The voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny

This episode of Fresh Air features an interview with Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, revisiting a conversation from 2004 with Terry Gross. Kenny describes SpongeBob's origins, voice creation, and the character's optimistic nature, drawing inspiration from figures like John Sebastian and Brian Wilson for the song "Best Day Ever." He recounts his early influences, including Popeye and Looney Tunes, and his journey into voice acting, spurred by an encounter at a stand-up show. The discussion also touches on Kenny's stand-up comedy background, his approach to character voices, and the challenges of meeting expectations when performing as SpongeBob for fans.