2 'SpongeBob Squarepants' Episodes Pulled From Viewing Over Unsuitable Content

It appears that something inappropriate is taking place in a certain pineapple under the sea.

The ViacomCBS VIAC subsidiary Nickelodeon has pulled two episodes of the popular animated series "SpongeBob SquarePants" over content concerns.

Underwater Shenanigans: According to an NBC News report, Nickelodeon withdrew the 12th season episode "Kwarantined Crab" from the Paramount+ streaming service "due to sensitivities surrounding the global, real-world pandemic." The episode takes place at SpongeBob's workplace, the Krusty Krab, a fast-food restaurant where SpongeBob works, which is thrown into an uproar after a health inspector quarantines the staff and their patrons because someone has the "Clam Flu."

Nickelodeon also re-reviewed the third season episode "Mid-Life Crustacean," which has not been broadcast since 2018. That episode finds SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick having a night out with Mr. Krabs, Spongebob's boss. The evening ends with the threesome breaking into a woman's home and stealing her underwear – but they are caught by the woman, who turns out to be Mr. Krabs' mother.

Nickelodeon concluded "Mid-Life Crustacean" will be absent from Paramount+ because "some story elements were not kid-appropriate."

Related Link: The State Of Streaming In 2021: A Fight For Content And Eyeballs

Badly Dated Material: Nickelodeon's decision is the latest example of a streaming services policing content in programming that was created years earlier.

Walt Disney Co. DIS has added content warnings ahead of Disney+ episodes of "The Muppet Show" that contain character stereotypes that might be considered politically incorrect. Disney+ also removed access to a number of titles on its curated kids' profiles, including "Dumbo" and "Peter Pan," due to outdated character stereotypes.

Elsewhere in the streaming sphere Comcast CMCSA subsidiary NBCUniversal pulled at least two segments from old WWE WWE episodes on Peacock that featured racial humor.

The women's underwear humor that got "Mid-Life Crustacean" removed from Paramount+. Photo courtesy Nickelodeon.

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Posted In: NewsTechMediachildren's programmingNickelodeonSpongeBob SquarePants
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