The animation community and 90s kids alike faced a devastating blow when news broke this week that SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg had passed away. Hillenburg, following a long battle with ALS, died at age 57.
If you’ve ever scrolled through social media, you know the substantial influence SpongeBob had on the internet. Thanks to both the internet and SpongeBob establishing themselves as pop culture juggernauts in the early 2000s, the two naturally dovetailed for kids growing up at the time.
But only in the past several years has meme culture absorbed SpongeBob into its grasp. Every month it seems like a new meme is born featuring the show’s iconic characters like SpongeBob, Patrick, or Squidward. The show seems to absorb whatever expression internet users want to apply it with; after all, the show’s main character is literally a sponge.
Though it’s doubtful Hillenburg intended for all this, everyone is susceptible to the power of a good SpongeBob meme. Remember that when Kanye West fired back at Jimmy Kimmel during their 2013 feud, he used a SpongeBob meme.
remember when kanye invented spongebob memes 😔 pic.twitter.com/VzlGNblVkI
— kanye west news (@ima_fix_wolves) November 27, 2018
In memory of Hillenburg and the wonderful show he created, we rounded up our favorite SpongeBob memes. Thanks for making us laugh, Stephen Hillenburg.
Mr. Krabs Blur
when you take a nap for a few minutes and its dark outside when you wake up pic.twitter.com/5FhsIGCKCP
— Meech Arlert (@DemetriusHarmon) March 11, 2016
When they turn the lights on at the club and everybody u danced with realize u ugly pic.twitter.com/O2puER3p6N
— Vic (@VictorPopeJr) March 9, 2016
MoCkInG SpOnGeBoB
https://twitter.com/Trashvis/status/861963563665108993
https://twitter.com/lexysaeyang/status/860384038871220224
Evil Patrick
Me leaving the pot in the sink because “it needs to soak” pic.twitter.com/8q29xu4ua2
— Andre D Thompson (@AndreDThompson) March 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/JFalcon23/status/968718567356223489
Tired SpongeBob
me after I put the fitted sheet on my bed by myself pic.twitter.com/R1DAjYWlyG
— m ¨̮ (@mckenziedenisee) March 27, 2018
me after any kind of social interaction omg not even trying to be relatable just trying to survive pic.twitter.com/8SYfJLuPKU
— Jenn McAllister (@jennmcallister) March 28, 2018
Krusty Krab vs. Chum Bucket
The best one I’ve seen all day #SpongebobMeme pic.twitter.com/q7lBGLGUk2
— Gary Gramz (@GaryGramz) March 21, 2018
https://twitter.com/itscarneezyy/status/975014841906810880
Squidward FOMO
Juniors looking at graduating seniors like pic.twitter.com/jWfp15pRAL
— cozyshaq #blm (@stephanoslap) May 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/CauseWereGuys/status/884730766789357569
