Funny / The SpongeBob Musical

Beware of unmarked spoilers!

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• The laughs start before the show even begins, with Patchy the Pirate setting up his own little seat in the house that's been overdecorated with SpongeBob memorabilia. Two security guards eventually come in and promptly kick in out... not that it stops him from constantly sneaking back in over the course of the show.
• Squidward continually getting interrupted whenever he attempts to break out into song. It gets to the point where he can barely get two words out (don't worry, he gets his chance eventually).
• SpongeBob's Big "NO!" lasting for fifty years. Complete with time cards! This is Played for Laughs.
• The fact that the actor playing Squidward has to walk around the stage with four legs. If that wasn't enough of a Visual Gag, he even tap dances at one point (which doubles as a Moment of Awesome).
• SpongeBob and Patrick's "Friend Dance".
  SpongeBob and Patrick: We're best friends and this is the Friend Dance, we're best friends and this is the Friend Dance, we're best friends and this is the Friend Dance, WE'RE BEST FRIENDS AND-
  • This quote, moments before the song.
  SpongeBob: Because we're B-F-Fs!
  Patrick: B-F-F. (sounding it out) BFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!
• SpongeBob saying hi to literally everything around him, even the sound guy backstage. In the Chicago preview, he accidentally bumps into a ladder held by two construction workers... and happily says hello to it too.
  • He also greeted the viewers at home in the television version, which counts as heartwarming for the people who weren't able to see the show.
• Squidward's verse during "Bikini Bottom Day":
  Squidward: When I want some quiet, there's nowhere to go.
  A sensitive artiste can't get a moment's peace
  With these two IDIOTS in STEREO!
  They never go away. Typical Bikini Bottom Day...
• When the town suddenly experiences an earthquake for the first time, Squidward sheepishly asks, "Um... is that something we should worry about?" to which SpongeBob answers, "NAH!" Then Perch Perkins comes onstage.
  Perch Perkins: Today's top story: that is something we should worry about!
• For David Bowie fans, it can pretty amusing to see a bunch of SpongeBob characters break out into the dark and gritty No Control.
  • While everyone is panicking about their imminent destruction, SpongeBob just strolls by singing like a happy little elf. "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!"
• SpongeBob, Sandy, and Patrick figuring out how to stop Mount Humongous.
  SpongeBob: Here's the plan: Patrick will help us climb the mountain, then you'll handle the stopping-it-from-erupting part.
  Sandy: The toughest science problem I've ever faced.
  SpongeBob: I hope you'll have some good ideas soon, because we definitely won't, and time is running out really, really fast... but no pressure!
  • Then after Sandy goes over her complicated five-step plan:
  Patrick: ... You lost me at one.
  • Towards the end, our heroes literally cartwheel into action... except Patrick.^note Even funnier for those who remember that one of Patrick's moves in The SpongeBob Movie Game was a cartwheel.
• The Electric Skates giving Squidward an absurdly long list of demands, which is so endless that it drops right into the orchestra pit and causes a great deal of audible clutter offstage. Among the noise, a very familiar "MY LEG!" can be heard.
• Old Man Jenkins literally getting Squashed Flat by a giant boulder during Act 2^note To achieve the effect, the boulder (which is really just a giant orange ball) runs over the actor, then obscures him from view so that he could sneak offstage and put a flat cardboard cutout of himself in his place. It gets even funnier when the real Old Man Jenkins suddenly comes onstage and picks up his flat self in sheer confusion.
• Patrick saving SpongeBob from falling off the mountain... in Slow Motion!
  Patrick: I'll save ya, [voice distorts and reverberates] SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOONGE (breath) BOOOOOOOOOOB!
  SpongeBob: PAAAAAAAAAAATRIIIIIIIICK!
• Mr. Krabs cussing out Plankton after he accidentally reveals his Evil Plan.
  Mr. Krabs: I knew this was one of your schemes, you lousy *dolphin chirp*!
  Plankton: How dare you call me a *dolphin chirp*!
  • When Planton and Mr. Krabs are cursing the Team of Tres do the Monkey Morality Pose with Patrick covering his eyes for some reason, SpongeBob covering his ears and Sandy covering her mouth.
• A few occur in Squidward's song "I'm Not A Loser", including:
  • Squidward tripping up on his own Confusing Multiple Negatives.
    Squidward: (singing) When others see me, they can't see the nobody that isn't there! (speaking) Hold on...that's a triple negative. You can't not see nobody! Because I'm not nobody...which can't...not be seen...let me start over!
  • One of the lyrics is "I don't stink", after which most fans familiar with the show may be hoping for a yell of "YOU STINK!"
  • Squid's initial reaction to the Sea Anenomes:
    Anenomes: Hey Squidward.
    Squidward: Huh?
    Anenomes: You're not delirious with despair and you're not calling true things false.
    HEY SQUIDWARD!
    Squidward: This is weird...
    Anenomes: You're not hallucinating this sea anenome chorus line at all!
    Squidward: I'm not?
    Anenomes: You're not a loser
    You don't secretly hate yourself
    You're not singing this to no one
    It's not the case that no one cares!
    Squidward: Okay.
• From the Chicago preview: when the Mayor asks if anyone in Bikini Bottom is able to organize the most important concert in all of history:
  Squidward: (gasps) Did you say "the most important concert in all of history"?!
  Old Man Jenkins: Nope, she said "the most potent lawns spurt wands of mystery"!
• The fact that a cult appoints Patrick as their lord and savior. No really, they do. In song. Becomes less funny when it causes a rift between him and SpongeBob.
• The following:
  Mr. Krabs: Where's Plankton and Karen!? I think a punishment is in order!
  (Crowd steps aside to reveal Plankton and Karen)
  Plankton: This is bad.
  Karen: I told you this plan wouldn't work!
  Plankton: No you didn't! You gloated with me!
  (both start bickering over each other)
  Squidward: They don't need punishment. They have each other.
• Squidward's currently working on a one-man show called... "Tentacle Spectacle: The Musical" (comes with a giant playbill!^note or "PLAYGILL" as it is spelled).
  Squidward: My mother, she had always said I belonged on the stage!
  Mr. Krabs: You'd make a great tree.
• This exchange when the Bikini Bottomites are fighting amongst themselves.
  SpongeBob: What are you doing?!
  Squidward: Is that a rhetorical question?
• The irony that the town catches Mr. Krabs trying to escape with his money, but he doesn't have enough.
• After Pearl shows off her incredible singing voice for the concert:
  Larry the Lobster: Yo, I'll be in any band with that dope voice! Count me in!
  Karen: Me too! I play a mean glockenspiel!
  Patrick: Ooh, is mayonnaise an instrument?
• Everything about Wesley Taylor's Plankton. His voice can best be described as a mix between Mr. Lawrence and Dr. Evil, and his Evil Laugh is just something to behold. "MWAAAAH! AAAAAH! AAAAAH!"
• This line from "Daddy Knows Best" (which was added for the Broadway production).
  Pearl (to Mr. Krabs): You just don't understand me! I know we're not the same species, which is pretty weird now that I think about it...
• Patrick hitting that ridiculously high note in "Super Sea Star Saviour".
• SpongeBob is about to throw the Eruptor Interruptor into the volcano when he asks Sandy and Patrick to wait... if he should throw it on "One, two, three" or "One, two, three, uh".
• The actors for Plankton hold a licensed Plankton plushie to show how small he is. It's taken up to eleven in the Chicago run, where he holds it throughout the entire show just to drive the point home. He still holds it in Act 1 during the broadway run, though.
• At one point, SpongeBob and Sandy are portrayed in miniature form as Cabbage Patch Kid dolls.
• Patrick's suggestion on averting the crisis:
  Mayor: Yes, enthusiastic pink fellow?
  Patrick: If we all close our eyes, maybe nothing will happen.
• During the beginning of Plankton's "When the Going Gets Tough" number, Squidward has this look on his face that reads, "What the hell am I watching right now?"
• While organizing the benefit concert for the escape pod, Squidward gestures to a spot on the stage and says, "Drums will go here." before a random, disembodied drum sound (played by the offstage foley guy) briefly startles him. In the TV performance, the foley guy is onstage, so Squidward attempts to play along by cuing in a firework sound effect. Just to mess with him, the guy plays it four seconds late, much to Squiddy's annoyance.
• At the big dramatic climax, Spongebob is going to throw the Erupter Interrupter into the volcano at the count of three...only to pause because he doesn't know if Sandy means on three, or after three.
  Spongerbob: Wait! On three, or after three?
  Patrick: I don't understand the question!
  Spongerbob: Like, one two three *mimes throwing on three* or one two three uhh! *mimes throwing it on uhh!*
  Sandy: *to Patrick* One two three uhh, right?
  Patrick: Yeah. One two three, uhh!
  Spongebob: Got it! *climax resumes*

Meta

• Ethan Slater telling a story about how Danny Skinner forgot his lyrics during a show in Chicago.
• Apparently, Mrs. Puff is STILL angry about SpongeBob's lack of driving skills...
• What happens when Danny Skinner meets Bill Fagerbakke? Hilarity ensues, of course.
  Bill and Danny (both as Patrick): I'm Patrick Star, and that's a wrap on opening night!
  Bill: Wait, I'm Patrick.
  Danny: I'm Patrick!
  Bill: WHAT'S HAPPENING?!
  • From the same video: Rodger Bumpass's (or rather, Squidward's) reaction to the musical.
    Rodger Bumpass (as Squidward): I finally make it to Broadway, and someone else is doing my part!
• "'I'm Not A Loser' From The SpongeBob Musical Except Squidward Is A Loser". You will laugh, then feel terrible for laughing, then laugh again.
  • Here's a similar edit, in which, among other things, "the clarinet solo deserves a tony". It's actually a Stylistic Suck-laden clarinet rendition of All-Star.
• This video from the 2018 Miscast gala of Ethan Slater, Gavin Lee, and Wesley Taylor performing "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" from Company. Extra points for the references to the musical they snuck in. There's also something incredibly amusing about Ethan saying "You son of a bitch!" in his SpongeBob voice.
  • On the line "I could understand a person/If he wasn't good in bed," Gavin and Wesley look over at Ethan, who just smirks. Strange? Yes. Hilarious? Also yes.
• In a behind-the-scenes example, Plankton's actor Wesley Taylor posted this video to his twitter of him and SpongeBob's actor Ethan Slater having a mock fight backstage before Wesley has a critical realization about Ethan's background. ^* Ethan was an amateur wrestler back in high school.
  Wesley: Oh right, he was a wrestler! (Ethan takes him to the mat)
• In an Instagram video posted during the final Broadway show, Wesley Taylor (Plankton) stays in-character, waiting impatiently for the audience's applause for Gavin Lee's (Squidward) performance to die down before he comes back on stage.

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