Who Is Mocking SpongeBob? The Infamous 'SpongeMock' Meme, Explained

Mocking SpongeBob is one of many hilarious examples of memes that find their origins in the beloved kids' show SpongeBob SquarePants, from Gangster SpongeBob to 'Imagination' SpongeBob, each meme has its specific use cases and interesting stories behind how they became so popular.

Whether they're screengrabs of characters looking silly or quotes that become engrained in people's memories, each meme has its unique charm. But what is Mocking SpongeBob? And how did a screen capture of SpongeBob imitating a chicken become such a viral sensation? Here's everything you need to know.

Why Are There So Many SpongeBob SquarePants Memes?

SpongeBob is a character that needs no introduction. In the titular show SpongeBob SquarePants, he is a goofy, fun-loving anthropomorphic sponge who is known for his various misadventures and entertaining moments and scenes. The show, which has been renewed for its fifteenth season, has captured the hearts and minds of billions of people worldwide, and more importantly, he has secured his place as a staple of meme culture.

The show, and the character, are both sources for an incredible amount of memes and have created an incredibly large online presence. On the show's official Facebook page, he has accumulated 49 million likes as of January 2024. Outside of official sources, there are plenty of memes, fandoms, games, and other forms of content that include the character and his gang of goofy friends.

What Is The 'Mocking SpongeBob' Meme?

Mocking SpongeBob, also commonly referred to as Spongemock, is an image macro of SpongeBob where he appears to be imitating a chicken. The original image comes from the episode of SpongeBob SquarePants titled "Little Yellow Book," which first aired on November 25th, 2012.

"

The first use of the meme came in a Twitter post on May 4th, 2017. Twitter user @OGBEARD posted a screenshot of the scene with the caption "How I stare back at little kids when they stare for too long." (shown below). Soon after the meme gained lots of traction, especially on Twitter and Instagram, turning into a viral sensation in a matter of weeks.

How Is Spongemock Used In Memes?

Spongemock is often used as a way to mock or make fun of other people or specific political groups or parties, often accompanied by a caption that appears to be imitating the specific person that they're making fun of. On May 6th, user @DaniLevyyy posted a variation of the meme on Twitter with the caption "Americans: I need healthcare because I have cancer and I'm dying. Republicans: I NeEd hEaLtHcArE bEcAuSe I hAvE caNcEr aNd iM dYinG."

The meme would then gain further traction by being featured on several news sites, including The Daily Dot and Mashable. Other references to the meme included the Human Mocking Spongebob, which is a real-life recreation of the meme by a man in office attire. On September 9th, 2021, it was revealed that the Mocking Spongebob meme would be featured as a taunt animation in the brawler game Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.

For the full history of Mocking SpongeBob/Spongemock, check out our Know Your Meme encyclopedia entry.