SpongeBob SquarePants voice actor says the character is ‘autistic’ and ‘that’s his superpower’
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At the recent Motor City Comic Con in Detroit, Tom Kenny, the beloved voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, shared a touching revelation about his iconic character. In a heartfelt discussion, Kenny described SpongeBob’s neurodivergence, suggesting that the character is on the autism spectrum and that this trait is his “superpower.”
During his talk, captured in a video shared by ToonHive on Twitter, Kenny recounted a memorable encounter with a fan who asked if SpongeBob was autistic. “It was the first time I’d ever been asked this question — a person who was obviously on the spectrum came up to me and said, ‘I have a question for you, Tom Kenny. Is SpongeBob autistic? Is SpongeBob himself autistic as a character?'” Kenny responded with an enthusiastic, “‘Of course!’” He then told the cheering crowd, “I said, ‘You know what? That’s his superpower, the same way that’s your superpower.'”
This isn’t the first time Kenny has discussed SpongeBob’s neurodivergence. In a 2012 interview on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, he noted, “I don’t know what there is in that show that talks to kids that are on the autism spectrum, but more than other cartoons… because SpongeBob as a character is a little autistic. Obsessed with his job, very hardworking, gets really, really deep into something.”
Kenny has been the voice of SpongeBob since the show’s debut in 1999. He reflected on his connection to the character during an Entertainment Weekly oral history for the show’s 20th anniversary in 2019, stating, “I felt like I just got [SpongeBob]. Steve [Hillenburg, series creator] did such a good job with it. Everything was right there. You go, ‘Oh, I know this guy. I can embody this guy.’ I feel like there’s some shared DNA between me and this character.”
Discussing the show’s enduring legacy, Kenny expressed his joy at being part of SpongeBob SquarePants for over two decades. “SpongeBob is one of the last remaining super-visual cartoons. There’s just not a whole lot of shows like that anymore. In some ways, I feel like I’m working in this time-machine job. Like working on a radio show or Looney Tunes. It’s pretty cool that we’re still able to be employed as milkmen in 2019.
