Nickelodeon pulls SpongeBob episode over pandemic 'sensitivities'

Are you ready kids? Not for these episodes.

Nickelodeon has pulled an episode of SpongeBob Squarepants "due to sensitivities surrounding the global, real-world pandemic," a spokesperson told Entertainment Weekly. The episode, called "Kwarantined Crab," features a quarantine at the Krusty Krab over a "clam flu" virus.

"The 'Kwarantined Crab' centers on a virus storyline, so we have decided to not air it due to sensitivities surrounding the global, real-world pandemic," a Nick spokesperson said. The episode was "never put on the schedule to be sensitive to the pandemic outbreak last year," a spokesperson also said.

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Meanwhile, though, Nick also confirmed it pulled the classic season 3 episode "Mid-Life Crustacean" back in 2018. The episode involves SpongeBob, Patrick, and Mr. Krabs conducting a "panty raid" at Mr. Krab's mom's house — something SpongeBob specifically says he and Patrick do "all the time." The network has now realized it had a few "story elements were not kid-appropriate," the spokesperson told EW. Yes, Nick may have gone for that back when this aired, but apparently, they're not feeling it now, Mr. Krabs.