Actor Tom Kenny recently shared that SpongeBob SquarePants — a character he's voiced since the Nickelodeon show began in 1999—is autistic and "kind of on the spectrum" as a character. Kenny made to revelation during a Q&A panel at Motor City Comic Con earlier this year, recalling a previous interaction he'd had with a fan on the matter. "A person who was obviously on the spectrum came up to me and said, 'I have a question for you, Tom Kenny. Is SpongeBob autistic? Is SpongeBob himself autistic as a character?'" "'Yes! Of course!'" Kenny recalled telling the fan. "'Of course he is.'" But Kenny didn't stop there, noting, "'You know what? That's his superpower, the same way it's your superpower.'"
SpongeBob SquarePants is autistic, actor Tom Kenny reveals. See story here.