RIP Stephen Hillenburg

[HarkZero]

Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of Spongebob Squarepants, passed away yesterday at the age of 57 after a battle with ALS.

[X-3]

Rest in peace.

[I REALLY HATE PRESENTS!]

He's living in a pineapple under the sea now. RIP.

[Validecember]

R.I.P.

[steeze]

Damn, 57 is too young to go out suffering. At least his family can take solace in the fact that he made an entire generation laugh. Spongebob is a character who will not soon be forgotten in entertainment.

[Calamity Panfan]

This sucks. 57 is way too young and ALS is just an awful, awful disease. Like millions of others, I grew up watching Spongebob (it premiered when I was 4) and have seen the first few seasons probably hundreds of times. It's such a great and influential show, unlike any other cartoons that came out around the same time. Probably one of the most influential shows period of the past 20 years if not all time. DEFINITELY the most influential cartoon since The Simpsons. I mean, there's a reason that every other meme that goes viral is a Spongebob meme. It still resonates with people in a way that other shows of the era haven't.

[I REALLY HATE PRESENTS!]

This sucks. 57 is way too young and ALS is just an awful, awful disease. Like millions of others, I grew up watching Spongebob (it premiered when I was 4) and have seen the first few seasons probably hundreds of times. It's such a great and influential show, unlike any other cartoons that came out around the same time. Probably one of the most influential shows period of the past 20 years if not all time. DEFINITELY the most influential cartoon since The Simpsons. I mean, there's a reason that every other meme that goes viral is a Spongebob meme. It still resonates with people in a way that other shows of the era haven't.

Welllll, I've always viewed Sponge Bob as a Ren & Stimpy-lite fused with Rocko's Modern Life. R&S certainly seems to have heavily influenced both of them, but SBSP's structure takes more after RML. Not to take anything away from it, of course.

[Calamity Panfan]

i mean, even very influential shows are influenced by other things. Plus Hillenburg was a director on RML.

[smol Kat]

Thank you, Mr. H., for giving us Spingebill. RIP.

[Sim Kid]

We will know you for Rocko's Modern Life and your other animated things.

[ScottyMcGee]

He was 57 but we all know he was Number 1.

RIP Stephen. The Internet was never the same again without your show's quirky humor that everybody loved.

[CaptHayfever]

i mean, even very influential shows are influenced by other things. Plus Hillenburg was a director on RML.

In fact, Rocko's Modern Life was Hillenburg's first job after graduating from CalArts.
Coincidentally, this interview with Joe Murray about RML was published just a few days before Hillenburg died.

And remember,....