The voice actors and co-executive producers from “SpongeBob SquarePants” hosted a panel at SF Sketchfest on Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Castro Theatre. Photo: Brian Feulner, Special to The Chronicle
More than 700 fans of all ages, some in costume, packed the San Francisco movie house Sunday, Jan. 19, to hear the voices of their favorite sea-dwelling characters discuss their work on SpongeBob, the No. 1 children’s animated series for the past 17 years. The panel, hosted by Busy Philipps, included the voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny; Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick); Rodger Bumpass (Squidward); and Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), as well as the animated series’ co-executive producers Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli.
There was a live table read of the season two episode “Pressure,” plus the premiere of a new episode titled “Escape From Beneath Glove World”, which aired on Nickelodeon the day before as part of its upcoming 13th season. But the less-than-two-hour event focused more on the cartoon’s history and impact as part of the “Best Year Ever,” Nickelodeon’s tribute to the 20th anniversary of SpongeBob.
Rodger Bumpass (left), Carolyn Lawrence, Bill Fagerbakke and Tom Kenny, voice actors from the show “SpongeBob SquarePants,” speak on a panel celebrating 20 years of the series. Photo: Brian Feulner, Special to The Chronicle
Nickelodeon debuted the show on July 17, 1999, originally planning for about three seasons. It went on to win five Emmys, sell $13 billion in merchandise, spawn a Tony award-winning Broadway musical which is now touring North America and provide images for some of the most widely used GIFs and memes on social media.
The show also helped kick off the voice-acting careers for many in the cast, including notable screen actors Fagerbakke (Coach) and Brown (The Highlander, Green Mile). The show is driven by the actors giving wild, unhinged performances, which the panel described as “cathartic.”
“We save a whole lot on psychiatry fees,” Bumpass said.
Being the voice of SpongeBob has been a boon for Kenny, who has worked on hundreds of projects since the show’s premiere, including other hit animated series like Rick & Morty (Mr. Meeseeks) and American Dad.
Kenny came into SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg’s orbit thanks to Rocko’s Modern Life, the first successful cartoon job for both of them. Rocko’s Modern Life lasted four seasons, and after it went off the air in late 1996, Hillenburg approached Kenny about his next project, which eventually became SpongeBob.
“SpongeBob SquarePants” celebrates its 20th anniversary. Photo: Nickelodeon
The first images that Hillenburg had for the character were some watercolor paintings he kept in his desk. When Hillenburg showed them to Kenny, he said it was like the “opening of the Ark of the Covenant.”
“I said, ‘Steve, if anyone else plays this character, I will be sad for the rest of my life,’” Kenny said.
Vincent Waller (left), Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Carolyn Lawrence, Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke and Marc Ceccarelli appear at the Castro, some wearing T-shirts featuring their “SpongeBob” characters. Photo: Brian Feulner, Special to The Chronicle
The memory of Hillenburg, who died of ALS in 2017, was ever-present during Sunday’s event. The panel credited his vision and ear for voice talent for the show’s success. And though he only served as SpongeBob’s showrunner for its first three seasons, he stayed involved in the show up to his death.
In the months before he died, Hillenburg consulted on The SpongeBob Musical, which became a hit on Broadway and is scheduled to come to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre on Feb. 12-16.
“He wasn’t positive that musical was going to work until he saw the dress rehearsal. After he saw it, I watched him breathe a sigh of relief,” Waller recalled.
Co-executive producer Vincent Waller signs items for fans at the SF Sketchfest event. Photo: Brian Feulner, Special to The Chronicle
The yearlong promotional campaign for the show’s 20th anniversary, which has included a new line of toys, shoes and the launch of an official YouTube channel, culminates in May with the premiere of a 3-D movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, featuring Keanu Reeves and Awkwafina.
“We’re doing more SpongeBob than we’ve done ever. It’s a bigger part of my life than it was 20 years ago,” Kenny said. “It always blows my mind that SpongeBob took over the world. Twenty years later and it’s everywhere.”
‘SpongeBob’ Fun Factoids
- Every four seconds, someone in the world is talking about SpongeBob on social media.
- San Francisco State University discovered a new mushroom species and named it after SpongeBob (2011).
- A new species of tulip was named after SpongeBob in Holland (2010).
- SpongeBob was the first square balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- The series won the following Emmy Awards: outstanding performer in an animated program for Tom Kenny (2018), outstanding children’s animated series (2018), outstanding achievement in sound editing (2014) and outstanding special class animated program (2010), along with a special honor presented to Stephen Hillenburg at the 2018 Daytime Emmy Awards for his contribution and impact in the animation field.
- SpongeBob SquarePants has “saved lives:” a Long Island girl saved her friend from choking because she learned the Heimlich from SpongeBob (2012); an Australian man lost at sea was found by a helicopter that spotted his yellow SpongeBob trunks (2012); and an entire family was saved from a sinking boat by plugging up the hole with a SpongeBob football (2007).
Additional 2020 SF Sketchfest highlights included:
-- Nostalgia Personified: All That Edition with Nickelodeon legends Danny Tamberelli and Lori Beth Denberg;
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show 45th Anniversary with Barry Bostwick (Spin City), Nell Campbell and Patricia Quinn, hosted by Peaches Christ;
- and Airplane! 40th Anniversary with Robert Hays, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker. This will take place in room 10.. room 11... room 12.. room 13... room 1.. er just check https://www.sfsketchfest.com for the latest, and let's do the time warp again.
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Original source: The San Francisco Chronicle.
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