New Recording of the Original Premiere of SpongeBob May 1, 1999 Commercial Breaks (Lost Media)

[@LimesFTW]

Its honestly pretty cool on how people treated the show like just a regular, ordinary nicktoon. Not knowing how huge the show would be in a couple of years

[@robertlauncher]

The quality kinda snuck up on me. I remember thinking “This cheese looking guy ain’t going anywhere,” then after an episode or two, “That was alright, I guess,” then “Well, that was kinda cute,” then eventually “I think this is my favorite show now.”

[@RedUmbre]

Spongebob is really just a reboot of Rocko's Modern Life in a lot of ways. It's kinda like when Steven Universe had his precious Cookie Cat replaced by Lion Lickers. Kids had to adapt to the change

[@SleepyLuigi]

Yeah.

[@TheRegart]

It's funny cause around the time this came out, Rugrats was the network's biggest hit. It had been on air for 8 years, had a bunch of merchandise, and at the time, their first movie, which was also a hit. I don't think anybody at the time could have known how much SpongeBob would pretty much dominate not just Rugrats, but the network in general in half that time.

[@tylerjames-yf1ho]

Oh I did. I knew from the premiers it was going to change everything. I was only 6 and I knew it was something very different

[@spaceKadz]

May not be lost media, but for sure the highest quality recording I've seen of the premiere. Huge thanks to the dude who recorded this.

[@williamrusso3130]

For reference, Rugrats was Nickelodeon's biggest show at the time, by far. It was on the air for 8 years, won multiple awards, and was fresh off the movie, which was the first non-Disney animated film to earn over $100 million at the box office. It was about as big as a cartoon could possibly get. Spongebob had little fanfare leading up to the premier, no more than any other Nick show at the time. They probably saw it as another series they could produce for 2-3 seasons and milk a few years of reruns out of it. That was standard of Nick at the time. I don't think anyone knew how massive it would become, and how soon it would dethrone Rugrats as their most popular show.

[@thesimpostor6251]

Should've ended after that third if you ask me...

[@sirsmoothable]

@@thesimpostor6251Season 4*

[@meatbleed]

@@thesimpostor6251 Movie was a nice place to end it imo. First one with the buckets.

[@cunt667]

​@@thesimpostor6251 after the first movie like Stephen Hilleburg wanted

[@Bromon655]

Idk, I think SpongeBob was a different story from the beginning. The difference in quality between a pump & dump show vs SpongeBob was apparent from the start.

[@dragonxblkangelx216]

Gee 1999 was truly a different time for Nickelodeon

[@amaniwhite9622]

It sure was! And this was During the Time when Nickelodeon Celebrated their 20th anniversary. And When Rocket power came On The Nickelodeon screen.

[@OfficialKimIsNoob]

​@@amaniwhite9622 nickelodeon was only 20?! That's crazy, now they're 45!

[@amaniwhite9622]

@@OfficialKimIsNoob Oh, And it was The same year Blues clues blue's big treasure hunt came on the Nick jr. Screen. And Franklin became part of the Nick Jr. Lineup.

[@amaniwhite9622]

And 1999 Was also the year that Disney's Tarzan came out, Along with Toy story 2 later on during that year. ( November 1999)

[@SuperFlashDriver]

1995 - 2003 were truly timepoints of massive change in entertainment. Ranging from 5th generation consoles, to many politics events going on, and new franchises got their start in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s.

[@The_Amazing_Mario_Bros_Show]

25 years ago today, A legend was born

[@amaniwhite9622]

And that legend was SpongeBob SquarePants. 🧽🍍

[@spingleboygle]

i missed it? dang.

[@MattIsTheCat]

Triplets born. The throne awaits.

[@StraellPlays]

@@MattIsTheCat A seer warns of a deadly fate

[@C.A._Old]

same. even last year of 20th century.

[@SpikeShooter92]

Watched it as it happened with my sister (who was going between that and chatting with her friends on AOL Instant Messenger) at my dad's house. She instantly thought it was a stupid cartoon, but I liked it. Crazy to believe 25 years later they are still making new episodes.

[@SecondaryYoshi50Win]

Your sister has no idea what would be spongebob's future...

[@dexred9286]

New series sucks :(

[@SecondaryYoshi50Win]

@@dexred9286no, season 6, 7 and 8 suck, seasons 9 onwards and seasons 1, 2, 3 4, and 5 are good

[@68corvette08]

@@dexred9286 I personally don't mind Kamp Koral, but the Patrick Star Show plain sucks.

[@tophatunited2722]

"Oh wow, that was such a good episode for a new show! I wonder how long this show will go on for!"

[@sbp1763]

*2 5 Y e a r s*

[@geggy310]

Too long

[@cartooncentral5531]

"That Sponge cartoon that just aired sure has hit potential. Maybe three seasons and a movie. We can run it for five years, then end it before it gets bad, because if we don't, it will get old and st...or we can make $1,000,000,000 or more off this bad boy."

[@StraellPlays]

Came for Spongebob premiere, stayed for the VHS movie advertisements. I miss VHS ads.

[@fr0styyproductionsmc]

Those aren’t really VHS ads since it’s a VHS recording of cable. I agree with you, though!

[@StraellPlays]

@@fr0styyproductionsmc I moreso meant I missed the trailers for movies coming out to VHS or DVD. Also, the movie trailers at the beginning of said VHS tapes before the actual movie or menu screen starts. I miss those too.

[@C.A._Old]

me too mann.

[@joeydarigold]

Holy crap, this is amazing. Another large piece of history has been unveiled! Thanks so much for this, man!

[@The84Chambers]

I was there, watching on the TV in my parents room while they were at work. I sat Indian style on the floor. 1999 seems like an eternity ago. I’m 34 now.

[@thesimpostor6251]

Gramps

[@ChickyNugg]

we call it criss cross applesauce now

[@The84Chambers]

@@ChickyNugg Yeah I know but that’s dumb

[@juord]

damm the original full recording of the premiere? That is really neat. And 3D Captain Crunch is funny lol, really shows how far cgi animation had come by the end of the 90s

[@Dmac4Ever]

Oh wow, I mistook Captain Crunch for a real person!!

[@RyneMcKinney]

No one knew on this day that this would become the most important part of modern culture

[@verydaizey7790]

wtf are you talking about

[@GamingWithAnthonyPaul]

​@@verydaizey7790probably what they're trying to say is this is the most important part of modern culture cuz SpongeBob is the entire face of Nickelodeon and/or the premieres of the first episodes are very hard to find

[@Dmac4Ever]

Too far Ryne… too far…

[@Dmac4Ever]

Unless you mean the crunchberries commercial?

[@QU141.]

modern culture is crazy

[@RicoLee27]

When SpongeBob was still good and not milked out

[@amaniwhite9622]

And so, SpongeBob Premiered on Nickelodeon on May 1st 1999. More Episodes Wouldn't come in until July 1999. And the Rest Was History. 📖

[@travisdelafuente1150]

Happy 25th Birthday SpongeBob! I remember seeing you at 6 years old on the TV screen!

[@itsrj13]

crazy it started off as just a regular old show that everyone thought would come & go not knowing it would be one of Nickelodeon's biggest shows & SpongeBob basically becoming the mascot/head of Nickelodeon

[@ethan.aproductions5159]

SpongeBob isn’t officially Nickelodeon’s mascot yet. But I’d say that it’s *fair* though.

[@ukhistorian]

I remember SpongeBob advertised and thinking it would be the next brothers flubb. I am happy I was wrong.

[@autismandme408]

SpongeBob premiere on May 1, 1999, and I was born on January 4, 2000. Spongebob is 8 months older then me! Happy 25 Spongebob! RIP Stephen!

[@triple_m_993]

I’m 2 months and 18 days older than him which I still find crazy.

[@SteveMichael2000]

Well I’m the same but born on March 25, 2000…😅❤️👍, But still you older than me 2 months and 21 days only, now that’s totally crazy but at the end I don’t have anything to say just I love how to see some people born on the same year that I born too…😊❤️👍, Also SpongeBob is older than me too, And at the end Happy 25th Anniversary to that SpongeBoy…😊❤️🧽🫶, Also R.I.P Stephen and thank you for everything…😊❤️🙏

[@DirektBozo]

@@mafeuk Shut up

[@cerealORRH]

@@mafeuk If nobody cared then why would you respond, seems like you care

[@luckynevx]

@@mafeukchill out man just breathe bro this isnt like you man look man just calm down just look man look fat i know you man youre better than this man look know just look okay youre gonna be okay bro everything will be alright now just look here fat

[@mikewzowske]

This is History actual American history

[@Armijo001]

0:15 a legend was born

[@mileven3ggo3njoyer]

Ah man this SpongeBob show seems destined for greatness. I really hope it can run for 14 seasons and get 3 movies. A nickelodeon fan can dream. 😞

[@COPPAsBiggestHater]

Well I finally found a video where the older airings said TV-Y, before 2007 (TV-Y7).

[@BopDiva]

1:04 did anyone else notice that in the first episode here they made a typo right off the bat? ‘Hilleburg’.

[@saulgzazueta]

Wtf

[@JulianR2JG]

That's always been there lol

[@BopDiva]

@@JulianR2JG yeah I know

[@jacobrichardson1952]

As an old soul person for 1999, Lord Jesus Christ SpongeBob takes me BACK!!!!!!! I started watching SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon in 2001 😢😭 GODDAMN CHILDHOOD MEMORIES!!!!!!!!!! Fact, I used to had a big stuffed SpongeBob as a baby and that's how I became a fan. RIP Stephen Hillenberg.....

[@_end3rguy_]

That pasta commercial with the pasta noodles shaped like characters is so appropriate because I used to always eat SpongeBob Mac and cheese when I was little and the noodles looked similar to that

[@QU141.]

i was there when this happened as a kid, obviously didnt record it but this brings back memories...

[@triple_m_993]

Geez, it’s crazy to think me and SpongeBob are the same years old. I didn’t see SpongeBob till I was 3 and understood how TV’s worked. I think ripped pants was the first episode I saw.

[@NoCreepersPeepers]

This was most likely TV-Y because nickelodeon didn't install the TV-Y7 thing on the network yet back then

[@i_used_adblock_to_watch_this]

Install? 😆 Also, Nickelodeon has absolutely no say in the ratings. That's a government mandated system.

[@arthurm.358]

Not true Hey Arnold and Ren & Stimpy were rated TV-Y7 at the time as well as many of the live action shows

[@cartooncentral5531]

TV-Y didn't mean "little kids" in 1999.

[@Waylonmorrin4687]

@@cartooncentral5531but you call it little kids tv-y for like 2 year olds all the way to 6 year olds

[@NoCreepersPeepers]

​@@cartooncentral5531pbs did

[@C.A._Old]

*be kid in 90s was so different than now.*

[@ChallysAnimatedLife]

How was this already 25 years ago?! 😭

[@NPGLAMB]

I was born March 17 2000 and he is my favorite show ever

[@Zj2030]

I was born literally 3 days after you 🤣

[@Jac735]

Remember when this was bring narketed i was in 4th grade when this was premiering 89 baby here

[@bradye21playsIndieHorror]

I think i have this... I was recording the kids choice and had no idea what this weird show was after, but i just let the tape run out. I wonder if I'd have rhe same commercials and bumpers.

[@carelixacosta5601]

I was only 5 weeks old when SpongeBob premiered. It's crazy to think that this cartoon that's still airing is just as old as me!

[@RedUmbre]

That CGI Captain Crunch was so unsettling.....

[@nascaraliens]

i have this all on a vhs tape

[@swagknight6973]

UPLOAD THAT

[@MarxPopstar69]

we aint gonna believe you if you don't upload it

[@QU141.]

jit didnt upload it

[@AndikaThe2000]

Happy 25th Anniversary to tv show of SpongeBob SquarePants! It always my childhood tv show i ever watch!

[@JohnathanSquarePantsStudios]

The Legend has begun.

[@tlucas7031]

I watched this back when it was new. Crazy to think that I’m reliving a 25 year old memory.

[@imsnaco]

it’s crazy how spongebob’s first line was “today’s the big day”. indeed it was.

[@C.A._Old]

*25 years ago today 1 Cartoon did Changed itWorld Forever. Stephen hillenburg. i wish you here mann... thank you for everythings.

[@popsiclewizard8068]

Little 8 year-old me was watching this when it premiered that Saturday morning. I remember they'd had commercials promoting it for weeks, reminding me to tune in and watch the first episode. I didn't want to miss it. It looked really fun, so I was excited to watch it. Hearing the theme song in its entirety for the first time that morning made me even more excited to watch it. I felt like I was actually part of a larger audience. Like these kids saying "aye aye captain!" were friends watching with me. I was pumped for what I was about to see. 22 minutes later, it's over, and I really really liked what I'd just watched. The Tiny Tim song "Living in the Sunlight" really stood out for me, because I'd never seen a cartoon use music like that before. The art style was distinct from anything else that was on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network at the time, and the setting was so unique. A talking sponge that lives in a pineapple? Sign me up! After this aired, SpongeBob quickly became one of my favorite cartoons, rivalled only by Pokemon, which at that time completely dominated kid culture. Of course I could never have imagined that the humor in this show would follow me well into adulthood, but here we are 25 years later and I'm rambling on about it in some random comment section. That was a very special Saturday morning for me, and I still occasionally think about how I was watching the very first time SpongeBob was ever on TV. Thanks for posting this.

[@tornadosirenroubik4124]

Happy 25 anniversary Spongebob Squarepants he made my childhood happy watching it

[@harperburgess9769]

I know I’m the weird one for pointing this out since it’s not the point of the video lol, but what caught my attention was seeing Nick @ Nite come on right after showing I Love Lucy! I never knew that show aired on a channel like this. My parents watch a lot of old shows, so I’m familiar with it, just didn’t expect it on this channel haha. Cool video nevertheless, really some interesting history there.

[@kyledavis7819]

Oh absolutely! Before it became the 24-hour Friends and George Lopez block, Nick at Nite (since 1985) was the original "oldies" block for classic shows. They stopped around '01-'03 in favor of modern syndicated sitcoms.

[@Jac735]

Yea absolutely they used to show them alot mary Tyler Moore show cheers taxi happy days Gilligan's 🏝 im an 80s baby 89 exact and yeah nostalgia was real back than i got to see the last of the dying breed shows but i think the late 90s they stopped showing those older shows on nick at 🌙 they are sure classic though

[@harperburgess9769]

@@kyledavis7819 ohhh wow very interesting! Thanks for telling me that. It’s sad to see them replace the block with modern sitcoms, though.

[@harperburgess9769]

@@Jac735 lol I was born in 2004 and I know a bunch of old shows 😂 My parents are a bit older too so I got to see shows from the 60s/70s that they grew up with on the Memorable Entertainment Channel. But since I was born in this era, that’s why I wasn’t aware of the Nick @ Nite stuff. When I was still in high school, I remember we had a brain break in my math class, it was an online Sporcle quiz about guessing a TV show’s theme song by only hearing 3 seconds of it. When I was the only one who could identify things like “The Andy Griffith Show” “Gilligan’s Island” “Happy Days” and “Three’s Company” that I grew up in an entirely different household from everyone else, LOL. I love how the other kids would know “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and be like “wow what a throwback” umm y’all got nothing on me 😂 such a funny and humbling experience lol, everyone was impressed with me that day!

[@Jac735]

@harperburgess9769 dayyum that's cool though homie fresh prince in my opinion was alright just like family matters but I liked the Cosby show the best though it wasn't as raunchy and it had plots and stoll fresh to watch till tgis day

[@MINE_OK]

This makes me nostalgic for a time I wasn’t alive. Even just from the commercials, life then just seemed much happier

[@Jinaria101]

I was around when this event happened I just wish I actually saw it when it premiered

[@BigDogHDSPB]

I remember coming home from school and watching this first episode,I didn’t care much lmao I think 2002 was the huge hit for SB cause I had the shirts and video games. It was a dark time for me cause of 9/11 and SB helped me block those fears. Man I can’t tell you how much I miss all this simple time!

[@khaliljuanjohnson2024]

25 years ago of this day a legend was born!

[@bamafan73191]

So sad that now we have the Patrick star show and camp SpongeBob, essentially spitting on Stephen hillemburgs grave…:(

[@whomstedery]

If ads were half as entertaining as they were back than I would not be hitting that skip button

[@PhirePhlame]

Mystic Knights sure seemed popular for something my 1997 self has never heard of

[@PartyDude_19]

You know, it really didn't hit me until I saw the Big Help TV spot that at the same time in history that Spongebob premiered on Nickelodeon, the Kosovar campaign of the Yugoslav wars were still ongoing. So much has changed in the Balkans since then and Kosovo's developed so much economically and it crazy to see that in that timespan, Spongebob has remained a constant. It really puts how long this show has been on into perspective.

[@mattmc5069]

I turned 16 later that month in 1999 good times

[@hisyoungmajesty]

25 years of nautical nonsense

[@SergeantLuke]

The biggest vibe I get from these commercials is that people reallllly thought Mystic Knights was going to take off.

[@gerogie51]

What people need to understand is that SpongeBob was never an instant success once it premiered. Sure, it got 1 or 2 million viewers in each episode premiere as a standard cartoon from that time should normally have, but it was pretty apparent that not only wasn't it really hyped, but people also actually didn't LIKE it. Have you guys ever seen that post on a forum from 1999 when the show premiered, with the person expressing how pathetic SpongeBob was to him and how the show would never go anywhere? SpongeBob never got popular until 2001. Here we are, 25 years later.. 3 movies, 1 spinoff movie coming out this year and another movie coming in theatres next year. 2 spinoffs shows. 14 seasons and a 15th season renewed with a total of over 300 episodes. Jesus Christ.

[@amaniwhite9622]

Don't you guys Just miss Classic SpongeBob? Don't you think the new Modern SpongeBob is not as Good as the oldee episodes? Please let me know in the comments.

[@Whocares158]

Old Fart

[@amurrayanimations]

spongeboomer spotted (this is a half-joke, please do not take this seriously)

[@canalfernandospeededitbras9334]

No one expected that this Nickelodeon cartoon that was new in 1999 would become one of the most famous cartoons of all time. ---- Thank you, stephen hillenburg (Creator of SpongeBob) 1961 - 2018

[@mozesberrospi]

These 90s millennials will look back at it and say we created a monster for Paramount 😂

[@dracomalfoyvevo]

It is crazy how this show that nobody expected much of got so large, it has it's own huge theme park attraction, which me and my little nephew went to once.

[@vinnyconde]

Now after the 25th anniversary of SpongeBob, i have one final question… are you ready kids?

[@PulseXP-yo8wu]

ahy ahy Captain!

[@Nickcheezy]

8:24 jumpscare

[@regeansdubois6160]

It doesn’t look like a jumpscare

[@pistolpetereal]

Midcheezy

[@Nickcheezy]

@@pistolpetereal Jellymid

[@girlsswamp6412]

happy to see the man himself out here

[@Nickcheezy]

@@girlsswamp6412 yo

[@peytonkinnamon5318]

Seeing a cartoon that's associated so much with the 2000's, 2010's, and the modern day right next to cultural whiplash of the late 90's is surreal, and I love it! It's almost as if the show itself could've fit in any of those three decades and feel right at home. And yes, I am aware that the pilot was made in 1997, so technically it was made for that specific audience.

[@tokusatsubts]

4:49 let it be known Matthew is now in his 30s! The passage of time is so weird when you're watching archival footage.

[@McNyloLT]

Watching that milk commercial just isn’t the same after watching the new Wendigoon video

[@reverseshin]

I’m glad some more SpongeBob lost media is found!

[@BlaxicanBeautyTV333]

In 1999 I was about 1 years old 😂 but I remember my dad putting the show on for me, I remember watching the earliest episodes.

[@jeffsan4996]

The blonde women is olympic figure skater Tara Lipinski. She was probably a teen back then now she's a mother at 41

[@IfImLyingImCrying]

0:34 they accidentally removed the 7 😂

[@CosmicSponge2004]

Spongebob wasn't rated TV-Y7 until January 27, 2007

[@IfImLyingImCrying]

Ok@@CosmicSponge2004

[@toonman6987]

That’s kinda interesting

[@C.A._Old]

*i wish Stephen hillenburg still be alive today.*

[@BloodProjekt]

1999 bizarre summer!

[@Slingy908]

its so funny that the only thing in these commercials to make it through the 2000s was fucking spongebob

[@jonathanwatson5361]

I was 4 years old when this show premiered not I can't pin point exactly when I started watching but I'm 29 now and like everyone seen every single episode so far still have yet to catch the resents happy 25th spongebob

[@thejoeker3947]

The biggest trimuh since Rugrats

[@unseenphantomamvsytp2186]

I was 3 years old when this show premiered...😮

[@texmexman1]

same i remember watching it

[@PenskeMaterial]

Imagine if it just ran 3 seasons, made 1 movie, and then stopped forever. Its a legendary show but would be even more legendary if it stopped there

[@austinpoznoski3083]

if you asked me what show followed Spongebob's original premiere I guarantee I would not have guessed I Love Lucy

[@JTread2003]

I thought it had a different intro when it first aired, I guess not. Anyway this is really cool!

[@YakkoWarnerTower]

I remember watching the first episode of good old SpongeBob after the KCA awards when I was a kid in the 90's that was great. ❤

[@jesterbomb6763]

they were cooking with such unbelievable sauce its so crazy

[@latinobacon]

Was not expecting black & white shows on Nick at Nite in 1999

0:15 - The death knell of Rugrats

[@SMEARGLEX75]

The birth of the Legend.

[@Tatertot.]

It’s crazy that they saw Jimmy Neutron and thought “we’re going to turn this into a brand” before it was even out but they thought SpongeBob wouldn’t last.

[@dragonxblkangelx216]

Imagine if the 2024 is like the 1999 choice awards and airs SpongeBob right after

[@timewarpdrive77]

1999…. What a concept

[@IkinBBfromAnthologyOfTheKiller]

No way this happened EXACTLY 10 years before i was born I was born on may 1st 2009

[@Nucleite]

Wish I was conscious during this time. I was only turning 3 in 1999.

[@HouseJambo]

Oh my gosh I loved Cousin Skeeter!

[@iO-Sci]

Wow ! SpongeBob launch 25 years ago this is serene :) 와! 스폰지밥은 25년 전 출시되어 고요합니다 :)

[@lucyscity5627]

I remember being so hyped ha! Still love it!

[@cutecentral1930]

"this video is not made for kids" "everyone can enjoy this"

[@hilareous]

10:24 had to take a second look i was like aint no way isnt that the more recent burger king logo?? damn im sorry tthis is so unrelated to all of this but it sent me to a bk logo rabbit hole dawg... it's so interesting how i never considered this logo being used before because it's so "minimalist" compared to the one with the blue circle... absolutely wild. turns out bk was ahead of their time with that logo no surprise they went back to it

[@ReddyToAnimate]

0:16 Here it is. The first time we see the iconic intro used in seasons 1-8.

[@aydanneilson-bourke7378]

its funny, i was ecpecting a different episode at first. i love the look of this

[@DarthCrust66]

I’m so happy this is real and not so clickbait creepypasta thing

[@tylerpickalocks4510]

I have a similar VHS recording of the Adventure Time premiere on CN

[@mariii000]

shit it seemed like a whole different world back then compared to now

[@RyneMcKinney]

3:17 Literally everyone in this shot was oblivious as to how big SpongeBob would become. Everyone thought it was just another silly show that would probably just be a fad

[@rayanzemmit]

25 years 😮

[@onikaconstantine8861]

25 years ago.