Why the Hate Toward SpongeBob?

[HeyHomie]

Some childed friends of mine were over last weekend and, while we adults were looking at photo albums, the kids started jonesing for something to do. I suggested putting in one of my SpongeBob Squarepants DVD's. And my friends were all like, [smug, serious voice]"We don't allow Spongebob in our home."[/smug, serious voice]

Can somebody please give me some kind of a clue about what parents would find objectionable about SpongeBob! It's SPONGEBOB! for Pete's sake! I've watched it for years and have never seen any kind of objectionable content. My friends are both college graduates and, one would think, have critical thinking skills and have sorted through this whole "SpongeBob is gay" hysteria that was going around a couple of years ago.

Any help here?

 

[TrustingmyLord]

Hate for Spongebob???? The horror!!

I LOVE spongebob!!

Hmm... the only objectionable things I have seen... In the spongebob movie, seeing Patricks naked cartoon butt, a little violence, Patrick wanting to show that girl his undies... yeah, there were a few things, but I own the movie and my kids watch it.

Theres also an episode I can barely remember... there was a baby.. not sure what kind of baby, but Patrick was the hubby and Spongebob was the wife, had curlers in the air, etc. It was a very funny episode, and if you watch Spongebob regularly then you know it was more of a thing like two small kids playing house, but if you had never seen it before, I can see where someone might think it was promoting a gay lifestyle.



The only small problem I have ever had with it is the occasional name calling. Dummy, etc... I have a 5 year old who uses these words too much. But I talk to her, she knows not to call others names.

Then the episode with the magic conch shell that they seemed to worship... I didnt care for that one.

I think it all comes down to people who havent watched much of the show and just dont "get it."

I really like the show. I dont watch much tv, but I watch alot of spongebob!

 

[AutumnDreamer]

To be quite honest I hate spongebob, he is annoying lol If I could find some religious reason to ban him I would, but alas I have found none so far.

 

[burn97]

there's absolutely nothing wrong with Spongebob. I'm a strike parent when it comes to watching/reading with my kids, and I haven't seen anything bad in those cartoons.

 

[shamsweedo]

People will always find something to complain about. It is too easy to simply accept things the way they are. Things must be picked apart. There is no chance of having a good thing left alone.

Maybe the controversy is over Gary the snail. He does seem a little confused. lol. I'm totally kidding. I love the show.

 

[Linnis]

I dislike spongebob, his voice is very annoying. The bathroom humor gets old really quick and his need to make fun of everyone doesn't set the best example. I have not ban the show first of all because he(my nephew) is allowed to have it at home and I'd much rather save it for just about everything on the cartoon network.

 

[icbeckyc]

I hate it. Way to stupid for my taste. My kids watch it and DH watches it. I actually get a turn on the computer when it comes on. I don't mind it now that they are older. I finally gave in when my youngest was like 9.

They watched it with their cousins at my moms once. She made them turn it off, because it was gross - oh they were talking about poop (I think) and Sponge Bob was running around in his underpants and I don't know what else. Now she never told us growing up we couldn't watch something unless it was really harsh. But for some reason she really hated Sponge Bob.

I also thought the movie seemed like it was about 6 hours. The only worse and longest feeling movie ever was the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

 

[Redguard]

I've watched some SpongeBob myself. For the most part, I find him funny.

However, my daughter is at a very impressionable age (3 yrs old) and she's absorbing everything that she sees and hears like a... well... a sponge.

So we just want to make sure that everything that she's taking in right now is of some educational use.

That being said, she enjoys watching Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go, and Peep and the Big Wide World.

When it comes to more "song and dance" type entertainment, she watches Backyardigans.

SpongeBob is funny only in terms of potty humour. But aside from that, there's no real substance in that show. And there is a bit of an issue with words like "dummy" and "stupid".

 

[lucypevensie]

Spongebob is definitely a unique show. I can see how some people can be turned off by it right from the get-go. There are some obnoxious elements to the show (his laugh for example), plus SB talks in a high pitched voice yet he is suposedly a grown-up (?).

We love Spongebob at our house!

There is the one episode where Flats the bully threatens to kidk SB's butt. My kids started talking about kicking butts after that one. I told them if they couldn't watch the show without learning obnoxious words we were going to have to turn the show off. They stopped saying it.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

There is no SpongeBob in our house. There isn't really a specific reason beyond I find the entire show really annoying and as a parent I reserve the right to not allow my kids to watch things that I find annoying since I have to listen to them too.

I have seen some behaviors I don't want my kids to pick up on but it isn't banned because of them.

 

[jgonz]

I do not like SpongeBob at all... SpongeBob is annoying, his laugh grates on my nerves, and there is very little to no redeeming value in the show. BUT my DH and all my kids think he's hilarious, so I let them watch it (when I'm not in the room. LOL)

 

[GolfingMom]

I think spongebob is like any other kids show...Some LOVE it and some find it annoying!
I know some who don't allow Barney b/c he's annoying. I also have a friend who wouldn't allow the WIGGLES b/c she thought they were annoying...they gave it a try though (running out of ideas for her kids on entertainment) and the ENTIRE family LOVES them.
I don't get the network/channel that SB is on but I did enjoy sesame's street version of Triangle Bob Traingle pants...LOL

 

[HeKnowsMyName]

I suggested putting in one of my SpongeBob Squarepants DVD's. And my friends were all like, [smug, serious voice]"We don't allow Spongebob in our home."[/smug, serious voice]

Honestly, we don't allow Spongebob. I find him vulgar and he does things that I don't want my DD to learn. However, had this same situation happened to me, I would have had to have told you the same thing. Perhaps you would have thought I was "smug" and holier than though, but that's not the case. It would have embarrassed me to tell you that we didn't allow it in our home because I wouldn't want you to think that I thought I was holier than you or anyone else. Perhaps the smugness you thought your friends were portraying was actual embarrassment because they didn't want you to think they were goody two shoes? It's hard being a parent and deciding what the right choices for your children are. I second guess myself all the time.

 

[RooMama]

I don't let my son watch Spongebob, partially because I've never seen it myself. My impression is that it is geared for school aged kids (6 or 7 and up ?) and my son is only 3.

 

[Andry]

Spongebob is an idiot.

But hey, Wile E. Coyote was/is an idiot too and I liked him. And it didn't mentally damage or derange me. To each his own.

 

[Christianmom1968]

Spongebob is allowed in our house although I don't care to watch the same episodes a million times (lol). My son likes it way more than my daughter.

The thing that cracks me up is my boss (who's in his 50's) LOVES SB. His daughters have even purchased memorabilia for his office. It makes me laugh every time I walk into his office

The show I absolutely hated when my kids were younger was Barney, the purple dinosaur. I think every generation of parents has a kids related show that totally irks them.

 

[Linnis]

Anyone else notice Nick plays the same 25-30 episodes of their shows over and over and over again. I think I'd find them less annoying if I didn't start to realize what was going to happen from the first 20 seconds and that's only hearing them.

 

[AJoyfulNoise]

Honestly, we don't allow Spongebob. I find him vulgar and he does things that I don't want my DD to learn. However, had this same situation happened to me, I would have had to have told you the same thing. Perhaps you would have thought I was "smug" and holier than though, but that's not the case. It would have embarrassed me to tell you that we didn't allow it in our home because I wouldn't want you to think that I thought I was holier than you or anyone else. Perhaps the smugness you thought your friends were portraying was actual embarrassment because they didn't want you to think they were goody two shoes? It's hard being a parent and deciding what the right choices for your children are. I second guess myself all the time.

Ditto this exactly. I don't want my 2 1/2-year-old exposed to potty humor and name-calling - any more so than she already is from other kids her age. I just can't find a single redeeming quality to the show, but I in no way consider myself a better parent than those who do allow their children to watch the show.

 

[Christianmom1968]

Anyone else notice Nick plays the same 25-30 episodes of their shows over and over and over again. I think I'd find them less annoying if I didn't start to realize what was going to happen from the first 20 seconds and that's only hearing them.

yes, I notice Nick always airs the same shows a dozen or more times. My son tries to convince me he's never seen an episode before and then I give him some of the lines verbatim. I tell him if I know what's happening then he certainly does!

 

[gracefaith]

I saw this one episode of SpongeBob where his shoe laces were became untied and he didn't know how to do them up again. (Has anyone seen this one?) Anyway, he says something like, 'I've been wearing shoes for as long as I can remember,' and the screen flashes to shot that I swear was a little SpongeBob sperm wearing shoes and swimming up a fallopian tube. I about died. Maybe that wasn't what it was, but that's sure what it looked like.

The rest of the show was filled with him falling down, dragging himself along and screaming a lot. Really annoying.