Why is SpongeBob’s Bikini Bottom trending in Egypt? Here’s what the viral joke means

Bikini Bottom, or 'Qaa Al Hamour' as it is known in the Arabic version of the popular American TV show SpongeBob SquarePants, has taken over Egyptian social media, after users began treating the fictional underwater city as if it were a real neighbourhood.

The trend grew from a Facebook group called “Complaints of Bikini Bottom Residents”, where members share imaginary complaints, daily problems and jokes as though SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward and their neighbours were real residents.

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According to Egyptian media reports, the group attracted around 500,000 members within a short period as screenshots and jokes began spreading beyond Facebook.

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Celebrities have ‘moved’ in too

By August 21, the joke had moved beyond the Facebook group and Egyptian celebrities began joining the trend.

Actor Mostafa Gharieb shared an edited photo of himself in Bikini Bottom and jokingly changed his name to 'Mostafa Ghareeq' — a play on the Arabic word for someone who has drowned.

Bassem Samra also joined in with an edited underwater photo, while Ahmed Malek joked that anyone waiting for him to fall could stop waiting because he was already “at the bottom”.

Hana El Zahed joined the trend too, sharing her own take on “moving” to Bikini Bottom.

Why did it become so popular?

Part of the joke is how familiar the complaints feel.

Instead of simply sharing SpongeBob memes, users have turned Bikini Bottom into an imaginary Egyptian neighbourhood, using its characters and locations to joke about everyday situations and problems.

The idea quickly moved from one Facebook community into a wider social media trend, with users creating their own versions and celebrities placing themselves inside SpongeBob's underwater world.

For now, Egypt may have gained a fictional new neighbourhood.

The only problem? It is at the bottom of the sea.