Bubba the Love Sponge
Encyclopedia
Todd Alan Clem is an American radio personality better known by his Legal name
Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. He is the host of The Bubba the Love Sponge Show on various Cox Radio
and Beasley Broadcast Group
stations, formerly on Sirius XM Howard 101, as well as on RadioIO.
, began his radio career on Indiana State University's
WISU-FM. Following school, one of his first paying gigs was at WGRD in Grand Rapids, Michigan
where he worked evenings. The ever controversial Bubba was in trouble with WGRD almost from the start due to the sexual content of his show. Bubba also took shots against crosstown competitor WKLQ, in particular Danny Douglas who worked at WKLQ during the evening. Bubba went after Danny by calling him a homosexual on the air, at one point even claiming that Danny had AIDS
. After Roger's Department Store canceled their account with WGRD, management at the station met with Bubba and explicitly told him what he couldn't say on the air. Bubba also apologized to Danny, but less than a week later Bubba began to disparage Danny on the air again. On December 20, 1988, a 13-year-old-girl listening to the show called Bubba to defend Danny. Bubba made sexual references to Danny and to the 13-year-old female caller. He was fired the next day. Bubba also enjoyed a short stay at Hot 102/WLUM-FM
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
97.9 (98 Rock) out of Tampa, Florida, Bubba the Love Sponge was struck with controversy once again for the on-air slaughtering of a wild Florida boar hog. Bubba encouraged listeners that morning to bring roadkill to the parking lot barbecue outside the radio station where the events unfolded. The wild hog used during the segment was captured by a professional hunter. The same hunter was the individual who killed and prepared the hog for the barbecue. Sounds of the hog covered the airwaves in a way that made the listener perceive the hog was being harassed and aggravated. After further review, the stunt revealed that Bubba had piped in sounds of a wild boar "rutting" up the ground in place for the sound of the actual boar being slaughtered. Bubba the Love Sponge and Executive Producer Brent Hatley were both detained by authorities and were both placed on trial for animal cruelty charges. The trial made national attention outside of Florida appearing on such networks as Court TV (now Tru TV). Several months later in May 2001, the duo were cleared of any charges and it was decided that the event was legal and no criminal acts were committed. Today, Bubba agrees that the segment was distasteful but continues to state today that nothing criminal pursued from his actions that February morning. Bubba has stated he will never attempt a stunt like this again.
The Federal Communications Commission
issued a Notice of Apparent Liability (a precursor to a fine) of $755,000 against four stations owned by Clear Channel Communications
(including its parent station, WXTB
) on January 27, 2004 for objectionable segments of "Bubba the Love Sponge" aired on its stations in five Florida cities: Callahan, Clearwater, Port Charlotte, West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville. The fine consisted of the maximum of $27,500 for each of 26 airings of a segment plus $40,000 for record-keeping violations. The segments included graphic discussions about sex and drugs and according to the FCC were "designed to pander to, titillate and shock listeners". One segment featured the cartoon characters Alvin the Chipmunks
, George Jetson
and Scooby-Doo
discussing sexual activities.
Clear Channel Communications discontinued Bubba's show on February 23, 2004 and two days later, Clear Channel CEO John Hogan testified in front of Congress, stating that the "Bubba the Love Sponge" show would no longer be broadcast on Clear Channel.
Currently, Bubba can be heard on several stations primarily owned by Cox Radio
and Beasley Broadcast Group
.
account that he had signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
as a backstage interviewer. He made his debut the following day on the special live, three-hour, Monday night edition of TNA Impact!
, participating in four short backstage segments.
On January 16, 2010, Bubba made remarks on his Twitter account that were disparaging of Haiti's struggle to recover from the January 12 earthquake
. Although he later apologized, his tweets created a rift between himself and TNA management, and for a while he was not used by the company on their television broadcast.
On January 19, 2010, Bubba claimed that he had been blind-sided and physically assaulted by Awesome Kong
while backstage for the tapings of TNA Impact! the previous day, claims substantiated on his program by TNA's Hulk Hogan
. According to all three, the altercation was a result of the Twitter comments made by Bubba the Love Sponge concerning the Haiti relief project. On February 25, Bubba announced that he was done with TNA Wrestling. That same day, news broke that Awesome Kong, real name Kia Stevens, had filed a lawsuit against Clem for an alleged threatening phone call. Bubba later joined in on the Cowhead radio show
confronting Stevens, allegedly using racially charged comments.
He returned to TNA television as The Band's personal interviewer in late March, only to be fired from the company on April 30, 2010 stemming from the Cowhead Show incident.
On December 22, 2010 Bubba officially left his spot as a radio show host on the Sirius/XM Satellite radio service after deciding not to re-sign a new contract SiriusXM had offered him .
On January 3, 2011 Bubba announced he will be the first major radio announcer to have an internet show. The show will be on the site radioio.com and feature several programming features throughout the day starting on January 10, 2011.
Currently, Bubba promotes his own charity, The Bubba the Love Sponge Foundation, Inc., which raises money for various Florida situations, including "Bikes for Badges", which honors the fallen officers of the region's various law enforcement departments.
In February 2011, Bubba began a nightly editorial segment, Bring It on Bubba, for WTSP
's 10 News at 11.
On August 15, 2011 WHTQ in Orlando (now WDBO-FM) and WFYV-FM
in Jacksonville dropped Bubba the Love Sponge from their morning lineup—in WHTQ's case, it was due to a format change in which the station began a simulcast with WDBO.
Legal name
Legal name is the name that an individual is given at birth and/or recognized by a government or other legal entity, or which appears on a birth certificate , marriage certificate , or other government issued document on which a legal name change is evidenced and...
Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. He is the host of The Bubba the Love Sponge Show on various Cox Radio
Cox Radio
Cox Radio, Inc. is a division of Cox Enterprises that holds a number of radio stations. Cox Radio is headquartered at 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Sandy Springs, Georgia....
and Beasley Broadcast Group
Beasley Broadcast Group
Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. , based in Naples, Florida, is an owner/operator of radio stations in the United States. As of January 2011, the company owned 17 AM stations and 28 FM stations. -History:...
stations, formerly on Sirius XM Howard 101, as well as on RadioIO.
Early career and the FCC
Bubba, a native of Warsaw, IndianaWarsaw, Indiana
Warsaw is a city in and the county seat of Kosciusko County, Indiana, United States. Cradled among Winona Lake, Pike Lake, Hidden Lake and Center Lake, Warsaw is nicknamed "Lake City," though other cities in the surrounding area are also referred to by that nickname...
, began his radio career on Indiana State University's
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
WISU-FM. Following school, one of his first paying gigs was at WGRD in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
where he worked evenings. The ever controversial Bubba was in trouble with WGRD almost from the start due to the sexual content of his show. Bubba also took shots against crosstown competitor WKLQ, in particular Danny Douglas who worked at WKLQ during the evening. Bubba went after Danny by calling him a homosexual on the air, at one point even claiming that Danny had AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. After Roger's Department Store canceled their account with WGRD, management at the station met with Bubba and explicitly told him what he couldn't say on the air. Bubba also apologized to Danny, but less than a week later Bubba began to disparage Danny on the air again. On December 20, 1988, a 13-year-old-girl listening to the show called Bubba to defend Danny. Bubba made sexual references to Danny and to the 13-year-old female caller. He was fired the next day. Bubba also enjoyed a short stay at Hot 102/WLUM-FM
WLUM-FM
WLUM-FM 102.1 FM) is a commercial radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The station airs a Alternative rock music format branded as "FM 102.1"....
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The hog incident
On February 27, 2001, while on WXTBWXTB
WXTB — branded 98 Rock — is a commercial radio station in the Tampa, Florida area. However the station can be heard as far north as Ocala and Williston due to its strong signal...
97.9 (98 Rock) out of Tampa, Florida, Bubba the Love Sponge was struck with controversy once again for the on-air slaughtering of a wild Florida boar hog. Bubba encouraged listeners that morning to bring roadkill to the parking lot barbecue outside the radio station where the events unfolded. The wild hog used during the segment was captured by a professional hunter. The same hunter was the individual who killed and prepared the hog for the barbecue. Sounds of the hog covered the airwaves in a way that made the listener perceive the hog was being harassed and aggravated. After further review, the stunt revealed that Bubba had piped in sounds of a wild boar "rutting" up the ground in place for the sound of the actual boar being slaughtered. Bubba the Love Sponge and Executive Producer Brent Hatley were both detained by authorities and were both placed on trial for animal cruelty charges. The trial made national attention outside of Florida appearing on such networks as Court TV (now Tru TV). Several months later in May 2001, the duo were cleared of any charges and it was decided that the event was legal and no criminal acts were committed. Today, Bubba agrees that the segment was distasteful but continues to state today that nothing criminal pursued from his actions that February morning. Bubba has stated he will never attempt a stunt like this again.
The Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
issued a Notice of Apparent Liability (a precursor to a fine) of $755,000 against four stations owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
(including its parent station, WXTB
WXTB
WXTB — branded 98 Rock — is a commercial radio station in the Tampa, Florida area. However the station can be heard as far north as Ocala and Williston due to its strong signal...
) on January 27, 2004 for objectionable segments of "Bubba the Love Sponge" aired on its stations in five Florida cities: Callahan, Clearwater, Port Charlotte, West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville. The fine consisted of the maximum of $27,500 for each of 26 airings of a segment plus $40,000 for record-keeping violations. The segments included graphic discussions about sex and drugs and according to the FCC were "designed to pander to, titillate and shock listeners". One segment featured the cartoon characters Alvin the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks (TV series)
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated television series featuring The Chipmunks, produced by Bagdasarian Productions in association with Ruby-Spears Enterprises from 1983–87, and DIC Entertainment from 1988-90....
, George Jetson
George Jetson
The following is a list of major characters in The Jetsons. The Jetsons is an animated television comedy produced by Hanna-Barbera and first broadcast in prime-time on ABC as part of the 1962–63 United States network television schedule. Additional episodes were produced from 1985–1987, with the...
and Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
discussing sexual activities.
Clear Channel Communications discontinued Bubba's show on February 23, 2004 and two days later, Clear Channel CEO John Hogan testified in front of Congress, stating that the "Bubba the Love Sponge" show would no longer be broadcast on Clear Channel.
Currently, Bubba can be heard on several stations primarily owned by Cox Radio
Cox Radio
Cox Radio, Inc. is a division of Cox Enterprises that holds a number of radio stations. Cox Radio is headquartered at 6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Road in Sandy Springs, Georgia....
and Beasley Broadcast Group
Beasley Broadcast Group
Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. , based in Naples, Florida, is an owner/operator of radio stations in the United States. As of January 2011, the company owned 17 AM stations and 28 FM stations. -History:...
.
Recent activities
On January 3, 2010, Bubba announced via his TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account that he had signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
as a backstage interviewer. He made his debut the following day on the special live, three-hour, Monday night edition of TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
, participating in four short backstage segments.
On January 16, 2010, Bubba made remarks on his Twitter account that were disparaging of Haiti's struggle to recover from the January 12 earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
. Although he later apologized, his tweets created a rift between himself and TNA management, and for a while he was not used by the company on their television broadcast.
On January 19, 2010, Bubba claimed that he had been blind-sided and physically assaulted by Awesome Kong
Kia Stevens
Kia Michelle Stevens , better known by her ring names Amazing Kong, Awesome Kong and Kharma. She is signed with WWE, but has been inactive since May 2011 due to pregnancy...
while backstage for the tapings of TNA Impact! the previous day, claims substantiated on his program by TNA's Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. According to all three, the altercation was a result of the Twitter comments made by Bubba the Love Sponge concerning the Haiti relief project. On February 25, Bubba announced that he was done with TNA Wrestling. That same day, news broke that Awesome Kong, real name Kia Stevens, had filed a lawsuit against Clem for an alleged threatening phone call. Bubba later joined in on the Cowhead radio show
The Cowhead Show
The Cowhead Show is an American radio program hosted by Mike "Cowhead" Calta and broadcast live Monday through Friday on WHPT in the Tampa Bay area, Florida and re-broadcast on Rock105 Jacksonville from 7p to 11p....
confronting Stevens, allegedly using racially charged comments.
He returned to TNA television as The Band's personal interviewer in late March, only to be fired from the company on April 30, 2010 stemming from the Cowhead Show incident.
On December 22, 2010 Bubba officially left his spot as a radio show host on the Sirius/XM Satellite radio service after deciding not to re-sign a new contract SiriusXM had offered him .
On January 3, 2011 Bubba announced he will be the first major radio announcer to have an internet show. The show will be on the site radioio.com and feature several programming features throughout the day starting on January 10, 2011.
Currently, Bubba promotes his own charity, The Bubba the Love Sponge Foundation, Inc., which raises money for various Florida situations, including "Bikes for Badges", which honors the fallen officers of the region's various law enforcement departments.
In February 2011, Bubba began a nightly editorial segment, Bring It on Bubba, for WTSP
WTSP
WTSP is a CBS-affiliated television station in St. Petersburg, Florida . It broadcasts its digital signal on VHF channel 10....
's 10 News at 11.
On August 15, 2011 WHTQ in Orlando (now WDBO-FM) and WFYV-FM
WFYV-FM
WFYV-FM is an FM radio station owned by Cox Radio in Jacksonville, Florida, known as "Rock 104.5" The station broadcasts with 100 kilowatts of both horizontal and vertical power...
in Jacksonville dropped Bubba the Love Sponge from their morning lineup—in WHTQ's case, it was due to a format change in which the station began a simulcast with WDBO.