Tom Kenny Says SpongeBob SquarePants Is Autistic

Tom Kenny — the voice behind “SpongeBob SquarePants” — is giving the iconic yellow sponge a new diagnosis: autism.

The veteran performer, who’s played SpongeBob for years, made an appearance at a Comic Con event in Detroit. He took questions from dedicated fans about the beloved Nickelodeon character and reaffirmed a theory that SpongeBob is neurodivergent.

Tom told the crowd at the convention that SpongeBob is “kind of on the spectrum,” even going so far as to call the cartoon character autistic.

Kenny said he came to this revelation after speaking with a fan on the spectrum, who asked if SpongeBob could possibly be autistic as well. He recalled telling the fan that autism was SpongeBob’s superpower, just as it was for that kid.

This isn’t the first time Tom has addressed SpongeBob and the possibility of him being autistic. Back in 2012, he spoke with Marc Maron and speculated that SpongeBob might be autistic, citing his obsession with his job and his hyper-fixation tendencies as proof.

SpongeBob isn’t the first children’s character to be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. “Sesame Street” added a Muppet named Julia to their roster, who explicitly had autism.

Fans are already applauding Tom for his inclusive stance here, and many also agree!