Tom Kenny — the voice behind “SpongeBob SquarePants” — is giving the iconic yellow sponge a new diagnosis… autism.
The veteran actor, who played SB for years, made an appearance at a Comic Con event in Detroit… where he answered questions from dedicated fans about the beloved Nickelodeon character… and reinforced the theory that SpongeBob is neurodivergent.
![SpongeBob SquarePants is Autistic, Says Voice Actor Tom Kenny 1 bac53288c4dd46e1aa6416b7a35b2b1a md](https://thegurumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/bac53288c4dd46e1aa6416b7a35b2b1a_md.jpg)
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As Tom told the crowd at the convention… SpongeBob is “kind of on the spectrum”, going so far as to call the cartoon character autistic.
TK says he came to this revelation after talking to a fan on the spectrum, who asked if SpongeBob might also be autistic. He remembered telling the fan… autism was SpongeBob’s superpower, just like it was for that kid.
This isn’t the first time Tom has addressed SpongeBob and the possibility that he might be autistic. In 2012, he spoke to Marco Maron and speculated that Sponge might be autistic… citing his obsession with his work and his hyperfixation tendencies as evidence.
SpongeBob isn’t the first children’s character to be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. “Sesame Street” added a Muppet named Julia to its roster… who explicitly had autism.
Fans are already applauding Tom for his inclusive stance here… and many agree too!