It’s hard to believe it’s been 24 years since we first saw yellow poriferan SpongeBob SquarePants grace the Nickelodeon channel – and since then, the sea sponge has birthed countless film adaptations, video games and even a Broadway musical.
And though the show, set in the underwater community of Bikini Bottom, is a bit of kid-friendly fun, the adult voice actors behind iconic characters like SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward have had some serious things to deal with outside of work.
From drink-drive arrests to a bitter divorce settlement, real life is often a far cry from the trials and tribulations of living under the sea.
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Daily Star takes a look into the actors’ real lives as the show celebrates its 24th birthday.
Tom Kenny – SpongeBob SquarePants
(Image: FilmMagic)
Playing the title character of SpongeBob since the show’s inception, Tom Kenny, 60, has delighted legions of fans over the last 24 years.
But the final straw came for him when he had to star as the live action version of his character for a tribute piece on a real TV set of the Krusty Krab.
Kenny said the moment was so weird his co-star hit the nail on the head.
Speaking of Mr Krabs star Clancy Brown, he said: “He put it so perfectly, looked around and said ‘This is like having sex with the lights on’.”
Thankfully, Tom is a life-long fan of his own character, and is “proud” that SpongeBob is seen as an LGBTQ+ ally.
(Image: Getty Images)
Speaking after Nickelodeon’s Pride Month tweet featuring the sponge, Tom told Yahoo Entertainment: “I am proud that people of all stripes — including people who might at times feel disenfranchised — look to SpongeBob as someone they can identify with and who is inspiration.
“That really warms my little holy heart.”
In his own life, Tom is settled down with his wife Jill Talley, who he met while working on The Edge together.
She might be better known, however, as Karen – Plankton’s computer wife – in SpongeBob, working alongside her hubby for decades in the role.
The pair went on to collaborate on numerous productions together, and welcomed two children – son Mack and daughter Nora.
Bill Fagerbakke – Patrick Star
(Image: Getty Images for Paramount+)
While his co-star Tom is settled down with a wife he met on the show, Patrick Star voice actor Bill Fagerbakke sadly went through a bitter divorce from his own spouse.
The actor legally separated from his wife Catherine McClenahan in 2012, with his wife managing to scoop 50% of all her ex’s earnings – including his SpongeBob wage. That’s around $350,000 (£279k) per year.
According to TMZ, Catherine also scored the couple’s house, valued at $2.4million (£1.9m), along with $13,500 (£10k) per month in spousal support.
Bill came away from the divorce with his Mini Cooper and Chevy truck, however.
The pair first got married in 1989, and welcomed two daughters together.
Rodger Bumpass – Squidward Tentacles
(Image: FilmMagic)
Best known for voicing pessimistic squid Squidward Tentacles in the show, Rodger Bumpass is a far cry from his lonely character in real life.
The voice actor married his high school sweetheart, Angela VanZandt, an incredible half a century after the pair first attended school together.
The pair tied the knot in July 2019, after they met up again at their school reunion and discovered they were both single.
In a sweet confession, Angela said: “We met at Central on the first day of school in the 10th grade. We had English together that year and our teacher was Kitty Held. Rodger was very cute and still is.
“Fifty years after I met him, he asked me out on a real date and we went on a picnic at the Clinton Library, and I walked on the bridge and he stopped me in the middle of the bridge and kissed me.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Rodger confessed he “really did think about” using his Squidward voice during his wedding vows – but decided against it.
However, life hasn’t always been so straightforward for the star, as he was arrested for a DUI the same year he tied the knot.
According to TMZ, police noticed a car in the middle of the road with a man – Rodger – leaning against it.
He allegedly walked away from police as they approached but almost fell over, before confessing to the police he had been driving.
He failed a sobriety test, with his blood alcohol level found to be more than twice the legal limit. He was handcuffed, taken to the station and later released on a $15,000 (£12k) bail.
Clancy Brown – Mr Krabs
(Image: Getty Images)
Although Clancy Brown is best known for his cartoon alter ego Mr Krabs, he’s had some pretty big acting roles in the real world, too – and is set to star alongside Colin Farrell in HBO Batman spin-off The Penguin.
Clancy even made a foray into the world of video games, playing Hank Anderson in Detroit: Become Human – which was shot using motion capture.
In his personal life, Clancy tied the knot with wife Jeanne Johnson in 1993 – the pair share two children, daughter Rose and son James.
Though he keeps his cards pretty close to his chest when it comes to family life, Clancy does share some updates with fans on Twitter – and in 2018, celebrated Rose’s graduation from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with a sweet snap.
The actor wrote: “My daughter. What a gal! Wesleyan Class of 2018, graduating last weekend with High Honours. Am I a proud papa or what?”
Carolyn Lawrence – Sandy Cheeks
(Image: Penske Media via Getty Images)
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Though Carolyn Lawrence shot to fame as Texas squirrel Sandy Cheeks, the voice actress actually has a very different career on the side.
Along with being in the showbiz industry, Carolyn works as a real estate agent for JohnHart Real Estate.
According to her Zillow profile, Carolyn’s “thinking outside the box outlook” gives her “the edge every client needs in their realtor”.
She prides herself on creating a “stress-free experience” when helping clients to purchase their homes.
Like her co-star Bill, Carolyn is divorced. She tied the knot with hubby Michael Stoyanov in 1988, but by 2005 the pair had gone their separate ways.
They share two children.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
