Clearly, most people will know about SpongeBob, but do you think you should give a bit of basic info for the odd reader who has, say, been living in a pineapple under the sea for the past 21 years? Excellent idea. SpongeBob SquarePants is an award-winning cartoon series on the TV channel Nickelodeon. It was created by the late Steve Hillenburg, a marine biologist turned animator. The lovable, wildly optimistic SpongeBob, who works as a cook in the Krusty Krab restaurant, is the central character in a fully realised aquatic world. There is intense discussion about SpongeBob’s sexuality after Nickelodeon put out a rainbow-embellished tweet voicing his support for Pride month in the US.