Tom Kenny

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Tom Kenny bigraphy, stories - Comedians

Tom Kenny : biography

July 13, 1962 –

Thomas James "Tom" Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor, voice actor, singer, and comedian. He is known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on Jacques Cousteau. He is Heffer Wolfe and various other characters in Rocko’s Modern Life, the Mayor and narrator of Cartoon Network’s The Powerpuff Girls, Eduardo in Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends, Rabbit in Winnie-the-Pooh and Scoutmaster Lumpus and Slinkman from Camp Lazlo. Aside from voice acting, Kenny starred in the short-lived Fox sketch show The Edge and was a cast member of the HBO sketch comedy program Mr. Show. He is also known for being one of the longest-working voice actors to voice Spyro in the Spyro the Dragon series. He voiced Spyro for three games (Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage, Spyro: Year of the Dragon, and Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly).

He currently voices the Ice King in the Cartoon Network animated series Adventure Time with Finn and Jake, and voices additional characters on Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. He also voices Quantum Ray in Cosmic Quantum Ray and Plastic Man in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Musical career

He was the lead vocalist for the Syracuse, New York-based band The Tearjerkers since the early 1980s, when he replaced the original vocalist Buddy Love. Other members of The Tearjerkers included Charlie Robbins, Dave DeCirce, and Dave Soule, who is still active in the central New York music scene. "Syracuse Summer" is the group’s best-known song, and is included on The History of Syracuse Music, Volume XII and XIII. While the Tearjerkers did not become a national act, one Tearjerkers roadie would go on to achieve fame: comedian Bobcat Goldthwait. Goldthwait’s film Shakes the Clown features Kenny as Shakes’ bitter archrival. In 1980, Kenny was briefly a member of Syracuse-based pop punk band The Trend along with Goldthwait.

Kenny appeared regularly on NBC’s music video show Friday Night Videos, in a recurring comedic Music News segment. In 1991, he took over as the show’s regular host until being replaced later that year by Frankie Crocker.

In 1996, Kenny appeared along with his wife, Jill Talley, in the music video for "Tonight, Tonight" by The Smashing Pumpkins, playing a young couple taking their honeymoon on the moon. The video was very popular, winning six MTV Video Music Awards. Kenny also appeared in the music video for "Sing" by the band Travis.

Kenny also sung in Teen Titans. the song was called "Master Of Your Fate" the episode was "Bunny Raven or How To Make a Titan animal disappear.

In 2006, Kenny co-wrote and recorded SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best Day Ever with producer Andy Paley. Kenny’s singing on the CD is done in the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants and other characters from the show. Other musical artists on the CD include: Brian Wilson, Tommy Ramone, and Flaco Jiménez. The music pays homage to The Beach Boys, The Archies, The Lovin’ Spoonful, and The Troggs, among others.http://www.syracuse.com/blogs/listenup/index.ssf?/mtlogs/syr_listenup/archives/2006_10.html#194564

Kenny makes a vocal cameo in the track "TMZ" on Weird Al Yankovic’s 2011 album Alpocalypse.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Film/TV Show Result
2001 Annie Award Best Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television Production SpongeBob SquarePants
2008 Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production
2010 Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Screen Couple (shared with Shia LaBeouf and either Megan Fox or any "Transformer") Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Annie Award Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production SpongeBob SquarePants
2012 Golden Raspberry Awards Worst Screen Ensemble (shared with the entire cast) Transformers: Dark of the Moon