SpongeBob SquarePants is the lead character of the Nickelodeon cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, which premiered in 1999 and is voiced by Tom Kenny. His exaggerated screams are a running gag in the show, used whenever he is frightened, excited or overwhelmed. Clips of those yells were later isolated and shared on soundboards and in meme edits, often paired with unrelated footage for comic effect. The scream remains popular because it is instantly recognisable and expresses extreme panic in a way that feels playful rather than alarming.