timeHis replacement Super Bowl show is for “slime lovers and a truly good time in sports,” according to a statement from the production company. Can’t say I belong to any camp. But despite this, I found myself stuck in front – or should I say stuck in front? – Nickelodeon and CBS Sports simulcast the Super Bowl while the rest of my family was on the other side of the room, watching the extraordinarily tense sports showdown like normal people.
The Bikini Bottom Super Bowl live broadcast (the crazy extravaganza known as the Super Bowl) is being broadcast from the official broadcast booth overlooking Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Sitting in front of the camera are a pair of humans, sports commentators Noah Eagle and Nate Burleson; and slime pairings Tom Starr and Bill Fagerbakke , who voiced SpongeBob and his starfish sidekick Patrick Star respectively. The latter two gentlemen appeared on my screen as animated blobs of the narrator, thanks to the wonders of augmented reality animation. Other residents of SpongeBob’s underwater world pop up on the football field, such as Larry the Lobster and Sandy Cheeks, SpongeBob’s cousin from Texas. Tooth character, she functioned as (a comically biased) ringside commentator.Dora the Explorer guest appearance as rules expert. And let’s not forget the giant purple pelicans that occasionally appear on the sidelines to burp entire cheeseburgers.
The setup is a clever feat of Nickelodeon marketing, with brand icons everywhere, along with flying emojis, pineapples spinning above players’ heads, and countless jellyfish. Slime fountains will erupt when a field goal is made or a touchdown is made. The overall effect is reminiscent of the wildest kid’s sticker book you’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.
The show has another goal: to spark interest among younger generations in the sport, which has seen a 13% drop in youth participation from 2019 to 2022, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. I thought maybe it would interest me too. I could never make out the blur of rumbling and rolling, or understand the rules of the game. On Super Bowl night, you can usually find me chatting away at the nacho station.
When Fagerbakke, the voice of Patrick Star, called me earlier this week, he assured me that I wasn’t the only ignorant person on the scene. “I’m a professional idiot,” he said in that rich voice I’m used to hearing from kids on iPads in restaurants. The Idaho-born actor, who played football in college, agreed that the number one reason he would cover the game in tights and tights was to show kids that gladiatorial sports can have a fun side. “My job is to make stupid things happen and make room for new fans,” he said.
Tonight’s project was quite chaotic, but equally impressive. Watching Travis Kelce’s face tense and contort when the game goes out of his favor is stressful, but my hosts will do whatever they can to lighten the mood. I didn’t even want to sit on the couch with my family.
Even during commercial breaks, the content itself is incredible. I learned that one candy on the market was a sugar-shelled gummy worm that was dipped into a pool of gooey syrup. There’s also a stuffed toy that kids can put in the fake oven. The slogan is: “From Dough to Wow!”
When it comes to sticky stuff, there isn’t much slime dumping. (Then again, there weren’t that many touchdowns, especially early on.) But there were tons of silly jokes and fun facts. I now know which player has ice in his veins and who loves pepperoni pizza. I’m starting to feel like I might be absorbing something about how this game works.I found myself laughing when we cut to Celebrity audience shots in animation Including Leprawn James, Doja Catfish and Oprah Finfrey.
game over. Is my watch party a life-slime event?Well, it had me sitting in front of a football game from start to finish The last game of overtime. I kinda like it. So I’m going to go out and say yes, it is.
