'That’s His Superpower': Voice Actor Tom Kenny Says SpongeBob SquarePants Is Autistic

During the recent Comic Con, Tom Kenny, the voice behind SpongeBob SquarePants suggested that the famous Nickelodeon cartoon character is neurodivergent.

By Marita Pinto

Published on Jul 24, 2024 | 04:12 PM IST | 36.8K

Image Courtesy: Getty Images

It's been 25 years since we have loved SpongeBob Squarepants. Since the franchise's debut in the summer of 1999, Nickelodeon has never looked back. SpongeBob has amassed a loyal following of millions of fans of all ages, and one of the reasons is actor Tom Kenny. The actor is behind the voice of our beloved and iconic character.

Voice actor Tom Kenny says SpongeBob SquarePants is autistic

The voice actor recently spoke out against the theories regarding SpongeBob's neurodiversity. Kenny was a guest at Motor City Comic Con, where the conversation took place. A fan questioned SpongeBob's voice actor if they thought the sea sponge was autistic during one of his panels.

Kenny acknowledged that he hadn't given it much thought at first. He said that SpongeBob's kind of on the spectrum as a character. Kenny added, "It was the first time I had ever been asked this question; a clearly autistic person approached me and said, 'Tom Kenny, I have a question for you.'" Does SpongeBob have autism? Is SpongeBob a character who has autism?

Kenny then added, "Of course! I said, You know what? That's his superpower, the same way that's your superpower." Speaking about SpongeBob's neurodivergent nature is not a new topic for the voice actor, who has been the character's voice actor since 1999.

Kenny previously told Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, "I'm not sure what exactly the show teaches children on the autism spectrum, but SpongeBob's persona is a little autistic, so it speaks to them more than other cartoons, incredibly diligent, deeply committed to his task, and focused on it."

Tom Kenny won awards for voicing SpongeBob Squarepants

For his work on SpongeBob, Kenny won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program in both 2018 and 2020. Furthermore, he provided the voices of the Ice King in Adventure Time and its spinoff Fionna and Cake, the Mayor and Narrator in The Powerpuff Girls, Carl Chryniszzswics in Johnny Bravo, and Spyro in the Spyro video game series.

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