SpongeBob SquarePants voice actor

At the 2024 Motor City Comic Con, Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, affirmed that his character is neurodivergent, stating, 'SpongeBob's kind of on the spectrum too as a character.' This revelation came during a Q&A session when a fan on the autism spectrum directly asked if SpongeBob was autistic, to which Kenny responded affirmatively, referring to autism as SpongeBob's 'superpower.' This isn't the first instance of Kenny addressing SpongeBob's potential autism, as he previously hinted at it during a 2012 podcast interview, noting the character's obsessive work ethic and hyper-fixation tendencies. The acknowledgment of neurodivergence in beloved characters like SpongeBob aligns with broader efforts in media to represent autism, similar to how 'Sesame Street' introduced Julia, a Muppet with autism. Kenny's comments have garnered applause from fans, who appreciate the inclusive portrayal of neurodiversity in popular culture.