapped up with a "Sweet Victory" sing-along with dancing costumed characters in an attempt to make up for the fact that the iconic "Band Geeks" track was not sung at the 2019 Super Bowl.
The debut of “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout” on Friday, July 12 kicked off "Best Year Ever", Nickelodeon's year-long global celebration commemorating 20 years of SpongeBob SquarePants, one of the most iconic TV series and characters ever created, which includes the launch of the official SpongeBob SquarePants YouTube channel, brand-new merchandise and a app, and will lead up to the Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies theatrical, The SpongeBob Movie: It's a Wonderful Sponge, coming 2020.
From Variety:
‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Team Honors Stephen Hillenburg at Comic-Con
Credit: Dave Allocca/Starpix/REX/Shutter
The cast of “SpongeBob SquarePants” paid tribute to the late Stephen Hillenburg during their panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday.
“SpongeBob to me represents Steve in a really profound way,” said Bill Fagerbakke, who voices Patrick Star. “The nature of that character is what the whole show is built on and so it’s kind of built on his spirit in that way.”
Tom Kenny, who voices the titular talking sponge, added, “SpongeBob has conquered the world. He’s probably in almost every language on earth in every country on earth. He’s on every conceivable product you could put him on…It reminds me of a time where SpongeBob only existed in Steve Hillenburg’s desk drawer.”
“It was something he drew on a piece of paper from his own head that conquered the world,” Kenny added. “Talk about the power of ideas and art and silliness.”
Hillenburg, the creator of “SpongeBob,” passed away in November after battling ALS. After college, Hillenburg became a marine biology teacher at the Orange County Marine Institute (now the Ocean Institute). That, combined with his love of art, led him to write and illustrate stories as teaching tools with characters that would later become the denizens of SpongeBob’s home, Bikini Bottom.
“SpongeBob Squarepants” has gone on to become one of the most successful and well-recognized animated series of all time, reigning as the number-one kids’ animated series on TV for nearly two decades. The show was recently renewed for a thirteenth season at Nickelodeon following the success of the anniversary special “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout.”
Nickelodeon announced back in June that the series would get its first spinoff, currently titled “Kamp Koral.” The series will see SpongeBob and his friends as 10 year olds at summer camp. The series has received an initial 13 episode order.
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“I am he and he is me,” Rodger Bumpass on being Squidward #NickSDCC
— SpongeBob (@SpongeBob) July 18, 2019
SpongeBob cast was just asked their favorite #SpongeBob episode. How do you think they answered? #NickSDCC
— SpongeBob (@SpongeBob) July 18, 2019
“I may have been the first person on the show to say, ‘My leg!’” -Tom Kenny on Patchy originally only having one leg #NickSDCCpic.twitter.com/mjea97bB4Q
— SpongeBob (@SpongeBob) July 18, 2019
More Nick:Nickelodeon Brings SpongeBob SquarePants' Bikini Bottom to Life at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2019!
Originally published: Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 23:27 BST.
Original source: SYFY WIRE.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon and SpongeBob SquarePants News and Highlights!