Title:
Mocking SpongeBob
Meme Creator:
@OGBEARD (Twitter)
Media Creator:
Nickelodeon / Stephen Hillenberg
Meme Creation Year:
2017
Media Year:
2012
Height of Popularity:
2017
Era:
Mobile & Social Media Era
Platform:
Image Macro
Type:
Tags:
spongebob, mocking, chicken, alternating caps, spongemock, little yellow book
History:
The "Mocking SpongeBob" meme, also known as "Spongemock," emerged in May 2017 as one of the most distinctive and influential meme formats of the late 2010s. The meme utilizes a screenshot from the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Little Yellow Book," which originally aired on November 25, 2012, during the show's ninth season (Encyclopedia SpongeBobia, 2025). In this episode, SpongeBob exhibits a peculiar behavior of clucking like a chicken whenever he sees plaid patterns, a quirk that Squidward discovers by reading SpongeBob's diary.
The transformation of this cartoon moment into internet meme culture began on May 4, 2017, when Twitter user @OGBEARD posted a screenshot of SpongeBob in his chicken-like pose with the caption "How i stare back at little kids when they stare for too long" (Know Your Meme, 2017). This initial tweet garnered significant attention, receiving over 73,000 retweets and 147,300 likes within five days. The image showed SpongeBob with a distinctive expression: hunched over with a mocking, somewhat aggressive demeanor that perfectly captured the essence of sarcastic dismissal.
The meme's defining characteristic was established the following day when Twitter user @lexysaeyang expanded on the format by incorporating alternating capitalization in text to represent a mocking tone, creating the "aLtErNaTiNg CaPs" format that became synonymous with the meme (Know Your Meme, 2017). This innovation transformed the visual element into a comprehensive communication tool that could convey mockery both visually and textually.
The Mocking SpongeBob format quickly spread across social media platforms, becoming particularly popular for responding to statements perceived as ridiculous or worthy of derision. Its versatility allowed users to mock everything from personal opinions to corporate announcements, political statements, and social media trends. The meme's staying power was demonstrated when Tom Kenny, SpongeBob's voice actor, declared it his favorite SpongeBob meme at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con (Encyclopedia SpongeBobia, 2025).
By late 2017, the meme had become so culturally significant that it was incorporated into video games, with "Battle for Bikini Bottom: Rehydrated" featuring the mocking pose as one of SpongeBob's idle animations, cementing its place in both internet and official SpongeBob canon.
Notes about the Creator/s:
Creator (Media):
The original "Little Yellow Book" episode was created as part of the SpongeBob SquarePants series, originally conceived by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenberg. The specific scene featuring SpongeBob's chicken-like behavior was part of a storyline written by the show's ninth season writing staff, though the creators likely had no intention of creating meme content.
Creator (Meme):
The meme's creation is attributed to Twitter user @OGBEARD, who first posted the screenshot on May 4, 2017, with the initial mocking context. The format was subsequently refined by @lexysaeyang, who added the crucial alternating capitalization element that became the meme's signature characteristic.
Notes about the years:
Media Creation Year (2012):
The source episode "Little Yellow Book" was produced in 2012 and first aired on November 25, 2012, as part of SpongeBob SquarePants' ninth season.
Meme Creation Year (2017):
The meme was created and gained viral status in May 2017, specifically beginning with @OGBEARD's tweet on May 4, 2017.
Height of Popularity (2017):
The meme reached its peak popularity throughout 2017, maintaining relevance and continued usage across social media platforms for the remainder of the year and beyond.
Sources and additional information:
Encyclopedia SpongeBobia. (2025). Little Yellow Book. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://spongebob.fandom.com/wiki/Little_Yellow_Book
Know Your Meme. (2017, May 9). Mocking SpongeBob. Retrieved May 30, 2025, from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/mocking-spongebob