Bubba the Love Sponge Clem (born Todd Alan Clem[1] in Warsaw, Indiana on April 23, 1966) is a Tampa, Florida radio talk show host. His radio show can be heard on Howard 101 on Sirius Satellite Radio and on WHPT in Tampa and WFYV in Jacksonville.
Bubba on terrestrial radio
Bubba the Love Sponge starts his show off with the Jimi Hendrix song Voodoo Child.
Beginning initially on college radio station WISU in Terre Haute, Indiana, Bubba made his professional debut on April 1, 1985. After initially using “Rockin’ Bubba Clem” as his on-air moniker, a fellow DJ gave Bubba the name “Bubba The Love Sponge” which became his permanent radio name. Bubba has trademarked the name, and he legally changed his name to Bubba The Love Sponge Clem in 1999.
By the time he was 25 years old, Bubba was doing morning drive radio in Chicago. He worked as a DJ in the CHR and Top 40 fields, earning multiple national awards from Billboard Magazine for his work. Bubba moved around a great deal in his early years, as many DJs have to do, working in markets like Grand Rapids, Cincinnati, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Orlando.
Bubba began to develop his edgy style at WXXL in Orlando. After Bubba’s contract with WXXL was not renewed, he moved to Chicago for a short stay as the morning man on the old Z-95 then to Milwaukee for a 6 month stint as the afternoon jock on WLUM, then onto Tampa’s WFLZ-FM, known as “The Power Pig 93.3″ to work nights. It was there he began to draw national attention for his controversial style. One of Clem’s more popular on-air bits was “No Panties Thursday.” In Conjunction with doing nights on the Power Pig, but was also somewhat of a pioneer in Radio Voice Tracking/Syndication. While he was doing his show live on 93.3 the Power Pig in Tampa, he was also heard on several Rock Radio formats across America. He cut this show earlier in the day and they played it at night as if Bubba was actually in their city. While he was doing this, he also was heard late nights from 10p-midnight on WJBT, 92.7 “The Beat” in Jacksonville, Florida.
In December 1996, WXTB, known in Tampa as “98 Rock”, hired Bubba for the morning drive time slot. That was a departure from his usual pop radio environment, but he welcomed the new challenge. Clem was paired with comedy writer Mike “Manson” Waters to write sketches for Clem’s show. “The Bubba the Love Sponge Show” rose quickly in the ratings, with Clem becoming something of a pop culture icon in the Tampa Bay area.
Clem often criticized local politicians and national leaders on issues when he disagreed with their views. Clem was also critical of a style of radio that he called “warm and fuzzy radio,” which Clem claimed to be mind-numbing fluff. His brash style appealed primarily to blue-collar workers and long-haul truckers.
In 1997 Clem opened up “Planet Bubba,” a nightclub in Clearwater, FL. He owned a series of restaurants and nightclubs in the Tampa Bay area, including Bubba’s Ale House, Bubba’s Beach Club in Ybor City, and Plush in Tarpon Springs, FL.
During January 2001, “The Bubba The Love Sponge Show” went into syndication. During its run in syndication, the show aired on stations in Jacksonville, Orlando, Hartford, West Palm Beach, Ft. Myers, Wichita, Shreveport and Macon. XM Satellite Radio carried the show as well, first on tape delay, and then live in east coast morning drive.
Radio & Records named Bubba the national Active Rock Personality/Show of the Year for 2002 and 2003. Many stations, however, declined to carry Clem’s show when offered syndication rights due to its controversial nature. Bubba was also a 7 time Billboard Air personality of the year winner.
Pig Killing Controversy
Clem was arrested in 2001, along with two hunters and executive producer Brent Hatley, and prosecuted by Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober on charges of animal cruelty after the hunters slaughtered a pig in an on-air event called “Bubba’s Road Kill Barbecue.” The suspicion of cruelty resulted from a replay button on his soundboard that was linked to a recorded group of boar feasting from a trough that Bubba played several times in succession, giving the impression that the pig was being brutally slaughtered.
In reality, Bubba had called the Florida Fish and Wildlife association before the show and was given the state statute regarding the legal and humane way to slaughter wild boar. Bubba instructed the regulations to be followed by having the boar slaughtered by the professional trapper who captured it under the supervision of two Tampa Police officers. Bubba and the others were acquitted by a six person jury in 52 minutes after a 2002 trial.
Forced Sex Act Controversy
In 2006, Clem was sued by Brooke Skye, a Fort Lauderdale based internet porn model, over an incident which allegedly occurred during her second appearance on his show.
Skye alleged that when she refused to allow another internet porn star, Melissa Midwest, to penetrate her with an oversized strap-on dildo, Clem threatened he would “kick your ass out of my studio and tell everybody not to visit your website.” Skye further alleged that Clem plied her with alcohol despite her being underaged,and that members of Clem’s staff then held her down while Midwest penetrated her with the dildo against her expressed will, causing injuries to her vagina. No police report was filed.
Skye named Clem, Midwest, Sirius Radio, and several of Clem’s staff in her suit, asking for a total of $150,000.
Clear Channel and FCC troubles
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 his 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 and West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville.
The segments included graphic discussions about sex and drugs that were “designed to pander to, titillate and shock listeners,” the FCC said. One segment featured the cartoon characters Alvin the chipmunk, George Jetson and Scooby Doo discussing sexual activities.
The fine consisted of the maximum of $27,500 for each of 26 airings of a segment the FCC alleged were “designed to pander to, titillate and shock listeners”, plus $40,000 for record-keeping violations.
Clear Channel Communications immediately cancelled their contract with Bubba The Love Sponge over the incident.
Renewal; Return to Terrestrial Airwaves
On December 10, 2007, Bubba announced on The Howard Stern Show that his show would be with Sirius Satellite Radio on Howard 101 for another year. Also on that same date, Cox Radio announced that Bubba will begin broadcasting a live morning show from Tampa radio station WHPT (102.5 “The Bone”) on January 8, 2008 that will be simulcast on Jacksonville, Florida radio station WFYV (104.5 FM).It is reported that Bubba is being paid over $3 million combined annually for his two gigs.