Why Spongebob Is In So Many Memes - Feat. Tom Kenny

It’s been twenty years since the first episode of Spongebob Squarepants aired on Nickelodeon, and in that time the anthropomorphic sea creature has become a household name. Apart from being one of the most successful children’s shows of all time, the series has also spurred dozens of memes, KZbin mashups, and general internet shenanigans.
So how did this unassuming cartoon become the face of internet comedy? We turned to Spongebob voice actor Tom Kenny, the show’s former executive producer Paul Tibbit, and New York’s resident meme expert Madison Malone Kircher to find out.

[@noir1]

Spongebob is a microcosm of the human experience.

[@ALEX-jr1pb]

NOIR yoooo i never thought about that...truuuuuuuu

[@RonWolfHowl]

We live in a society.

[@kwingle]

*what*

[@TimDimNuderu]

@@kwingle W e l i v e i n a s o c i e t y

[@kwingle]

tim_dim_the_nuderu 29681 *oh*

[@luthfibadri]

The older you are, the more relate you to squidward

[@ilooooovekrabbypatties]

I know. I always thought Squidward was the mean one when I was little, but now I can relate to him on a spiritual level.

[@DorkyDeku1]

True

[@Kronos8456]

Sad but very true

[@itzbreadd5226]

How do you know that’s me 😧

[@winterwyvern4993]

You hate him if you are young, but as older you get you realize he becomes your spirit animal.

[@JimmyDPooper]

It's nice to see a mainstream media piece not only reference KZbin Poop, but discuss it in a way that doesn't demonize it.

[@bsgsmusic3451]

Yeah, I honestly didn’t expect them to use footage from Spinge Binge especially.

[@bsgsmusic3451]

Paul Martin Canned Coochie isn’t a YTP since it uses voice lines specially made for the video instead of pre-existing material.

[@joshuakorynta3385]

Hey Jimmy!

[@quantumshock6620]

Jimmy! Didn't expect to see you here :D

[@eruption257]

When they briefly explained it by showing a clip of a DurhamRockerZ video, that's when I knew for sure that they knew their shit.

[@eldazambrano8293]

Dude i started to tear up as soon as they spoke ab Stephen in the end. Rip a legend. 💛💞😪

[@kndytwn]

Crystal ZL Same 😭

[@SecondEvilEx]

I thought I was alone

[@Katie-rv6hm]

I’m still mourning. He was such a great person and his show brought a smile to my face many times. 😢 RIP Stephen ❤️

[@GLstormchasing]

@Nathan Guerrette dit Latulippe you are the emotionally stunted if you think you have to know someone to be upset about their death jackass

[@milan3773]

Nathan Guerrette dit Latulippe shut the fuck up edgelord

[@fisitron7256]

Tom Kenny is probably one of the most prolific voice actors out there comparable to the likes of Frank Walker, Steve Blum, and Tara Strong.

[@artandhugs]

Damn right, and I would add Billy West to that list.

[@candicehoneycutt4318]

And Tress MacNeille

[@scudjoples]

Tom is the first person that comes to mind when I think “voice actor”

[@dummyacc2370]

Especially the fact that Tom also voices the narrator and Gary and is Patchy the Pirate.

[@perditionedpossum5372]

and James Arnold Taylor

[@rocketsub405]

narrator: the result is weird and brash me: more like BELONGS IN THE TRASH

[@LuzMaria95]

J Rocha 😭 😭 😭

[@bobm4378]

J Rocha no humor bone huh??? what you doing here??

[@mitchsorrenstein1819]

@@bobm4378 he's referencing the episode Squidward teaches art class and the art critic says that about his painting Bold and Brash.

[@andreg011]

I read it in their voices lol

[@nanobotjr]

@@bobm4378 What are YOU doing here? Seems like *you're* the one who doesn't belong.

[@chubbzztv4972]

"I am a meme expert." Me: Are you challenging me?

[@skxlter5747]

It's a Wamen so she might be

[@user-st3wx8ck3w]

Pewiepie: you dare opose me you mortal

[@user-st3wx8ck3w]

@EpiDemic117 what?

[@EseHommieChuy]

"Only one will be send to the shadow realm"

[@jakesmith2115]

"I am a meme expert" *proceeds to say the most popular spongebob meme is one that lost relevance 5 years ago

[@tessbea7236]

I wanted to see Tom Kenny actually react to the memes. Seems like a missed opportunity.

[@dutchvanderlinde5855]

Tess Bateman kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2K0eoSqntd4m7c

[@RonWolfHowl]

So… you didn’t want to see him have a single original thought?

[@tessbea7236]

@@RonWolfHowl No

[@littenfire3563]

yeah it really is a missed opportunity. I'd love to see his reaction to YTPs too

[@katmerele]

They have one! Its by the channel vulture!

[@808sandcrabcake9]

Thank you Stephen Hillenburg for blessing us with Spongebob

[@jackietwotwo6587]

About to turn 19 and still watching Spongebob grew up with this mannnn

[@dummyacc2370]

We're in the same age and I can't imagine the show getting cancelled because it's been around even before I was born. 😥😥

[@inu7561]

Jackietwotwo I just turned 19 on July 8th and I’m just realizing how old I am

[@fataleflare]

28 and I quote spongebob online atlest once a week.

[@petermozuraitis5219]

It's commonly accepted that seasons 1-3 was the Golden Era (then spongebob stopped being a childish adult and just became a child; less relatable), it's crazy to think you weren't even making memories when they originally aired but here you are as a lifelong fan :)

[@miszomilza6547]

I’m 12 and I loved sponge bob since 2009

[@scudjoples]

We’re in a timeline where the New York Magazine mentions The Sky had a Weegee

[@Ben-zf5pr]

The sky had a *pokemon* from my cereal box

[@ivan3244]

Scud Joples classic ytp lol

[@z3iro383]

And also The Sex Joke Event Horizon

[@InteriorCrocodileAlligator86]

Never thought I'd live to see a documentary mention KZbin Poop, let alone in a non-deurogatory sense

[@jagerzaku9160]

I know right

[@mikahong]

EARLY! I'd like to give a sincere thanks to Tom Kenny and the whole spongebob family for giving me joy laughs live and basically life...I'm so grateful I had you guys growing up.

[@LuzMaria95]

mikah ong YAAAAAAASSSSSSS

[@Maloz-se1rf]

Me too,this show will never leave me for as long as I live,I'll always love the beautiful sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea

[@epender]

RIP Stephen Hillenburg

[@WyattCayer]

I feel so blessed to be born just at the right time to experience all three original seasons as a kid before it went downhill in quality! Man, is it good to be a millenial.

[@anakinsmecharm]

I salute you, Stephen Hillenburg. Rest in peace. You will live on in our hearts.

[@yasminepadilla]

Fun fact *** Paul Tibbet played patchy the pirate's bird friend.

[@katcano4474]

Potty the parrot?

[@BabyLambCreations]

Yeah, but Stephen Hillenburg originally played Potty before he left the show.

[@camthedestroyer1490]

No wonder he sounded different during the Birthday Special!

[@SonicXtreme99akaCreeperMario]

Baby Lamb Creations oh

[@gvin9464]

Potty

[@ryanisavery]

EVEN MURDER: Shows Sponge bob laughing

[@maui2745]

ahh spongebob is a masterpiece

[@alwaysdazedandconfusedasf9927]

Bro like that episode when Gary left Spongebob hit me so hard I like cried for three days

[@SonicXtreme99akaCreeperMario]

alwaysdazedandconfused asf dang dude

[@dhaq5617]

*_T H R E E D A Y S_*

[@BigForAHedgehog]

@@dhaq5617 the same amount of time it took me to make my potato salad

[@kingchicken9381]

Spongebob was created in 1986 but wasn’t a show until 1999. He actually turned 33 this year.

[@LuzMaria95]

King Chicken YESSS!!!!!!! 🥰

[@zurglebeatler]

He's Jesus' age.

[@junkiejackflash]

@@zurglebeatler praise him

[@ridhaniffalah5268]

Was it on comic??

[@pinkiedies]

Did you know that if you looked at his I.D in the show the year he was born would actually make him 33 idk if that’s what you mean but yeah

[@danielscheib119]

Anyone that calls themselves a meme expert, is not a meme expert.

[@deadaccount8054]

Are you challenging me?

[@zzztriplezzz5264]

@@deadaccount8054 yeah they are

[@parkkm7758]

This reminds me of my old band class. My teacher was getting stressed out about getting ready for a concert and was asking if everyone had their instruments. Me: *raises hand* Teacher: Yes? Me with a improvised Patrick voice: *Is mayonnaise an instrument?* Teacher:

[@katcano4474]

In highschool, while they were introducing a bunch of clubs, the Music Club came up. Naturally I had to ask the question on everyone's mind.

[@FrauWilhelmKlink]

"Do instruments of torture count?"

[@denisemayosky1955]

I wonder how many of your fellow band members cracked up when you asked that?

[@xx_somescenecath0lic_xx888]

Katcano LOLL

[@ThatRipOff]

A journalist calling herself a “meme expert” is like a game journalist calling themselves good at video games.

[@quantumshock6620]

I agree, most journalists are completely out of touch with internet culture!

[@citrusblast4372]

@@quantumshock6620 or they are aware of the culture and have a negative opinion of it, they are posh

[@P0k3D0nd3M4cG]

Even her references were old

[@LPTV84]

@@quantumshock6620 I like your profile pic, and you're definitely right.

[@senorhace4746]

Citrus Blast stfu bitch

[@SconesWithJam]

No one: Spongebob: :D

[@rog4566]

Wolfie_ Edits Squidward: *O H N O H E S H O T*

[@danialshamshuddin]

More like: Nobody: Spongebob: :D Everybody: :D

[@felynecomrade]

Spongebob: :B

[@xylopiano3]

That's very wholesome.

[@theMattman]

R.I.P Stephen and Happy Birthday to his creation Spongebob Squarepants

[@mrmimeguy]

why didn't they show the memes of squidward t-posing and saying " *L I K E T H I S I M A G E T O E A T C R A C K E R S* "

[@Tr6sher]

Normies

[@razz7546]

@@Tr6sher normie memes are usually located in facebook, i go to Reddit or Twitter for my memes

[@shawndevries8585]

Am i the only one who doesn’t think she’s a meme expert?

[@sayoushsubedi5756]

PewDiePie is.

[@radioactivebirdj.1845]

@Heyo Mayo *knows

[@sominboy2757]

Shes only .5 of her power.

[@secundusytp4517]

She didn't even realize the rainbow meme was "nobody cares". Much like what she was saying

[@djmips]

@@secundusytp4517 that meme evolved.

[@cellini051]

There's been so many recent videos with the show's voice actors for Spongebob's birthday and I'm LOVING it!

[@dannigro8794]

10 when this came out, 30 now. 2/3 of my life had spongebob in it. Thanks Stephen.

[@PhilinQQ]

Wow! Bubble bowl scene wasn't shown during the Superbowl instead of that they turned on "sicko mode" 😒That made everyone in the internet upset. Please be true with your viewers

[@fantamoon847]

Philin that’s why they said it kind of happened

[@LuzMaria95]

Philin preach! 😤💯

[@L16htW4rr10r]

@TheCycleson I see. It kinda make sense now. But it still makes me sad. :(

[@gagetaylor192]

@TheCycleson I'll be as salty as I damn well please. It was a slap in the face to spongebob fans everywhere. They started the song then switched it, they did it on purpose. It was like the equivalent of a dj setting up the drop for a dubstep song and then it plays some slow jazz or some shit.

[@RejectedRecords1998]

TheCycleson Do you seriously think they couldn’t change the song? Go fuck yourself

[@alfredo_ramos_lopes4799]

imagine saying your a "meme expert"

[@watchandjewelryloft4713]

Yeah, what credentials does she have for that? lol

[@Hot18Shot]

Tom Kenny getting teary-eyed talking about Stephen Hillenberg was really touching. These two were/are legends.

[@depressedhulkhogan2770]

Never thought I’d see KZbin Poop in a documentary sense. Amazing honestly lol this video was great.

[@derrinerrow4369]

I actually saw that YTP years ago.

[@kykale]

There are also some video essays on KZbin Poop and the likes

[@depressedhulkhogan2770]

ky kale interesting. Lemme finish this chili on toast and I’m gonna search that up.

[@ogchip9595]

That girl ain’t no meme expert

[@trippy5519]

As I got older and saw scenes from Spongebob I appreciate the humor a lot more than I did back then. Truly no other show like it.

[@zmaria739]

i will always love spongebob. i’ll be 83 still watching 😂

[@romancaesar47]

Says she’s a meme expert. “When you see this meme on twitter”

[@TheRiskyChance]

Twitter is where a lot of people see memes. It has a much wider audience than Reddit.

[@jachariah4694]

Yeah, people see memes on Twitter.

[@muffinzezyproductions116]

Roman Caesar 47 It’s funny how like half of reddit is twiiter screenshots

[@ZanraiKid]

“Are there any other shows this pervasive online?” I would say Dragon Ball and The Simpsons come close.

[@jeremyscungio16]

That so called "meme expert" pissed me off so much

[@bronistevoni]

3:44 "I think a Spongebob meme that is very popular is the imagination"

[@lakeslake4122]

in 2009

[@chibifernando1804]

CANNED COOCHIE get it at The Krusty Cooch!

[@knucklesfieryheart20]

Chibi Fernando Lmao

[@kiamckenz]

Did you say “canned coochie”??😤

[@lydiapacheco8312]

S p a r e C o o c h i e , S p a r e c o o c h i e , m a m ?

[@SoggyHotDoggy]

I hope people really appreciate Tom Kenny and the rest of the cast considering that they all helped shaped the childhood of a generation and still do. Especially Tom, considering how many different iconic characters he’s voiced over the past two decades

[@five0fan]

It’s amazing how saturated our lives have become with Spongebob. It’s even made its way into public education- I went to a high school concert where the school’s Concert Band performed “Sweet Victory” to honor Hillenburg. A student helped adapt the song into sheet music for every instrument in the school’s band.

[@IntelligentReality]

4:12 Remember the episode where Spongebob and Mr Krabs murder a guy and bury him and when his shallow grave was lifted they put the body in a cop car and stored it in the Krusty Krab's freezer? If that's not relatable then you got some problems.

[@brandon_white2422]

Basically tom kenny was saying that his favorite episodes are all the ones from seasons 1-3 or 4 and the rest suck like we all feel

[@ryanmeneo6301]

It's more that he likes the episodes where spongebob is monologuing and goes nuts

[@SonicXtreme99akaCreeperMario]

Season 10-12 were cool

[@bigbodytonkatruck139]

See this is the type of comment that pisses me off, u say like we all feel and people like u always say “I Am a SpOnGeBoB fAn” if u were u would like the show in a whole. The whole 1-3 shit is old and Annoying as hell

[@lilygates9795]

Tommy Kenny : you want to fly a kite but sometimes you don’t have time Benjamin Franklin : am I a joke to you

[@kiraviksna5150]

jesus all my classmates laugh at someone who watches SpongeBob. We were offered to watch a variety of kids shows at school, and i was the only person who said SpongeBob ;-; I hate growing up everyone is so grumpy

[@ejyhui]

i guess you’re the only cultured one then. congrats

[@saraiinez8790]

I can't think of one day in my school years where spongebob wasn't referenced by my classmates. But we did grow up with him being that we're twenty now.

[@denisemayosky1955]

@Captain Fluffy Sad that all your classmates grew up to be Squidward...

[@denisemayosky1955]

Now you know why people say you grow up to be Squidward.

[@tony_bologna1239]

I hate people who were once spongebob fans but as they got older they like him less, like when you tell someone you still watch spongebob at the age of 17 And they say "your childish bro" it's annoying and dumb

[@ImClaypool]

I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been able to watch those early seasons on tv as a kid.

[@ATLienbarbie1]

Im 42... My daughter is 2mos away from 20 yo. Shes a sponge baby! From the time she could crawl if she heard "ARE YA READY KIDS?" She would break for the tv. One day when she was about 5 i was sick with the flu stuck on the couch all day. I put on SB to keep her steady for a while after school. Guess who ended up watching more of the marathon than her... Hours on end. I founds myself rushing home from work to watch SB. My heart was smitten... And my daughter grew up to have that same kind caring soul that u guys developed for the character and i appreciate that. Thanks for 20 years of hilaritYy and life lessons😍😍😍😘😘😘 HAPPY 20TH SPONGEBOB✨✨

[@kyle60213]

“I’m a meme expert” you merely adopted the meme culture i was born in it molded by it

[@Chuck-PK]

I swear Tom Kenny could be the long-lost younger brother of Greg Proops!

[@pjbfny]

THATS who he reminds me of!

[@thesunray4882]

Spongebob memes give me too much life

[@gabrieljimenez-dy9nu]

Spongebob gives us a combination of random and energetic animation all expresions and faces are unique I think all that magic gives us memorable moments I still saying quotes to my friends like "are you feeling it mr. Krabs?" "have you finish those errands?"

[@Ashicakez3]

1:14 i remember seeing that on TV as a kid! 😭😢

[@Microfoot]

The Mario clips in that "Sky Had a Weegee" video aren't from the old Mario cartoon, they're from one of the Philips CD-i games. I think it was Hotel Mario.

[@fantamoon847]

Microfoot I hate it when they don’t do research beforehand

[@TheShipMaster]

Microfoot it was Mario is missing specifically the PC release

[@dashietheytpproductions2521]

I wanna see Tom Kenny react to Spongebob YTPs

[@LuLzezRoflcopter]

The Meme Expert is a earned title given to you by the people. It's analogous to declaring yourself as an expert comedian, it doesn't make sense. It's not someone who studied internet marketing. Idk why but it was really annoying hearing someone say that.

[@radioactivebirdj.1845]

It's practically cultural appropriation, it's like if I went to KFC and declared myself a west African history expert

[@monikaradzaj7407]

5:58 OMG KZbin Poops! That takes me back to the last decade!

[@justsomesmoldemoninabox5146]

Fun times mayn

[@NPCarlsson]

They showed one that was made literally last year.

[@logansanta-cruz7648]

I’d like to thank Tom Kenny for giving me a childhood

[@jadawayda6545]

Thank you to Tom Kenney for being the voice my favorite childhood cartoon

[@alexis-qv9wb]

Madison: I'm a meme expert Also Madison: *names the oldest spongebob meme*

[@reeceboys1239]

Anyone else start singing let’s go fly a kite when Tom Kenny mentioned Mary Poppins

[@TheDeadAlewives]

The best way to kill memes: videos like this. Also, "Meme Expert".

[@SpinDash]

I was not expecting to see KZbinPoop referenced in here. Why tf is it here

[@SonicXtreme99akaCreeperMario]

SpinDash idk

[@flamewave64]

This is a good piece thanks for making it

[@bonerbreath3396]

mrs. meme expert thinks the imagination meme is still popular

[@Chamorrita-rg9qp]

Thank you tom Kenny 4 SS shows I grew up with and LOVE IT!!

[@khaansulu5695]

SS shows? You a nazi?

[@monikaradzaj7407]

1:13 You guys used a clip from The Zone! That TV block was my childhood growing up in Canada!

[@Queenkirlia]

Never in my life did i think I’d come upon a spongebob hyper-analysis that mentions KZbin poop and hip-hop references

[@organicmilk5]

I'm soo happy youtube poop was mentioned. I feel like it's a side of KZbin a lot of people dont know about and are really missing out!

[@bobparker2107]

"I'm a meme expert" sites Twitter as source of memes

[@YouTubeDoesntSupportMyUsername]

Tom Kenny is epic

[@gamingbutnotreally6077]

YESSSS ANOTHER TOME KENNY VIDEO! Im loving these!

[@TheMoises1213]

This was so good omg I started to tear when ya spoke about Steven when he passed. My childhood man❤️

[@homeishere2089]

If you identify as a meme expert, you definitely don’t know anything about memes

[@Chancethestylist]

"MEME EXPERT" She better have reddit or it might be time for a crusade

[@Chancethestylist]

@@toad8840 well with twitter alot of the stuff from their gets stolen and posted onto snapchat and instagram

[@Dustins7]

this is great, so happy this became a thing

[@thorntonwager6750]

They should be ashamed of themselves for not doing a proper Sweet Victory at the Super Bowl

[@mr.l4461]

Thank you Mr Hillenburg

[@Scienceboy0]

"I would in fact say that I am a meme expert" CRINGE 1000

[@kiraviksna5150]

I don't think it's cringe

[@minsteast6100]

@@kiraviksna5150 normie

[@Lonech]

“Cringe” looks like you are no meme expert

[@Gypsycamile]

So cringy. She should go back to meme school

[@elterga6224]

@@Gypsycamile it's not something you can teach lol

[@117johnpar]

Its a really easy analysis. The tone and aesthetic of the show fits itself seamlessly into the meme format. And the scope and amount of the content available for it is such that its able to convey in virtually any joke one could think of.

[@I.S_Lombrana]

No matter how old I’ll be I’m still going to reference spongebob

[@wolflint2746]

Is it me or is it that I hear a little bit of Spongebob in Tom's voice?

[@luckycluckers6880]

I wonder why 😂

[@KirbyMArt]

the meme woman saying she's an expert in memes is a meme in itself

[@raccoonboye5361]

Tom Kenny is great. He doesn’t complain about the newer episodes being worse, he just rolls with it.

[@ImJotaroKujo]

Crazy how my favorite cartoon as child turned into this “your uncultured if u haven’t seen this” thing to adults

[@antothemanto77]

I’d like to know what Tom Kenny thinks of new Spongebob versus old Spongebob

[@_enoeletnom8847]

A 12 year old edgelord knows more about memes than Madison from the New York Post does.

[@erichayes8445]

You are never too old for SpongeBob. I'll be watching it in the nursing home when I'm an old man

[@nomad-bs3bq]

this was so wholesome :( great work

[@only1ydk]

My boy Hurricoaster got a shout out!

[@beaumartinez9780]

She's not a mem expert, and her not correcting him saying she's a meme lord shows she's not a meme expert/ lord

[@guytorie]

Tom Kenny: *points* I GETCHU MAN I GET YOU I FEEL YOU BRO Me: *slightly startled, but chill with this sudden and brief change in Tom Kenny's demeanor*

[@lilacdreams0120]

I love that I clicked on one Tom Kenny video once, KZbin just kept throwing more and more on my recommendation. Not that I’m complaining though lol

[@mrlevinielsen]

EmpLemon made a great video on this

[@Fuziontony123]

That’s the first thing that came in mind while watching this.

[@quantumshock6620]

3:32 The only 3 "meme experts" are Grandayy, Dolan Dark and PewDiePie. No one else!

[@Rob10420]

Meme culture has its roots and is curated by the same people who grew up watching spongebob

[@alannahbermo]

This is brilliant.

[@GregStallion]

Weegee is not from any of the Super Mario Bros. TV shows... He's from the video game "Mario Is Missing".

[@TheShipMaster]

The PC release to be specific

[@nyctenthusiast3507]

Woman: "Im a meme Expert!" Pewdiepie: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@KyloRen4238]

Happy Birthday Tom Kenny. Your amazing legend man. I love SpongeBob Squarepant, Teen Titans, The Grim Adventure of Billy and Mandy, Transformers 2 Revenge Of The Fallen, 3 Dark of the Moon, 5 The Last Knight, The Powerpuff girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Codename Kids Next Door, The Adventure of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, Xiaolin Showdown, Camp Lazlo, My Gym Partner's a Monkey, Star Wars The Clone Wars, Chowder, and Futurama. Awesome. Seriously, awesome. SpongeBob Squarepant was my childhood show... I never stop watching it. May the Peace be with u SpongeBob Squarepant. From Harlingen Texas. July 12, 1962 July 12, 2022 through July 12, 3022

[@tracksidefilms5416]

I’m glad you mentioned the ytps!