By GARRETT RAFOLS
Hailed as Nickelodeon’s #1 hit cartoon show because of its popular cult following, SpongeBob SquarePants has managed to garner much attention from both kids and adults alike in the past few of years. Utilizing an imaginative and clever sort of humor, the show explores a wide variety of situations and actions for these characters, characters who are overall silly and quite ridiculous creatures with interesting habits and hobbies. To some, the show has been considered “highly entertaining” and “genius” for its ability to push the envelope in humor and affect both the younger and older demographics – yet to many others, the show has become the topic for much controversy.
After a rumor quickly spread about a 3-year-old child jumping off a cruise ship in hopes of “finding SpongeBob,” many discussions have emerged concerning whether or not SpongeBob SquarePants is safe for children to watch. Questions such as “Can kids tell the difference between what is real and what is not?” and “Does this show promote homosexuality and violence?” may seem insane, but nonetheless, they have become the topic of many a discussion between parents, Christian organizations, and other ethical groups in the past couple of years. Because of its extreme popularity, the issue of whether or not the television show has more of a positive influence on our youth today has become much more prominent, and although this issue may seem ridiculous to some, it has nonetheless made us question just how influential a cartoon can be.
One of the more popular controversial discussions that surfaced concerned an evangelical group known as “Focus on the Family” that accused the makers of the show of promoting homosexuality in 2005. Disturbed by a certain promotional video which showed SpongeBob along with other characters from children’s shows singing together to promote diversity and tolerance, “Focus on the Family” decided to bombard offending journalists with outraged e-mails. Another issue that emerged was a Burger King commercial that popped up awhile back and used SpongeBob SquarePants for its marketing campaign. Angry parents and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood protested against the commercial that featured gyrating women in outfits that gave them “a butt with sharp angles” (in other words, a square butt).
The commercial had been criticized as being sexist and inappropriately sexual, especially considering that SpongeBob’s fan base includes children and even pre-schoolers. I find it interesting how it manages to attract such a large demographic, yet remain true to itself and its humor. SpongBob SquarePants is a show that some may say promotes stupidity, violence, sexuality and homosexuality, but when it comes down to it, the show is nothing short of inventive and creative in its character development, writing and directing. |
