SpongeBob Voice Actor Tom Kenny Shares One Thing About The Show Grown-Up Fans Tell Him They Have ‘Nightmares’ Over

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As a huge animation fan, I’ve really been enjoying all the new SpongeBob movies we’ve gotten lately. With Search For SquarePants coming out this weekend as part of the 2025 releases, it got me thinking about how long this show has been around – over 25 years! I recently read an interview with Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke, the voices of SpongeBob and Patrick, over at TopMob, and they shared a really funny story about what worried older fans when they were kids.

Remember Patchy The Pirate? Apparently It’s Nightmare Fuel

Longtime viewers of SpongeBob SquarePants likely recall Patchy the Pirate, the live-action character who often appeared with his parrot, Potty. Interestingly, Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob, actually played Patchy! When I spoke with Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke about the new movie, Search for SquarePants, I asked Kenny if he was surprised Patchy wasn’t included, given the film’s pirate theme. Here’s what he had to say:

Patchy is generally seen as a fun character, but many adults have told me they were actually scared of him as children and even had nightmares about his appearance. He had a similar effect on some kids as the Flying Monkeys did in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – he really frightened them.

As someone who grew up watching SpongeBob SquarePants – and totally remembers Patchy the Pirate! – I was really surprised to hear that he actually scared kids. Apparently, it happened a lot! I never would have guessed, but Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob, has mentioned it enough. If you’re feeling nostalgic, it’s fun to look back at a compilation of Patchy’s segments.

Patchy has provided many memorable moments throughout the years, starting with his debut in the Season 2 Christmas special, “Christmas Who?”, and continuing with countless other funny scenes.

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Tom Kenny Talks Patchy The Pirate Being Left Out Of Search For SquarePants

Although Patchy wasn’t in The Search for SquarePants, the movie does feature the Flying Dutchman in his first SpongeBob film appearance. Mark Hamill voices the character, taking over from Brian Doyle-Murray who plays him in the TV series. Keep an eye out for Clancy Brown, the voice of Mr. Krabs, who also makes a live-action cameo as a pirate at the beginning of the movie.

In a recent interview, Tom Kenny—the voice of SpongeBob—expressed his enthusiasm for reprising his role as Patchy the Pirate in future SpongeBob SquarePants projects. He said he’s definitely interested in continuing the character.

I’d be thrilled if we used Patchy more often. We’re starting an email campaign now to try and bring Patchy back – let’s get the word out!

Patrick’s voice actor, Bill Fagerbakke, also expressed his fondness for the character, calling the 2002 special SpongeBob B.C. (Before Comedy) one of his “favorite thirty minutes” of the show. Kenny, who plays Patchy the Pirate, also shared a humorous story about his experiences in the role:

I really enjoy playing Patchy the Pirate. Last year, I actually was Patchy in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade – it was pouring rain and incredibly cold! This year, I watched the parade and they were saying what a beautiful day it was, and I couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed, remembering how miserable I’d been.

Whether or not you enjoyed Patchy the Pirate as a child will likely influence your excitement for the new movie. Regardless, Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke bring a lot of pirate-themed humor to The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants, which comes out on Friday, December 19th.

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2025-12-19 03:41