SpongeBob Is 'Autistic,' Says Voice Actor Tom Kenny

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With thunderous applause following Tom Kenny’s triumphant words, it’s amazing that he called SpongeBob’s possible autism his “superpower.” That’s how all of us should feel about any of our unique abilities. As you can imagine, fans had a lot to say on the idea of the Bikini Bottom resident being autistic, even if his use of the descriptor "superpower" didn't fit well in everyone's minds. Take this X user’s reaction to Kenny’s words:

the only time im allowing anyone to say autism is a superpower is when tom kenny is saying it about spongebob.

You could argue that SpongeBob SquarePants has shown off a lot of super traits over the years, with lots of interests like jellyfishing, showcasing the art of flipping Krabby Patties, and “Kah Rah Tay” with Sandy. Not to mention all of the ways SpongeBob can change the shape of his body in a way no one else can. But being on the spectrum is as natural as can be, and some fans don't think his neuro-divergent traits need to be overhyped to be appreciated.

The following tweet, for instance, harbors a more negative take on the voice actor’s statement:

While I love Tom Kenny and his support of SpongeBob being autistic, calling it a “superpower” ain’t it. My autism is NOT my superpower, it is a disability and it disables me every day.

Autism is a complex spectrum that affects each person differently. Those diagnosed with autism could have the power to see the world differently than others like Temple Grandin. Then, there are those who focus more on the challenges that come from autism like communication issues and sensory overload. This is all the more reason why the character SpongeBob can be a good animated toon for children and adults to look up to seeing a happy sponge living carefree.

In that sense, one fan posted their enthusiasm about feeling more heard and seen by the animated series than others in real life.

love how Tom Kenny happily sharing that SpongeBob has autism and that it’s his superpower made me feel more self assured than either one of my parents ever did.

Another social media user shared a touching analysis of SpongeBob being autistic:

God bless Tom Kenny. The fact he is so supportive of Spongebob having autism for years means so much as someone with autism and been a fan of the show since the 2000's.

With Tom Kenny voicing the beloved cartoon for over two decades, it’s an amazing discovery that this whole time he had a feeling that SpongeBob could be autistic. Given that adults already watching SpongeBob SquarePants after all of these years, this declaration can reach not just neurotypical people but those on the spectrum who can better relate to the popular sponge.

This next post speaks volumes about how much more relatable SpongeBob SquarePants will be now for those with autism:

SpongeBob being confirmed as autistic validates a huge portion of my childhood. I loved SpongeBob as an undiagnosed autistic child because I could relate to him.

How incredible is it that SpongeBob can have such a profound affect on someone's self-understand. By looking at cartoon characters like the pineapple-dwelling sponge, fans can see themselves inside of him and confirm what they probably already knew about themselves. One more X post explained an example of how SpongeBob's quirks are similiar to their own.

I always wondered why I relate to SpongeBob so much. SpongeBob is autistic. SpongeBob also is just like me and doesn’t understand certain aspects of life.

When you look back on the best SpongeBob SquarePants episodes, there are indeed a lot of life aspects SpongeBob doesn’t understand. For example, he hardly picks up on Squidward being annoyed or sarcastic with him. SpongeBob also tends to take things literally like when he and Squidward went on strike and SpongeBob tried to destroy the building after Squidward said, “dismantle the oppressive establishment.” Now, those watching can feel good knowing our favorite sponge also has moments of misunderstanding certain things.

SpongeBob SquarePants star Tom Kenny is addressing a recent viral clip where he says the character is 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 recalled in the video clip. "And I said, 'Yes, of course. Of course, he is!’ I said, 'You know what? That's his superpower, the same way it's your superpower.'"

Discussing the clip in an interview with Entertainment Weekly at the San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend, added a bit more context to his viral remarks.

"I'm not a medical doctor and SpongeBob is imaginary, an imaginary character, so I'm not really qualified to speak," Kenny explained. "But yeah, a young person with autism who is on the spectrum said to me—basically he was asking me, 'I'm like this, is SpongeBob like me?' And I said, 'Yeah, he is. SpongeBob's a lot like you. You guys are the same and you're both awesome.'"

Kenny Never Intended For The Remark To Go Public
During Tom Kenny’s interview with EW—where he and the his fellow SpongeBob SquarePants stars discussed the 25th anniversary of the series—said he’s glad the clip inspired people although it was never his intention.

"That was a nice moment and I never meant for it to go public or anything,” Kenny told EW. “It was just kind of this private moment that I had with a fan but it seems like it's been empowering and helpful to people out there."

:D
i saw this the other day and i keep thinking about it and mentioning it to people ! ! ! ! i dont rly like how he said autism is a superpower bc for me it can be wonderful yes but also is a disability but yes i like this answer from him in general (eg yes spongebob is autistic) bc i have been saying it for years ! ! !

For me it is a superpower