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05 June 2011

Of Sponges and Seas

There are three things I fear I will never be able to escape, no matter which country I go to: Lady Gaga, SpongeBob Squarepants, and really cheap, tacky carnival toys.

(However, in wandering the Lava Pies neighborhood of Madrid today, my roommate Caitlin witnessed me giving the Lady Gaga in the poster a swift punch to the face. Is it culturally sensitive? Possibly not. But is Lady Gaga herself culturally sensitive? I feel like I was doing humanity a favor.)

Honestly, I am amazed at the things that can translate cross-culturally. How is it possible for a gap-toothed, abnormally loud sea sponge to become a pop culture icon both home and abroad? And, for that matter, how is it possible that there are two Bob Esponjas handing out balloon animals in Plaza Mayor?! (Along these lines, how is it possible that the movie about Justin Bieber was released just a year after the movie about Michael Jackson? Oh, celebrity, you are a great mystery.)

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