Culture Shock

Characters

• Template:Data:Links
• Squidward Tentacles
• Eugene H. Krabs
• Clams Template:Cameo
• Pearl Krabs
• Bubble hippo Template:Debut
• Margaret SquarePants ^{(production order debut)}
• Harold SquarePants ^{(production order debut)}
• Gary the Snail
• Sheldon J. Plankton
• Patrick Star
• Sandy Cheeks Template:Cameo
• Template:Data:Links
  • Steven
  • John
  • Incidental 6
  • Incidental 18
  • Incidental 95 Template:Debut
  • "F" incidentals Template:Debut
    • Incidental F1
    • Incidental F2
    • Incidental F3
    • Incidental F4
    • Incidental F5
    • Incidental F6
    • Incidental F7
    • Incidental F8
    • Incidental F9
    • Incidental F10
    • Incidental F11
    • Incidental F12
    • Incidental F13
    • Incidental F14
    • Incidental F15
    • Incidental F16
    • Eugene (Inc F17)
    • Incidental F18
    • Incidental F19
    • Incidental F20
    • Incidental F21
    • Incidental F22
    • Incidental F23
    • Incidental F24

Synopsis

File:Culture Shock 071.png

The Krusty Krab talent show.

On a slow day at the Krusty Krab, Mr. Krabs is manning a free salad bar, SpongeBob is preoccupied with cleaning rogue dust particles off a table, and Squidward is daydreaming about dancing. Mr. Krabs is getting irritated at the lack of customers when one decides to come in. Ecstatic at finally getting a customer, Mr. Krabs orders SpongeBob to cater to the fish's every whim. Unfortunately for them, the fish was only looking to get change for a dollar and is driven away by SpongeBob's excessive enthusiasm, though not before leaving a penny behind for SpongeBob. However, Mr. Krabs notices the penny and gets the drop on it first.

As Mr. Krabs stores the penny away in his vault, he gives his two employees the bad news: profits are way down this month, and they need a gimmick to bring in customers. His request for ideas yields a response of apathy from Squidward and increasingly absurd ideas from SpongeBob. After Mr. Krabs points out that he was thinking along the lines of "live entertainment," Squidward hits a brainstorm: the first Krusty Krab talent show, which he would host. He nearly blurts out his intent to make himself into a star, but quickly corrects his faux-pas by claiming it would "bring culture to this cultural wasteland we call Bikini Bottom," and that it would bring in much-needed revenue; and also Mr. Krabs' daughter, Pearl, could become a star through this as well. SpongeBob is excited at the chance to show off his talents and runs off to call his parents, while Mr. Krabs gives Squidward approval to organize the show.

Preparations are undertaken at the Krusty Krab for the upcoming show. SpongeBob asks Squidward when he is going to go on the show, even demonstrating his act, which consists of blowing a hippopotamus-shaped bubble, then tap dancing along with it. Unfortunately, the talent does not impress Squidward, who claims it is not "cultured" enough. SpongeBob runs off, vowing to come up with the most "cultural" performance ever.

Later that evening, the Krusty Krab is packed. Among the audience attending the show are Patrick and SpongeBob's parents, the latter of whom Mr. Krabs personally introduces himself to and nonchalantly admits his miserliness. Backstage, Squidward makes it very clear to everyone else that this is his own chance to reach stardom but is interrupted by SpongeBob's newest act: inflating himself with water to show off his absorbency. Squidward once again shoots him down, not wanting SpongeBob to ruin his chances at stardom. SpongeBob tearfully begs Squidward to let him on the show, claiming he will do anything; so the cephalopod assigns him to clean up after the show is done. SpongeBob, not realizing that Squidward has assigned him custodial duties, endeavors on his new "act" with great enthusiasm.

Squidward goes on stage to introduce the audience to the first Krusty Krab talent show, in the process making a joke about how no one else would give the Krabby Patty a home. This greatly amuses Patrick to the point where he randomly interrupts the next parts of Squidward's speech with loud guffawing. Not able to get in a word edgewise, Squidward eventually just introduces Pearl by her name alone and leaves the stage. However, Pearl is unveiled with a set of cheerleader pom-poms, and Mr. Krabs is ecstatic to see his daughter in the spotlight. Her act is a cheerleading routine about the Krusty Krab, but her size and weight launch the entire audience up into the air with each jump, resulting in everyone eventually lying about in various states of pain. As she leaves the stage, SpongeBob drops in to badger Squidward about his next "act," asking which direction he should mop the floor, but the latter simply ignores him.

The next act is poetry by SpongeBob's pet snail, Gary. While the pet "speaks" in meows, no one, except for Sandy, can understand how good his poetry is. Squidward is increasingly anxious at this point, both from how much time Gary is wasting with his act and from SpongeBob bothering him again. The third act is performed by Mr. Krabs' business rival Plankton, who puts on a magic act where he plans to make a Krabby Patty "disappear" before the audience's eyes. However, it is just another ploy to steal the Krabby Patty formula, one that Mr. Krabs puts a stop to. Plankton, vowing revenge, attempts to vanish into thin air with a magic spell, but only blows himself up and leaves the restaurant in shame as the crowd boos him.

The crowd by this point is getting fed up with the terrible acts, and Mr. Krabs storms backstage, angry at the lack of good responses. Squidward temporarily placates him by claiming he "saved the best for last." After a buildup of spotlights, Squidward finally arrives on stage with his dancing gear, wearing a blue swimsuit, to looks of confusion from the audience.

File:Culture Shock 156.png

Squidward dancing.

Squidward starts out dancing to orchestral music before the music suddenly changes into a trance-like techno beat; Squidward's dancing also becomes incredibly bizarre. Unfortunately for him, his time in the spotlight comes to an abrupt end when the audience members, completely disgusted by his talent (or lack thereof), erupt into boos and pelt him with tomatoes from the free salad bar. Mr. Krabs, hoping to cash in on the audience's rage, quickly slaps a one-dollar price tag on the front of the free salad bar, which one audience member admits is "worth every penny" because they all hate Squidward's act more than all of the other acts put together. An infuriated Squidward defensively criticizes the audience for having no appreciation for his talent, only to be coldly rebuffed as the equally enraged crowd chants, "No talent!" repeatedly. Furious, he storms backstage, where a waiting SpongeBob asks whether he can go on now. Squidward permits him to do so, as the show is over, much to the sponge's confusion.

SpongeBob gets to work on cleaning the stage, only to receive an unexpected surprise: the audience not only interprets the cleaning as an act but appreciates it. Squidward thinks the audience has changed their mind about him and charges in as SpongeBob leaves, only to be met with silence. He storms off again, and SpongeBob continues cleaning to great applause. Squidward charges in and is once again met by silence. However, he begins to realize that SpongeBob seems to be tied to the audience's sudden change in behavior and tries several times to get the audience to cheer for him by doing SpongeBob's act, only to be rejected and have another tomato thrown at him. Squidward is forced to conclude that it is SpongeBob the audience is cheering for, and watches from the sidelines. Squidward gets praised by Mr. Krabs for organizing the event, and SpongeBob's parents for making their son a star. Mr. Krabs, lying in a wheelbarrow full of money, says he will need another one for next week's show; Squidward can only sigh and watch with sad envy as SpongeBob gets a standing ovation for his cleaning skills.

Production

This episode's recording script was completed on February 8, 1999. The date is mistakenly said to be February 8, 2000, when season 2 was being recorded, as "Dying for Pie" had already been in January.

Script

• On November 14, 2016, recording scripts for every episode from season 1 were publicly released, found on one of the asset discs for the PlayStation video game, SuperSponge. This included the recording script for "Culture Shock."

• File:SB10SCR-1.png
• File:SB10SCR-2.png
• File:SB10SCR-3.png
• File:SB10SCR-4.png
• File:SB10SCR-5.png
• File:SB10SCR-6.png
• File:SB10SCR-7.png
• File:SB10SCR-8.png
• File:SB10SCR-9.png

Art

• File:9834694 1.jpg
• File:Elmo97.jpg
• File:Elmo139.jpg
• File:Elmo145.jpg
• File:Elmo148.jpg
• File:SB Season1 CS Production.jpg
• File:Kultursokk.jpeg
• File:Fstfyudfsgfhgshfsgr.jpg
• File:B9CB4738-725D-4D58-BC13-B745DD8BC987.jpeg

Paintings

• The background when Mr. Krabs notices a penny.
  The background when Mr. Krabs notices a penny.
• Front-view of the stage.
  Front-view of the stage.
• Backstage.
  Backstage.
• The salad bar.
  The salad bar.
• "Squidward Live" logo.
  "Squidward Live" logo.
• Stage pelted with tomatoes.
  Stage pelted with tomatoes.
• Another backstage shot.
  Another backstage shot.
• Mr. Krabs' photo.
  Mr. Krabs' photo.
• The stage's front.
  The stage's front.
• Squidward's view of the crowd, seen when he is first booed offstage.
  Squidward's view of the crowd, seen when he is first booed offstage.
• Another backstage shot.
  Another backstage shot.
• A frontstage shot.
  A frontstage shot.
• Outside the Krusty Krab.
  Outside the Krusty Krab.
• Full view of the stage.
  Full view of the stage.

Storyboards

• File:Culture board 1.png
• File:More expressive.png
• File:Image (11).png
• File:NO TALENT.png
• File:Pencil sb cs.jpeg
• File:Dance sb cs.jpeg
• File:Sweep sb cs.png
• File:Pose sb cs.png

Layouts

• File:EnCXQzCWMAA0j0-.jpg
• File:SI600I.jpeg

Character design

• File:Sb122sc060 Reporter.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F1 F3.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F4 F6.png
• File:Sb122sc060 incid f4.png
• File:Sb122sc060 incid f6.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F7 F8.png
• File:Sb122sc060 incid f8.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F9 F11.png
• File:Sb122sc060 incid f11.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F12 F14.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F15 F16.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F17-F19.png
• File:Sb122sc060 incid f17.png
• File:Sb122sc060 IC s F23 F24.png
• File:Sb122sc075 IC s F20 F22.png
• File:CultureShockLayout.jpeg

Model sheets

• File:060 limo.png
• File:060 reporter.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-01.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-02.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-03.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-04.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-05.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-06.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-07.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-07 dark.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-08.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-09.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-10.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-11.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-12.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-13.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-14.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-15.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-16.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-17.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-18.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-19.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-23.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-24.png
• File:Squid tuxedo .png
• File:Absorb sponge.png
• File:Incidentals F20 F21 F22 Anchovies.png
• File:Culture-Shock-Pearl-jumping.gif
• File:060, 061 party goer F-17 DARK.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-18 DARK.png
• File:060, 061 party goer F-19 DARK.png
• File:Sponge rope.png
• File:Dust pan.webp
• File:149 sb s MOM dressed up-DAY.png
• File:149 sb s DAD dressed up-DAY.png
• File:Bubble model cs.png
• File:Squid's Dance.jpg

Release

Distribution

• This episode is available on The Complete 1st Season, Nicktoons The Show Must Go On!, Home Sweet Pineapple, Hall Monitor, Beach Bob, Ripped Pants, The Ultimate Box Set, 10 Happiest Moments, First 100 Episodes, SpongeBob SquarePants, iSponge Offer Pack, The Super Celebrations, Bob Esponja Cumple 10 Años, SpongeBob on DVD, Exposed!: The Ultimate Box Set, Really Big Box Set, Money Box, 3 DVD Pack, The Ultimate SpongeBob Box Set, Treasure Chest: Double Pack, SpongeBob SquarePants Vol. 1, The Complete First Season, The Friends Collection, From the Beginning, Part 1, The SpongeBob SquarePants Collection, Fine Arts Collection, The SpongeBob SquarePants 8 Season DVD Collection, Triple Pack 4, The First & Second Seasons, Movies & TV Collection, Big Hits: Volume 2, The Best 200 Episodes Ever, and The Best 300 Episodes Ever DVDs.
• This episode is also available on the Nicktoons The Show Must Go On! and the UK version of the Home Sweet Pineapple VHS tapes.

Reception

• Template:Rank

Trivia

General

• When Mr. Krabs is introducing himself to Margaret SquarePants and Harold SquarePants, Patrick is wearing the same suit and hat he wore in "Home Sweet Pineapple."
• While introducing himself to the sponges, Mr. Krabs uses a greeting that is similar to a quote that would later be used in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and become his most famous quote.
• In this episode, the Krusty Krab dining room using the same chairs carved from barrels with an added leg that are usually only seen in Mr. Krabs' office. This contrasts the plain, unmodified barrels used as chairs in the dining room in other episodes.
• These are all the known performers in the talent show and their talent:
  • List of performers and their talents:
    • 1. Pearl performs cheerleading for the Krusty Krab.
    • 2. Gary meows poetry.
    • 3. Plankton does a "magic trick" (but is really trying to steal a Krabby Patty).
    • 4. Squidward dances bizarrely to techno music.
    • 5. SpongeBob mops.
    • (A few background characters are seen when Squidward gathers the performers, but they are never seen performing.)
  • Plankton and Squidward are the only ones to be booed off by the audience for their talents.
• "My leg!:" Pearl finishes her cheerleading just as the people crash everywhere.
• This is the only episode where music from The Woodies gets changed on DVD, but Mavericks doesn't play.
• There are two online games based on this episode, named Dancin' Tentacles and BoogieBob DancePants, respectively.
  • There is also a book based on this episode named Talent Show.
• An image from Squidward's dance and an image of Harold and Margaret SquarePants wearing their dress clothes are featured in the protective case of The SpongeBob SquarePants Experience: A Deep Dive into the World of Bikini Bottom.
• Squidward's dance scene has become a popular internet meme.
• The "Well, this stinks" quote said by Plankton is reused from the episode "Plankton!"
• It is revealed that Sandy understands Gary.
• Plankton's "She-hah-kazing!" line was reused in a trailer for the game Lights, Camera, Pants!
• This is one of four episodes transcribed as a comic into the SpongeBob SquarePants/Tokyopop book Krusty Krab Adventures. The other three were "The Algae's Always Greener," "Pizza Delivery," and "Pickles."
• This is the first episode:
  • Where Plankton appears without Karen.
  • In which Plankton appears without the Chum Bucket.
  • Where Plankton is drawn larger in size than in his original design.
  • To only take place at the Krusty Krab.
  • Where Incidental 30A appears.
  • For the Krusty Krab drive-thru to appear.
  • In which Pearl is in her cheerleading outfit and has pom-poms.
  • In which Pearl doesn't cry.
• This episode was previously paired up with:
  • "I'm with Stupid" during the Father's Day Marathon.
  • "Grandma's Kisses" during the Mommies With Mojo marathon.
  • "Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm" during the Best Day Ever marathon on November 10, 2006.
  • "Home Sweet Pineapple" on June 18, 2011.
  • "Grandma's Kisses" on May 12, 2024.
• Squidward dancing in this episode also appears in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, "Pat Hearts Squid," and "Abandon Twits."

• Squidward's dance in "Pat Hearts Squid".
  Squidward's dance in "Pat Hearts Squid".
• Squidward's dance in "Abandon Twits".
  Squidward's dance in "Abandon Twits".

• The free salad bar from this episode would later appear in the Krusty Krab interior in the Revenge of the Flying Dutchman video game.

Dub facts

File:Gala.png

File:10a DE.jpg

• In most international versions, Plankton says "Abracadabra!" or some cognate expression instead of "She-hah-kazing!"
• In the French dub, the title card uses a background taken from the theme song when SpongeBob is being split and reassembled.
• The German dub of this episode's title card uses the same background as the one for "Sandy's Rocket."
• Also in the German dub, Pearl is referred to by her English name instead of "Perla," her localized German name. This only occurs in this episode.
• In the Polish dub, Squidward calls Gary "Tuwim," alluding to Polish poet Julian Tuwim.
• In the Hebrew dub, Squidward instead says "Let's go, Shlomo Artzi." This is a reference to the Israeli singer Shlomo Artzi.

Cultural references

• While Gary reads poetry, Squidward refers to Gary as "Ginsberg", as an allusion to the beat poet Allen Ginsberg.
• Dr. Clean is a parody of Mr. Clean.
• The Squidward Live lettering and music style when Squidward begins his act is a parody of the NBC long-running show Saturday Night Live.
• The audience cheering for SpongeBob and not for Squidward is a reference to the 1957 Looney Tunes cartoon Show Biz Bugs where everyone cheers for Bugs Bunny and not for Daffy Duck. Unlike Squidward, however, Daffy successfully gets the standing ovation he wants in the end.

Errors

• File:CSeyelid.png

  Squidward's incorrectly colored eyelids.

  When Squidward first suggests he host the talent show, his eyelids are the same color as his skin instead of darker.
• In the scene in which SpongeBob's parents walk in, Patrick is seen standing next to Mr. Krabs, but in the next scene, he is not.

File:Culture Shock 071.png

The clock is missing.

• The clock on top of the doors disappears before the talent show. It reappears later on during Gary's poetry.
• During the talent show, the curtains change colors: red, green, and purple.

File:Culture Shock 149.png

Squidward's undrawn outline

• File:Chinerror.png

  SpongeBob's chin in front of the Dr. Clean bottle.

  For a split second, when SpongeBob shows Dr. Clean, his chin goes in front of the bottle.
• When SpongeBob says "So this is what it feels like..." his buck teeth disappear.
• When the background comes down for Squidward's act, his outline is not drawn, but it is drawn in the next scene.
• Sandy is nowhere to be found the few times that the entire audience is shown, only during Gary's poetry.
• When SpongeBob runs up while Mr. Krabs says, "SpongeBob, cater to his every whim...," SpongeBob's footsteps are heard even though he slides into the frame as opposed to running in.

File:Culture Shock 198.png

Mr. Krabs' arm goes through Squidward's neck.

• When Mr. Krabs puts his arm around Squidward's neck and says to him that he will have another wheelbarrow for the next week's show, his arm is seen going through Squidward's neck.

File:Culture Shock Error.png

Mr. Krabs' hand goes through Plankton.

• When Mr. Krabs grabs the Krabby Patty out of Plankton's hand, his hand goes right through Plankton.
• The salad bar changes location in the restaurant depending on the point in the episode.

Videos

File:Squidward Hosts a Talent Show! 🐙 "Culture Shock" 5 Minute Episode SpongeBob

File:Squidward’s Talent Show IRL! 🎤🎭 - “Culture Shock” 5 Minute Episode - SpongeBob

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
French	Le gala	The Gala
German	Kulturschock	Culture Shock
Hebrew	תחרות כישרונות Tacharot Kishronot	The Talent Competition
Hungarian	Kultúrsokk	Culture Shock
Italian	Un vero talento	A True Talent
Japanese	カルチャーショック Karuchāshokku	Culture Shock
Polish	Szok kulturalny	Culture Shock
Russian	Культурный шок Kul'turnyy shok	Culture Shock
Spanish (American)	Choque cultural	Culture Shock
Spanish (European)	Golpe de cultura	Culture Hit