Waterboarding Thrill Ride- Spongebob and Torture


Artist Steve Powers has created the “Waterboarding Thrill Ride” here in Brooklyn’s own Coney Island. The exterior has a painted shot of Spongebob saying ‘It Don’t GITMO Better!’ with Squidward interrogating. You insert a dollar, step up to the window and can view a robotic animatronic scene demonstrating the waterboarding torture technique…(or waterboarding interrogation technique depending on your views) as used in Guantánamo.

A lifesize figure in a dark sweatshirt, the hood drawn low over his face, leans over another figure in an orange jumpsuit, his face covered by a towel and his body strapped down on a tilted surface.

Feed a dollar into a slot, the lights go on, and Black Hood pours water up Orange Jumpsuit’s nose and mouth while Orange Jumpsuit convulses against his restraints for 15 seconds.

Unfortunately Spongebob doesn’t actually get it. It’s probably more entertaining than Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre.

Photo credit- Atomnische via NYTimes