Camp cartoon star 'is not gay' - ( SpongeBob )

BBC ^ | October 9,, 2002

[UnklGene]

Wednesday, 9 October, 2002, 15:44 GMT 16:44 UK Camp cartoon star 'is not gay'

SpongeBob SquarePants: A hit with adults and children

The creator of one of the most popular new cartoon characters for years, SpongeBob SquarePants, has rejected claims that his cheerful creation is gay. SpongeBob has become an icon among homosexuals in the United States as well as a huge hit with children, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Who is SpongeBob? A yellow sea sponge whose home is a giant pineapple Lives in Bikini Bottom on the bed of the Pacific Ocean Best friend is pink starfish called Patrick Likes winding up his neighbour, Squidward Tentacles Goes to Mrs Puff's Boating School He holds hands with his pink best friend, lives in an underwater pineapple and gets boating lessons from a teacher called Mrs Puff.

SpongeBob may be "kind of special", but he was not designed to be a gay character, his creator Stephen Hillenburg has told the Wall Street Journal.

The gay community likes the show because it has a tolerant attitude, Mr Hillenburg said.

"Everybody is different, and the show embraces that. The character SpongeBob is an oddball. He's kind of weird, but he's kind of special," he said.

"I always think of them as being somewhat asexual."

The US religious right said Tinky Winky was gay

SpongeBob is the latest sensation on children's cable channel Nickelodeon, and was recently voted among the top 10 cartoon characters of all time by fans.

His sexuality has become the biggest talking point since US campaigners claimed handbag-carrying Teletubby Tinky Winky, an import from the UK, was a bad role-model.

SpongeBob's innocent optimism, "soft" personality and bright, camp world have endeared him to gay men, the Journal said.

Adult fans

Nickelodeon says the show is not aimed at a homosexual audience, but it is the channel's most popular show with adult viewers.

It may be designed for children between two and 11, but almost one in four viewers is aged between 18 and 49, the paper says.

It is screened at 2330, and at 2300 on MTV, as well as more child-friendly times.

In the UK, the channel said 40% of the show's one million viewers were over 16.

The Wall Street Journal says part of its reported $500m (£322m) merchandise sales have come from gay men snapping up branded toys, lunch boxes and even thongs.

[gorebegone]

Yeah and what about Goofy could talk and Pluto could only bark?! what's up wit' dat?

[bjcintennessee]

Sponge Bob represents a young, happy boy -- and the homosexuals are attracted to this so much that they consistantly declare that he's gay?

It doesn't speak well of the homosexual community that they have sexual thoughts about a young boyish character.

[gorebegone]

'cause they were animuls and animuls don't wear pants.

[GrandMoM]

The teletubbies are sweet, innocent little creatures that are baby-like...gay?...come on now...geez ....haven't sat down and watched it right?????

[Graybeard58]

"the house they raid for panties is owned by Mr. Crabs mother"

It all sounds very Oedipal to me! How do we get this smut off the T.V.?

[LdSentinal]

Squidward's gay?! No way! He just has a thing for his clarinet.

[Keith in Iowa]

But other animals in them cartoons wear pants...

[SedVictaCatoni]

"I always think of them as being somewhat asexual."

There's a joke here. The creator of Spongebob Squarepants is a former marine biologist, which is why the show has lots of biology humor (one time Spongebob accidentally travelled to a much deeper part of the sea floor, and encountered a strange, scary town of tube worms and luminescent blowfish). It's the creator's joke that everything in Bikini Bottom is an actual sea creature (aside from the squirrel), except that Spongebob is a synthetic kitchen sponge instead of a sea sponge.

Sponges are, of course, asexual.

[LdSentinal]

Please don't. Spongebob Squarepants is the only thing that keeps me from bashing the heads of any liberal I meet.

[Brett66]

That one episode where Spongebob and Patrick raised a baby clam was kind of gay. Still funny though......

[Moonmad27]

Good point! One of the best eps IMHO was where Squidward moved to the gated community where he could play his clarinet, do interpretive dancing and eat canned bread every single solitary day. Hmmm, interpretive dancing. I rest my case...

[LdSentinal]

Sponges are, of course, asexual.

Are you sure? Spongebob does have a father, a mother and a grandma.

[LdSentinal]

Good point! One of the best eps IMHO was where Squidward moved to the gated community where he could play his clarinet, do interpretive dancing and eat canned bread every single solitary day. Hmmm, interpretive dancing. I rest my case...

Ah, "Squidville." One of the greatest episodes ever.

Spongebob: Are you Squidward?
Squid: No.
[Silence for several seconds]
Patrick: Are you Squidward now?

All the squids in Squidville liked canned bread, riding their bike, playing clarinets, etc.

[Moonmad27]

The Texan squirrel out of her element meant a lot to me when I first moved from Texas to California. The episode where she wants to go back to Texas actually choked me up a bit the first time I saw it. The best cartoons are those that are written for adults that kids can also enjoy on a different level (like the golden age Warner Bros and my current fave Samurai Jack).

[dfwgator]

for the record, all four of those stupid teletubby thingies are flat out gay.

My young daughter was raving about this show on Disney called "The Wiggles." It's these four guys apparently from Australia. Needless to say, even if you don't have any kind of gay-dar, you will know that they are as queer as a three-dollar bill (not that there's anything wrong with that).

[WyPatriot]

I have watched it a lot with my 2 and 3 year old grandchildren. I worry about anyone who can see harm in this show.

[Mo1]

Who is SpongeBob? A yellow sea sponge whose home is a giant pineapple Lives in Bikini Bottom on the bed of the Pacific Ocean Best friend is pink starfish called Patrick Likes winding up his neighbour, Squidward Tentacles Goes to Mrs Puff's Boating School He holds hands with his pink best friend, lives in an underwater pineapple and gets boating lessons from a teacher called Mrs Puff.

Why does this reporter at the BBC repeat the same thing in the same paragraph??

As for Spongebob .. Good Grief it's a friggin cartoon and not everything has to be linked to gays

As for the teletubby .. You have to be a brain dead nit wit to watch that show ..

[GrandMoM]

I have watched it a lot with my 2 and 3 year old grandchildren. I worry about anyone who can see harm in this show.....well, you should be worried about the purple teletubby carrying a purse.

[Graybeard58]

"You have to be a brain dead nit wit to watch that show"

....Or have young grand children who insist that you watch it with them. I have never watched Sponge Bob but I certainly became somewhat of an expert on "The Land Before Time" thanks to my two year old grand daughter sitting on my lap and wanting to watch it endlessly. Littlefoot is my favorite.

[meanie monster]

I miss the good ole Loony Tunes!