Bubblestand

Template:Episode "Bubblestand" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season one. SpongeBob creates a bubblestand outside his house, thus annoying Squidward.

Characters Present:

• SpongeBob SquarePants
• Patrick Star
• Squidward Tentacles

Songs: Squidward's clarinet solo.

• Title Card: "Old Hilo March"

Plot

SpongeBob walks outside and admires the peacefulness of the neighborhood. Suddenly, he loudly sets up a bubblestand outside of his pineapple, in order to teach others how to blow bubbles like he does. This annoys Squidward, who requests SpongeBob to be quiet. SpongeBob slows down and eventually finishes his stand. For only 25 cents per lesson, he attempts to teach Patrick some of his tricks, showing him the technique that allows him to blow bubbles in various shapes and sizes.

One elephant-shaped bubble (Which Patrick called a giraffe) floats into Squidward's window, thus attracting his foul temper. An angry Squidward marches out and attempts to blow a bubble that will upstage SpongeBob, without using the technique, but fails. He tries this over and over again, while SpongeBob and Patrick try to remind him of the technique. He gives in and sarcastically imitates the technique. He succeeds, and creates a bubble so large it floats away as SpongeBob and Patrick cheer. Filled with pride, Squidward goes back into his house and plays the clarinet. However, the large bubble returns and engulfs his house. It floats toward the surface as he plays his clarinet. Suddenly, the bubble bursts, sending his house crashing to the sea-bottom. Squidward struggles to play his clarinet afterward.

Quotes

[SpongeBob has opened a little bubble stand outside his house.]

SpongeBob: Hey, Squidward, want to blow some bubbles? Only twenty-five cents.

Squidward: Oh, right, like I would spend a moment of my time blowing bubbles.

SpongeBob: Uh-huh!

Squidward: Oh, puh-lease. I mean, who in the world would pay to blow a bubble?

[Patrick appears at that moment.]

Patrick: Good morning!

Squidward: Oh, boy...

---

[SpongeBob blows a bubble in the shape of an elephant, Patrick laughs gleefully.]

Patrick: It's a giraffe!

---

Squidward: Business is booming.

---

SpongeBob: One bubble wand, dipped and ready to go.

---

SpongeBob: [To Patrick] Good morning to you, sir. Would you care to blow a bubble?

Patrick: [Thoughtfully] Hmm. How much is it?

SpongeBob: Only a quarter.

Patrick: Sounds reasonable. [Hesitates a moment, then speaks to Spongebob in a rather embarrassed whisper.] Er...I'm going to need to borrow a quarter.

SpongeBob: Sure thing, Patrick. [Hands Patrick a quarter]

Patrick: Ah, one quarter!

[Patrick gives the quarter to SpongeBob. SpongeBob looks at it a moment, then bites it to make sure it's genuine, then pockets it.]

SpongeBob: Thank you!

---

Squidward: How did I ever get surrounded by such loser neighbors?

---

Squidward: [Marveling at the one humongous bubble he's just blown] Now that's a bubble!

---

Squidward: How can you two possibly make all this noise, just by blowing bubbles?

SpongeBob: We're not just blowing bubbles. We're making bubble art!

---

[After Patrick has unsuccessfully attempted to blow a bubble]

SpongeBob: Could I interest you in some lessons? Only twenty-five cents.

Patrick: [Still out of breath] Uh, very well, then. Hey, Sponge, can I borrow another quarter? [Spongebob gives him another quarter.] Thanks!

---

Squidward: I rock.

---

Squidward: That's not art, that's just annoying.

---

[SpongeBob is showing Patrick (and later Squidward) the "technique" for blowing the perfect bubble]

SpongeBob: [Lifting his foot high into the air behind him] First, go like this. Spin around, stop. Double-take three times: One, two, three. Then--pelvic thrust! [Does the "pelvic thrust"] Whoooo! Whoooo! Stop on your right foot, don't forget it! [Winds himself around] Now it's time to bring it around town, bring it around town! [Bends and contorts himself into various shapes] Then you do this, and that, and this and that, this and that, this and that, and then... [Blows out bubbles in all sorts of interesting designs]

Cultural References

• Prince Paul wrote a song about this episode. It can be heard on The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie soundtrack.
• The SpongeBob technique involves dancing and singing with references to "The Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
• Clips from this episode appeared in the 2005 film, Zathura, while the main characters were fighting over what to watch (the choices were SpongeBob SquarePants or SportsCenter).
• The ending of Squidward's clarinet solo is similar to the end of the early How to Play Blue's Clues theme.