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KIDS
DECIDE THE FATE OF THEIR FAVORITE SEA SPONGE AND HIS UNDERWATER
SIDEKICKS IN A SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF NICKELODEON'S SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
AIRING IN PRIME-TIME ON FRIDAY, MARCH 9
Kids Vote Online or Call Toll-Free Number to Choose One of Three
Endings Tom Kenny, the Voice of SpongeBob, Makes Rare On-Camera
Appearance
Pasadena,
CA. - January 17, 2001 - Kids will get to choose the
official ending to a special prime-time presentation of SpongeBob
SquarePants airing on Friday, March 9, 2001 at 8:00 PM
(ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. In a suspenseful half-hour special titled
"You Wish," kids will be able to vote online or call in
to choose whom they would most like to see get their wish granted
-- SpongeBob, Patrick or Squidward -- which in turn will decide
the official ending of the episode. In addition, Tom Kenny, the
voice of SpongeBob, will make a rare on-camera appearance as "Patchy,"
a pirate who is president of the SpongeBob fan club. "Patchy"
will appear at the beginning and end of the special to help guide
kids through the online and call-in voting process.
When a mysterious anchor crashes into SpongeBob's house, SpongeBob,
Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke, Coach) and Squidward (Rodger Bumpass,
Rugrats) decide to investigate by climbing the attached rope.
When they reach the top, they discover the ghost ship of the legendary
pirate, the Flying Dutchman.
Once aboard, the trio is captured by the Flying Dutchman (Brian
Doyle Murray, Saturday Night Live) who enslaves them as his
crew for eternity. When the Dutchman banishes Squidward to the fly
of despair (a zippered portal to a creepy place), SpongeBob and
Patrick alone begin their duties as "scary and miserable crew
members." But when the Flying Dutchman sees that they are neither
scary, nor miserable and in fact enjoying their chores, he sentences
them to be his accomplice ghost pirates who must frighten innocent
people. When SpongeBob and Patrick fail at being scary, the Dutchman
informs them that he plans to eat them tomorrow.
That evening, the desperate duo overhear the Dutchman mention that
he can't eat without his dining socks and they promptly steal them.
When the Dutchman finds out, he offers SpongeBob and Patrick three
wishes in exchange for the socks. After blowing the first wish foolishly,
they accidentally use the second to wish Squidward were there to
help them. Now, with two wishes gone and Squidward unhappily back
aboard, they argue over who gets the final wish. In the end, Nickelodeon
viewers will decide who gets the final wish by voting for SpongeBob,
Patrick or Squidward's wish to be granted.
SpongeBob SquarePants is currently the #2 ranked television
series (behind Rugrats) among Kids 2-11. During 4th Quarter 2000,
Spongebob SquarePants consistently won its 8 PM slot on Thursdays,
outscoring all broadcast and cable competitors. On weekends, Spongebob
SquarePants has scored a 6.51 rating and 27 share, with ratings
up +7% versus year-ago time period averages for the Saturday and
Sunday 10 AM hour. More than 28 million people watch SpongeBob
SquarePants each month, including 16.8 million Kids, 3.2 million
Teens and 10.1 million adults.
Dwelling a few fathoms beneath the tropical isle of Bikini Atoll
in the sub-surface city of Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob lives in a two-story
pineapple. Instead of taking the logical approach to everyday challenges,
SpongeBob looks at life in an unconventional way. Whether searching
for the ultimate spatula to perfect his burger flipping technique
at the Krusty Krab, or just hanging out with his best friend Patrick
(an amiable starfish), SpongeBob's good intentions and overzealous
nature usually create chaos in his underwater world.
SpongeBob SquarePants is created and executive produced by
Stephen Hillenburg, who previously worked as a writer, director
and creative director on Nickelodeon's animated series, Rocko's
Modern Life. Hillenburg graduated from the California Institute
of the Arts with a master's degree in Experimental Animation and
studied marine biology and art as an undergraduate. Before beginning
a career in animation, Hillenburg worked with kids as a science
educator and staff artist at the Orange County Marine Institute.
His independent animated films "The Green Beret" and "Wormholes"
have been exhibited internationally in such festivals as Annecy,
Hiroshima, Ottawa, Oberhausen and the Los Angeles Animation Celebration.
SpongeBob SquarePants is a Nicktoons Production and is produced
at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, California. Stephen
Hillenburg is Creator and Executive Producer. Derek Drymon is the
Creative Director and Helen Kalafatic is the Line Producer.
Nickelodeon, now in its 22nd year, is the number-one entertainment
brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting
kids first in everything it does. The company includes television
programming and production in the U.S. and around the world, plus
consumer products, online, recreation, publishing and feature films.
Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 78 million
households and has been the number-one rated cable network for more
than five consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles,
characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
Source: Nielsen Media Research, 6/26-11/12/00
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