It’s not every day you see a 2D sponge and a pink starfish hosting a major award show from a literal hangar in Santa Monica. But honestly, that’s exactly what went down at the Kids’ Choice Awards 2024. Nickelodeon decided to get weirdly ambitious for their 37th annual bash, celebrating 25 years of SpongeBob SquarePants by turning the whole event into an augmented reality fever dream.
Usually, these shows happen in the spring. Not this time.
The move to July 13, 2024, was a first since the early 90s, basically turning the Barker Hangar into a massive, slime-filled summer party. If you missed it, the energy was kinda chaotic. You had real-life celebrities standing next to digital characters, and surprisingly, the tech actually worked for the most part.
Why the Kids’ Choice Awards 2024 felt different
The big draw was the hosting duo. Having SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) "live" on stage via motion capture was a massive swing for Nick. It wasn't just a gimmick; the whole environment felt like a trip to Bikini Bottom.
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Slime is the universal currency here.
Jelly Roll took a face full of the green stuff, looking genuinely surprised. Then you had the Kid LAROI performing a three-song medley before getting absolutely drenched. Even the hosts didn't escape. By the end of the night, it felt like anyone within ten feet of the stage was at risk of being hosed down.
Who actually walked away with the blimps?
If you looked at the winners, it was basically the "Year of Taylor and Barbie."
Barbie dominated. It took home Favorite Movie, and Margot Robbie snagged Favorite Movie Actress. It’s hard to compete with a billion-dollar pink juggernaut. On the music side, Taylor Swift cleaned up—winning Favorite Female Artist, Favorite Global Music Star, and even Favorite Ticket of the Year for the Eras Tour.
But it wasn't just the usual suspects.
- Timothée Chalamet won Favorite Movie Actor for Wonka.
- Post Malone took home Favorite Male Artist.
- Walker Scobell won for Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
- Reneé Rapp beat out some heavy hitters for Favorite Breakout Artist.
The creator categories also showed who really runs the internet these days. MrBeast won Favorite Male Creator (shocker, I know), while Lexi Rivera took the female creator blimp.
The Slime, the Snubs, and the Surprises
Wait, did you see the Transformers One teaser?
Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry showed up to give a sneak peek of the animated flick. It was a smart move, targeting the exact demographic sitting on their couches with orange soda. But the real "water cooler" moment was the Legend Award. Serena Williams showed up to accept it, proving that even the GOAT of tennis isn't too cool for a Nickelodeon blimp.
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The Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce crossover
The "Swiftie" effect was in full force. Not only did Taylor win everything she was nominated for, but Travis Kelce actually won Favorite Male Sports Star. It’s wild how much influence that relationship has had on even the KCA voting blocks.
Honestly, some people were a bit salty about the nominations. If you look at the Favorite Music Group category—Imagine Dragons, Jonas Brothers, *NSYNC—it felt a bit like 2014 called and wanted its playlist back. The "kids" choosing these winners might be getting a little help from their nostalgic parents, or maybe some bands just have staying power that defies age.
A Weird Night for Live TV
The show aired during a pretty heavy news cycle in the real world. While the internet was melting down over political events, Nickelodeon stayed firmly in its bubble. It was surreal.
You had 295,000 people watching on the main channel, which is actually down from previous years. Ratings for live cable events are tricky now. Most kids are catching the highlights on TikTok or YouTube the next morning anyway. Nick knows this, which is why the "Social" categories are becoming the most competitive parts of the show.
What to do with this info
If you're a collector or a superfan, the 2024 show was a turning point for how these ceremonies use AR. The "nautical nonsense" was a blueprint for future hybrid events.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
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- Check the Full List: If you're looking for a specific niche winner like "Favorite Viral Song" (Sabrina Carpenter's Espresso won, by the way), the official Nick site usually keeps the archive up for a year.
- Watch the Performances: The Kid LAROI’s medley and Paul Russell’s opening are worth a re-watch on YouTube just for the stage production.
- Vote Early Next Year: Voting usually opens about a month before the show. If you want to stop the Barbie or Taylor Swift streaks, you've gotta get the Discord servers moving early.
The 2024 show proved that even after 37 years, the formula of "celebrity + green goo" still works. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s probably the only place you’ll ever see a tennis legend and a talking sponge share a stage.