I Met Tom Kenny, the Voice of SpongeBob, and It Was Incredible

On Oct. 7, 2022 at New York Comic Con, I met the iconic, Tom Kenny, or as you may know him, the voice of SpongeBob Squarepants. 

For those unfamiliar with celebrity meet-and-greets, they include a brief photo and autograph exchange. These organized celebrity encounters are not “hang-out sessions.” Typically, these opportunities last no more than 10 seconds. However, my experience with Kenny was an exception to that rule.

Waiting in Line to Meet Kenny

I waited in line for three and a half hours for this particular meet and greet. This might sound like an excessively long period of time. But what makes these experiences worth it is two factors: understanding the nature of how fast a moment  is going to be and how much meaning the encounter  holds to you. 

Now, a piece of advice from personal knowledge: celebrities appreciate thoughtful questions, as opposed to repetitive ones. In this instance, the line repetitively met Kenny with requests to perform the SpongeBob voice. I felt bad for him because it didn’t seem like anyone cared enough to ask him anything else. 

My Questions for Kenny 

When my turn arrived, I took the opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation. Expressing gratitude for taking the time to come out and meet the fans,  I asked, “I was wondering about how much creative input you have with the SpongeBob character. Do you ever pitch ideas for the cartoons’ future direction, or is it, instead, a matter of getting the script from the writers and doing exactly what they write?”

Kenny told me that he doesn’t really offer input in regard to the character’s direction or storyline. Instead,  he performs the provided script, but improvises with the cast when it’s  necessary. 

“Did Kenny Really Just Kindly Tell the Promoter to ‘Back Off?’”

As our conversation continued, the event promoter tapped me on the shoulder, attempting to intervene, and move the line along. To my surprise, Kenny told the promoter, “This young man had an excellent question,” so he would like a moment to continue our conversation. 

Did Kenny really just kindly tell the promoter to “back off?” My jaw dropped. 

He then shared his satisfaction with how the writers and Nickelodeon have handled SpongeBob’s character, expressing contentment with his improvisational approach. He also shared that he didn’t have any specific ideas for SpongeBob’s future,but emphasized his willingness to navigate wherever the character’s journey may lead through improvisation.

Our  discussion neared five minutes. Grateful for our  extended conversation, and trying to be mindful of others, I told Kenny that I was appreciative of his time, and we said our  goodbyes.

This encounter stands out as one of my most cherished celebrity meet and greet stories. Kenny was incredible .

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Until next time, let’s keep the conversation going! Have you met anyone famous? Submit your story and tell us all about it in our “Ask the Cyclone” segment.