Background: On May 11, 2021, SpongeBob writer Richard Pursel did a Q&A with The Art of SpongeBob Discord server (link here). The questions as well as Pursel's answers have been replicated here for posterity.

Yoshifico asks: Favorite SpongeBob episode you worked on?

RP: Probably Spongehenge

I love that episode

MednaTheFox asks: who’s your favorite character to write for?

RP: Gary!

Though Squidward was my muse

Oswarudo asks: Were there any episode ideas or jokes that you made that were cut?

RP: I wrote a SpongeBob origin story that got cut my Steve Hillenburg himself because he said he never wanted to explain that

PickleMan: SpongeBob origin story?

RP: Yes. I also had a Pearl Origin story that was cut for the same reason

But I did get to do a Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy origin story that thankfully was approved and produced before the voice actors died of old age so I’m grateful for that

PickleMan: Neptune bless Mermaidman Begins

ndog asks: I've noticed that while you primarily work as a writer, you've done storyboards on other shows in the past. Which of the two jobs was more fun?

RP: I love both but after a certain point in this business I had to choose and I was getting more work as a writer

I’ve also done SpongeBob comics that I wrote and drew ruffs for

alura asks: Hi Mr. Pursel, I am a big fan of your work. I would like to know what inspired your writing style or what influenced you, because I noticed it is somewhat distinct from other writers, in episodes such as Fungus Among Us, Pet Or Pests and House Worming

RP: I’m actually bringing back the Amoeba Gang in a new SB episode that I came up with in the comic

Well a lot of us SB writers are BIG fans of silent comedy films, especially Buster Keaton. I also think gross stuff is funny and am a big John Waters fan. Love Hairspray and Cry Baby as well as his earlier films. Also Aaron Springer needs praise — he storyboarded some of my favorite episodes I’ve written

Torts asks: Who was your favorite SpongeBob cast member to work with/meet

RP: Here’s a framed cel I have signed by Steve H from the classic F.U.N. episode 😊

I love Tom Kenny! He’s incredible and a super fun hang. Once by coincidence I took my kids trick o treating in a different neighborhood and my oldest was SpongeBob for Halloween and we went to Tom Kenny’s house! He gave us tons of special candy he had lol!

RP: There are only cels from the first 3 seasons because the show went digital after that

SpiritWalrus asks: this question isn’t really about SB but I hope it’s still valid: what was it like working on Wabbit/New Looney Tunes? How much control did storyboard artists have?

RP: That experience totally sucked for me. I only wrote two episodes even though I helped pitch the series and got a green light for it.

The current Looney Toons series is FAR superior

Squidward asks: What does an animation writer do compared to a regular writer? (for example, a lot of episodes in season 10 have you credited only as Animation Writer)

RP: I don’t come up with those distinctions. I’ll always have a cartoon sensibility with my writing, even my live-action writing

House Worming was based on a script I wrote, but most of the others I wrote the original idea premise and outline, and storyboard artists also shared writing credit since that was the process for seasons 1-9 I do believe.

alura asks: Can you describe the production process for the Legends of Bikini Bottom miniseries, what inspired it, and what you did on the episodes you worked on, such as Trenchbillies?

RP: Well, for those specials the writers were asked to write stories based on a theme — Legends, Winter themed (Frozen Face-Off), Pests of the West, etc. For legends I wrote Trenchbillies (a fave for sure!) and Curse of the Hex.

PickleMan: Was there a particular reason that the vacation theme was picked?

RP: Probably because we hadn’t done any summer themed episodes and the suits at Nickelodeon wanted some. The marketing department needs a theme to do their part of the job I guess

Sandals asks: How did you get into the writing industry, and what would you say is the best way to get into it?

RP: Everyone comes in to animation in uniquely different ways I feel. I started as a production assistant on Tiny Toon Adventures and learned everything on the job. From there I was hired on Ren & Stimpy and the boss said he had enough artists but needed writers who could also draw. That’s also how my pal Mr. Lawrence started! The voice of Plankton. Sometimes in SpongeBob story meetings I’d submit stories as a joke that would kill off his character lol

RP: I’m actually writing a new Plankton story now! And my youngest son Damon was Plankton for Halloween when he was a baby in a handmade costume

BobCarotte asks: how did you get the job on spongebob?

RP: I actually had to write 20 premises to audition and out of all of those only one was picked! But most had zero so I was hired as a staff writer

PickleMan: which one was the one that was picked?

RP: Fungus Among Us

Ashleykun asks: In the "I Am Weasel" episode " "I.R. Ice Fisher" in which you wrote, there is a scene where Weasel successfully catches a small fish, puts it back in the fishing hole and then suddenly, a muscular tuxedo-wearing penguin pops up from the hole, beats up Baboon for no reason and then says "That ain't no way to treat a Lady!" before hopping down the hole again. What is the meaning of this? Is it a specific reference to something? It has zero relevance to the episode, nor was it ever foreshadowed or brought up again.

RP: Wow so random! That Weasel gag was an inside joke by the storyboard artist Charlie Bean who’s an old friend since Tiny Toons days, and also worked on Ren & Stimpy, Cow and Chicken/I Am Weasel and SpongeBob

Squidward asks: Did you write Good Ol' Whatshisname or was it Dani Michaeli? The credits are different on some airings

RP: I hate to cut this short but I have family visiting now. I’m happy to continue this another time okay. I’ll answer that last question though...

Dani wrote it. That was a production mistake. It happens

PickleMan: Alright, thanks for your time! I'll contact you tomorrow if you'd like to continue it sometime later

RP: Okay!