'Our hero doesn’t end up on food stamps,' a New York Post scribe wrote. | AP Photo/Nickelodeon SpongeBob nets conservative praise

An unlikely, yellow and porous character has been thrown into the political debate of job creation and the nation’s economy: Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants.

In an upcoming episode of the eponymous, animated children’s show, the notable resident of Bikini Bottom finds himself out of work as he is laid off by his comically frugal boss, Mr. Krabs, and Spongebob’s response to the misfortune has attracted the attention and praise of right-leaning media.


“Being unemployed is the best gig I know,” SpongeBob’s starfish friend, Patrick says, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Eschewing the thought of unemployment benefits, SpongeBob says, “Unemployment may be fun for you, but I need to get a job.”

The episode, to air Nov. 11, garnered attention from the the Washington Times as well as the New York Post and Fox News, both of which hailed SpongeBob for immediately returning to the workforce.

“Lest he sit around idly, mooching off the social services of Bikini Bottom, a depressed SpongeBob sets out to return to gainful employment wherever he can find it,” Andrea Morabito writes at the Post on Oct. 31.

“Our hero doesn’t end up on food stamps, as his patty-making skills turn out to be in high demand,” Morabito adds.

Similarly, Fox News praised the cartoon character for not “mooching off” of welfare support.

“Even SpongeBob SquarePants isn’t safe from corporate down sizing….The harsh economic climate has hit the underwater community … Instead of mooching off social services in Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob sets out to return to the workforce,” Fox News anchor Heather Nauert said during an Oct. 31 broadcast of “Fox and Friends.”

However, left-leaning MSNBC host Al Sharpton criticized the right for using SpongeBob as their “new hero.”

“The right-wingers found a new hero in its war against the poor. SpongeBob SquarePants. That’s right. SpongeBob SquarePants. The GOP is now using the lovable cartoon sea sponge as a new way to attack the safety net,” Sharpton said during a Oct. 31 broadcast.

“So a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea doesn’t need government help. That means no one does?…[Friday] 47 million Americans will see their food stamp benefits cut. 47 million Americans. They’re not moochers,” Sharpton said, taking a swipe at Fox News’s coverage before going into a debate on cuts to food stamps.

For their part, Nickelodeon’s President of Content, Russell Hicks said the show is tapping into the news of the moment, but did not specifically address any political leanings or ideologies within the episode.

“Like all really great cartoons, part of SpongeBob’s long-running success has been its ability to tap into the zeitgeist while still being really funny for our audience,” Hicks said. “As always, despite this momentary setback, SpongeBob’s eternal optimism prevails, which is always a great message for everyone.”

However, Dr. Alison Bryant co-founder and CEO of PlayCollective, a non-partisan group that works with clients including Nickelodeon, Disney and PBS on outreach and marketing, dismissed any political undertones in the economically-focused episode, instead saying the show is addressing real issues that the shows viewers see.

”I don’t think they’re handling political issues, I think they’re handling the reality of kids’ lives,” Bryant, who previously worked in digital research for Nickelodeon, said.

Bryant said that the recession has led to a “huge shift” in children’s programming addressing issues such as homelessness and joblessness, much like the “early aughts and mid-aughts, kids were more worried about things like —not surprisingly— terrorism and the environment.”

“Something like a ‘SpongeBob’, it’s not going to go into the full political realm and ecosystem, but you know what it can address? Is, ‘Hey! This happens! And look, this happens to SpongeBob! You’re not isolated, you’re not some kid who this is only happening to you,’” Bryant said.

This isn’t the first time Spongebob found himself as a subject of conversation in conservative media. In August 2011, an episode was labeled by some conservative critics as promoting a global warming agenda. In 2009, President Barack Obama said he watched the show with his two daughters.