Home Forums Blogs Articles Photos Videos Contact FAQ

Bubba the Love Sponge

Bubba the Love Sponge: Encyclopedia - Bubba the Love Sponge

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem (born Todd Clem, he legally changed his name) is a Tampa, Florida radio talk show host who has had a colorful past. Beginning initially in college radio in Terre Haute, Indiana, Bubba made his professional debut on April 1, 1985. Initially going by the name of "Rockin' Bubba Clem" as his on-air moniker, a fellow DJ gave Bubba the name "Bubba The Love Sponge", and it stuck and became his radio name. Bubba has federally trademarked the name, and he leg ...

Including:

Bubba the Love Sponge - Cast & Crew of the Bubba The Love Sponge® show

Bubba the Love Sponge - Frequent Bits

Bubba the Love Sponge, Bubba the Love Sponge - Cast & Crew of the Bubba The Love Sponge® show, Bubba the Love Sponge - Frequent Bits, Howard 100, Sirius Satellite Radio

Bubba the Love Sponge: Encyclopedia - Bubba the Love Sponge

Bubba the Love Sponge

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem (born Todd Clem, he legally changed his name) is a Tampa, Florida radio talk show host who has had a colorful past. Beginning initially in college radio in Terre Haute, Indiana, Bubba made his professional debut on April 1, 1985. Initially going by the name of "Rockin' Bubba Clem" as his on-air moniker, a fellow DJ gave Bubba the name "Bubba The Love Sponge", and it stuck and became his radio name. Bubba has federally 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, and he proved to be a radio phenom at an early age. He worked as a DJ in the CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio)/Top 40 field, earning multiple Billboard Magazine awards for DJ of the year. Bubba moved around a great deal in his early years, as many DJs have to do, working in markets like Grand Rapids, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Orlando.

It was at WXXL in Orlando where Bubba began to develop an edgy, in-your-face style of radio. After Bubba's contract with WXXL was not renewed, he moved onto Tampa's WFLZ-FM, then known as The Power Pig 93.3 to work nights, and where he began to draw national attention for his controversial style. One of Clem's more popular on-air bits was "No Panties Thursday", a term which was eventually copyrighted.

In December 1996, WXTB, known in Tampa as 98 Rock, hired Bubba to do morning drive. That was a departure for Bubba from his usual pop radio environment, but he welcomed the new challenge. Clem was paired with comedy writer Mike "Manson" Waters to write comedy "bits" 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 that he disagreed with their points of view on. Clem was also critical of a style of radio that he called "warm and fuzzy radio", which Clem claimed to be mind-numbing fluff.

Clem's brash style appealed primarily to blue-collar workers, a style of radio that is known as "trucker radio" due to the fact that a large portion of long-haul truckers listen to Clem's Show.

In 1997 Clem opened up "Planet Bubba," a nightclub in Clearwater, FL. He owned a series of restraunts 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.

In 2001, Clem was arrested, 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 Barbeque." Clem and the others were acquitted by a six person jury in 52 minutes at trial in 2002.

In 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.

In 2002 and 2003, Radio & Records named Bubba the national Active Rock Personality/Show of the Year. Many stations, however, declined to carry Clem's show when offered syndication rights due to its controversial nature.

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 on January 27, 2004 for complaints made by a single individual made for broadcasts that all took place in 2001. 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. [1].

One of the segments in question featured impersonations of Alvin and the Chipmunks, Scooby-Doo and George Jetson discussing various sexual encounters.

The weekend following the release of the NAL, the Janet Jackson Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy happened, causing a wide-ranging criticism against "shock jocks" like Clem and Howard Stern.

Bubba's contract with Clear Channel was terminated on 24 February 2004, and his syndicated program was cancelled. Clear Channel later reached a settlement with the FCC rather than fight the validity of the claims issued in the NAL.

In 2004, Clem unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat for the office of sheriff of Pinellas County, Florida against Jim Coats, who was a 30-year+ veteran of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department. No Democrat has ever been elected Sheriff of Pinellas County.

On Friday September 9, 2005, Howard Stern announced that he would bring Bubba with him to Sirius Satellite Radio.

On Monday January 9, 2006, Bubba brought his show back from two years of being off the air. His show is made its debut on Sirius January 9, 2006 in its regular timeslot, 4-8 p.m. Eastern, 1-5 p.m. Pacific, live on Howard 101.