Something About 'SpongeBob' Whispers 'Gay' to Many Men

Wall Street Journal ^ | October 8, 2002 | SALLY BEATTY

[gcruse]

He lives in a pineapple under the sea, in a town called Bikini Bottom. His best friend is an exuberant pink starfish named Patrick. His name is SpongeBob SquarePants, the absorbent yellow star of the most highly rated kids show on TV.

[Miss Marple]

Sandy is an explorer. That is why she was undersea. (I think.)

I am still wondering why SpongeBob lives in a pineapple, and why the pineapple doesn't rot.

[Miss Marple]

The most common usage of the word "hemlock" is as a poison. It is the poison Socrates drank when he committed suicide as the punishment from the men of Athens. I just somehow don't believe Hemlock chose his name because he wanted to honor his favorite shrub.

But then what do I know? I am a Bushbot.

[ArneFufkin]

First thing I'd do is introduce "Manny", the Portugese Man of War who would lethally sting fat, 60 something Europeans moving around public beaches in their G-String speedos.

Now, that's family viewing fun.

[Miss Marple]

There is already a giant jelly-fish, which SpongeBob was fleeing because he was catching smaller jellyfish with a net.

You really MUST watch this, Arne. It is a nice diversion from worrying about the liberals.

[ArneFufkin]

I love and respect you, MM, but if I bumble into this it will be a fluke. I can't find a enticing hook from the generous overview and obvious affection expressed here. I'd be halfway through and hoping the otters showed up and ate the cast.

[SunnyUsa]

"You're dead, maggot!" "

I'm just shocked you were a wiseass in college! ;)

Thats a great story, I'm glad to know why you're "dead"!

When I pledged a sorority I couldn't stop laughing during all the "paddle ceremonies" and "hell night" nonsense either...
It was ridiculous and they knew it, I knew it etc

The thing is alot of my friends were already "sisters" so I was a "shoe-in" but I had to wipe that smirk off my face esp since I'd make them laugh when they were trying to be MEAN!

[Miss Marple]

LOL! Well, I wouldn't have watched it either except the grandkids loved it. Use your own judgement. (But you should at least know about what the current pop culture is...it helps in undeerstanding how the younger folk think.)

I watch SpongeBob rather than listening to rap music. SpongeBob at least emphasizes hard work, loyalty, honesty, and kindness.

Now tell me this: have you watched any of the Veggie Tales? There is a thread on this as well.

The current favorite cartoon characters are vegetables and invertebrate sea creatures. What a world, what a world! LOL!

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I have never, ever wondered about the characters sexuality. Anyone that does has a screw loose somewhere.

I know where the loose screw is located.

[dougherty]

Anyone who can call Spongebob 'vile' must himself be vile.

True. Also, I don't believe they've ever seen the show, just speaking from sheer stupidity and ignorance. It is an innocent cartoon, nothing about it is pro-gay. Geesh!!

[Charles Martel]

It's not that bad. I'll sometimes watch it with my youngest son (age 9), especially if Plankton is featured. Plankton reminds me of any of a number of small-minded knee-jerk anti-government fist-shaking libertarians at FR. I love to laugh at Plankton's feckless imbecilities.

I'm with you. The show never really appealed to me, until I caught a "Plankton" episode. Funny, funny stuff.

[ArneFufkin]

Ha! Perhaps. Maybe I'll make it a SpongeBob/Dowd/Kravitz/Carrotop night of cultural befuddlement.

[Charles Martel]

Patrick gets all the best lines.

He's voiced by the actor who played "Dauber" on Coach, IIRC.

[Willie Green]

I watch SpongeBob rather than listening to rap music.

Good grief.

[Charles Martel]

Bugs Bunny was definitely gay.

Always dressing in drag, kissing Elmer Fudd or Yosemite Sam on the lips, and prancing around in that little effem-busy-body way.

Kinda like Uncle Miltie, no? Was he gay, too?

Oh, Murgatroyd!

[Miss Marple]

Willie, some of us like to know what is going on in the popular culture. I don't like rap music.

Do you have a problem with this?

[Redcloak]

Hmmm... This might explain the odd looks I get when I wear my SpongeBob T-shirt. (And I thought that it was simply because it's bright, bright, BRIGHT yellow and has SpongeBob's face plastered across its front.)

[GSWarrior]

See what you've done? You've ruined Sponge Bob Square Pants for the rest of us.

[Charles Martel]

The funniest episode of SpongeBob I have seen has him trying to pass the driving test for his drivers license. If you saw that and didn't think it was funny, then you need YOUR head examined.

LOL!! "Mrs. Puff" - in her deep basso profundo: "OH, SPONGEBOB... WHY?!!" A puffer fish driving instructor who inflates like an air bag in a collision - who could not laugh?

[gcruse]

Actually, Bob will have a few more viewers than
before, based on this thread.

[glory]

I agree with your assertions of the characters. I think the underlying crush of sponge on Sandy is obvious in how he desperately works to compete for her attentions(remember muscle beach and he trying to compete with Larry the muscle bound Lobster?). He doesn't do the same w/ Patrick, quite the contrary, often times they seem very competative, which seems like a pretty healthy male "thing" from the male friendships I have observed. Kind of like a one upmanship contest. His relationship with Squid reminds me of the types I saw in school with a sort of hero worship. Sponge idolizes the snobbish squid and is happily naive to the fact that Squid hates him. In that sense, he reminds me of those kids we all remember in school following around some guy they idolize and the guy using him to his benefit(not in the gay sense) when it suited him, but not liking him at all.