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Ariana Grande Has Entered the SpongeBobverse, and It’s Already Gotten Weird

Will the real SpongeBob SquarePants please stand up?
Ariana Grande Has Entered the SpongeBobverse and Its Already Gotten Weird
From Getty/Paramount+

Things have gotten weird lately, haven’t they? Maybe it’s the heat, maybe there’s something in the air. Moviegoers are storming the streets in their neon pink finery to see Barbie, people in the Hamptons are dropping the equivalent of the GDP of small countries to keep their lawns cute, and Ariana Grande is reportedly dating one Mr. SquarePants in the wake of the announcement of her divorce from Dalton Gomez.

Yes, Grande appears to have outed herself as something of a Nickelodeon Adult, years after she shed her Nickelodeon Child Star image, swapping “star of Sam & Cat” for “international pop star.” She is reportedly dating Ethan Slater, her costar in the upcoming two-part Wicked movie and is also a SpongeBob. Note: Not the SpongeBob. Slater starred as the extra-absorbent titular character in the original cast of the stage musical based on the children’s show, for which he earned a Tony nomination.

At least one person would like to point out that that’s not the same as being SpongeBob on the animated show. Jill Talley is proving she’s wearing the SquarePants in her own life, and clearing up any confusion. Talley voices Karen Plankton on the TV show, and, importantly, is married to Tom Kenny, who voices SpongeBob. She took to Instagram Friday to clarify that, no, she is the only Dangerous Woman her mans is dating, commenting on a post by The Cut.

“Hi everyone, I’m married to Tom Kenny (who voices SpongeBob on the TV show),” she wrote. “He is not dating Ariana Grande. I don’t know if Ethan Slater (who played SpongeBob in the musical) is or isn’t dating Ariana Grande. However, they’re both adorable and I totally ship it. Just wanted to set the record straight. PS: as for me and Tom Kenny—we are celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary today.”

On her own grid, Talley shared a photo of herself and Kenny on the set of the music video for the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” in celebration of the big two-seven.

Oh, barnacles. It looks like we’ve entered the SpongeBobverse. As long as we respect the canon events and don’t alter the secret recipe for the Krusty Patty, all should remain calm in the pineapple under the sea.