Bubba the Love Sponge

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem<ref name="SPTIMES20040324" /> (born Todd Alan Clem, April 23, 1966) is an American radio personality who hosts The Bubba the Love Sponge Show on the radio station WWBA in Tampa, Florida, and the subscription service Bubba Army Radio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He can also be heard on Florida Man Radio.

Early life

Todd Alan Clem was born on April 23, 1966, in Warsaw, Indiana.<ref name=name>Template:Cite web</ref> His father, Doug Clem, was a factory worker and his mother, Jane Edmond, a schoolbus driver and Warsaw city department head; he has a sister, Tara.<ref name=HAPPENED2018>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=TBT19990512/><ref name=WAYNE06>Template:Cite web</ref> Clem's parents divorced when he was young.<ref name=ORLANDO91/> In 1984, Clem graduated from Warsaw Community High School.<ref name=TBT19990512/> He attended Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana, with a plan to go into dentistry, but his best friend Larry Plummer told him he was better suited to a radio career, and he dropped out in his second year.<ref name=TAMPA93>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref><ref name=TBT19990512/> Clem had a position at the campus radio station WISU, but before he became a full-time disc jockey, he worked at a van conversion shop, where he laid down carpets. He coached football at his former high school.<ref name=TBT19990512/>

Career

1986–1992: Early career

In 1986, Clem worked as a bouncer and driver at Jubilation nightclub, where he picked up radio DJ "Scary" Kerry Gray, of whom he was a fan, and took him to the club. Once there, Clem noticed people gravitating toward Gray.<ref name=HAPPENED2018/><ref name=ALLACCESS2010>Template:Cite web</ref> Gray gave Clem an on-air shift as an April Fool's Day joke on April 1, 1986, at WPFR-FM in Terre Haute as Rockin' Bubba Clem, a name someone else had suggested.<ref name=HAPPENED2018/><ref name=TBT19990512/><ref name=ALLACCESS2016>Template:Cite web</ref> Clem became Gray's intern, making studio visits, answering phone calls, and sitting in on the show. He accepted a position hosting weekends soon after, and began a part-time midday shift starting on Christmas Day in 1986. He became the station's managing director.Template:When<ref name=ALLACCESS2010/> At a fraternity party, Gray called Clem a "love sponge" after witnessing the female attention Clem received.<ref name=HAPPENED2018/><ref name=PODCAST2015/>

After WPFR, Clem had a stint at WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan.<ref name=PODCAST2015>Template:Cite web</ref> He was fired on December 21, 1988, after a 13-year-old girl called into his show and Clem made sexual remarks about her.<ref>The Grand Rapids Press, December 16, 1988</ref><ref>The Grand Rapids Press, December 22, 1988</ref> In 1989, Clem landed a spot at KTFM in San Antonio, Texas, where he was encouraged to trademark his air name and borrowed $5,000 from his parents to file a federal trademark for "Bubba the Love Sponge".<ref name=ALLACCESS2010/><ref name=HAPPENED2018/> He worked evenings at WBBM-FM in Chicago, followed by a stint at WIOQ in Philadelphia from March to June 1990. The station let him go as management thought his style was not what they were looking for.<ref name=WLS/> Clem took legal action, and received $75,000 from WIOQ.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Clem worked nights at WXXL in Orlando, Florida, where he averaged 53,000 regular listeners.<ref name=ORLANDO91>Template:Cite web</ref> He left the station in May 1991.<ref name=NP651>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref> In August 1991, he returned to Chicago on WYTZ as the morning host, but the position lasted under three months before management rebranded the station.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref><ref name=WLS>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=NP651/> Clem then moved to WLUM-FM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=SPTIMES20040324/><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref>

1992–1996: WFLZ-FM Tampa

In September 1992, Clem started work from 7 to 11 p.m. at WFLZ-FM in Tampa, Florida, where his show gained popularity, particularly among teenagers.<ref name=TAMPA93/><ref name=TBT19990512/><ref name=HAPPENED2018/><ref name=TBT1996/> His first major contract signed during this time was worth $100,000 a year.<ref name=HAPPENED2018/> Clem and WFLZ host Tom Steele were temporarily suspended to settle legal issues from their ongoing on-air feud.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Clem became involved in various business ventures. In December 1994, he invested $50,000 to open Sponges, an alcohol-free nightclub for teenagers in Largo, Florida. He opened a second Sponges in Spring Hill in 1995. He performed with his rap band Boyz Wit Da Bass there.<ref name=TBTT1995>Template:Cite news</ref> Clem was involved in an endorsement deal with an Isuzu car dealership, the Bubba the Love Sponge Limousines service, a personalized paging service called the Air Bubba Beeping Network, and a premium-rate telephone line.<ref name=TBTT1995/><ref name=TBT19950123>Template:Cite news</ref> In June 1995, Clem released an adult-oriented home video, Let Your Chia Run Wild, described as a "private collection of events documenting a lifestyle that some can only dream of" and featuring some nudity.<ref name=TBT19951130>Template:Cite news</ref> Clem regretted his decision to release it, and WFLZ requested Clem cease its distribution.<ref name=TBT19951130/> In April 1996, he opened Bubba's Beach Club, a dance club and nightspot in Ybor City.<ref name=TBT19950425>Template:Cite news</ref> In September 1996, Clem quit WFLZ.<ref name=TBT1996>Template:Cite news</ref>

1996–2004: WXTB Tampa

Clem decided to remain in Tampa, partly because he had other business ventures there. He started a morning show at WXTB in December 1996,<ref name=TBT1996/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and continued to host a pre-recorded show that was syndicated in six other cities, including Cincinnati, Toledo, Columbus, Louisville, Atlanta, and Jacksonville.<ref name=TBT1996/>

In June 1997, Jacor Communications was fined $4,000 for airing Clem's discussions of having sex with a lesbian couple on February 25.<ref name=FINESLIST>Template:Cite news</ref> In October 1998, Citicasters, WXTB's owner, was fined $23,000 for various broadcasts, including one from May 1997 that included one of the crew describing their enema experience.<ref name=TBT19990512/><ref name=FINESLIST/> This was followed by a $4,000 fine for a June 12, 1997, show that had a woman masturbating over the phone, and a $7,000 fine in 1999 for a May 28, 1998, segment that involved a caller ordering a sex doll.<ref name=FINESLIST/>

By mid-1999, Clem had received four Billboard Personality of the Year awards.<ref name=TBT19990512/> He was earning six figuresTemplate:Vague and owned two nightclubs, one of them Planet Bubba in Spring Hill. His radio show crew included Mike "Cowhead" Calta, Mike "Manson" Waters,<ref name=HAPPENED2018/> Whitey Pippen, Scotty the Body, Matt "Spiceboy" Loyd, Anita Wadd and Ned.<ref name=TBT19990512/> In November 2000, Clem was a candidate to succeed the Pinellas County sheriff.<ref name=TBT19990512>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref>

In January 2001, Clem's show entered national syndication on stations in Jacksonville, Orlando, Hartford, West Palm Beach, Ft. Myers, Wichita, Kansas, Shreveport, and Macon, Georgia.

In February 2002, Clem was faced with animal cruelty charges following the February 27, 2001, broadcast, which featured the Bubba's Road Kill Barbecue. The show involved the on-air castration and killing of a feral hog in the station's parking lot that a hunter had captured, and sound effects of hogs feeding were broadcast to have listeners believe it was being harassed and aggravated. The hog was cooked and eaten by the crowd present. Clem, his executive producer Brent Hatley, and two others present were charged with felony animal cruelty.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A jury acquitted them in March.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In January 2004, the FCC issued a $755,000 fine to Clear Channel Communications for objectionable comments from July 19, 2001.<ref name=FINESLIST/> The fine consisted of the maximum $27,500 fine for each of the 26 stations that aired the segments, plus $40,000 for record-keeping violations. The segment involved sexual discussions among the cartoon characters Alvin and the Chipmunks, George Jetson, and Scooby-Doo, among others.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Clem was fired on February 23. At the time he had the number one show in the Tampa area in the 18–54-year-old male demographic.<ref name=SPTIMES20040324/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2004–2010: Hiatus and Sirius Satellite Radio

In July 2004, Clem announced he would run for Pinellas County sheriff again.<ref name=TBT20040717>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref>

In September 2005, Howard Stern announced the hiring of Clem to host weekday afternoons on Howard 101, his second channel on Sirius Satellite Radio, a subscription-based satellite radio service exempt from FCC regulations. The show launched on January 9, 2006.Template:Citation needed

In 2008, Clem began to host two shows a day, which lasted one year. He and his crew aired an FCC-compliant show on WHPT in the morning, followed by the uncensored program on Sirius in the afternoon. In 2009, Sirius opted for just FM replays during the week and one live uncensored show on Friday afternoons. In December 2010, Clem did not renew his contract with Sirius, moving to RadioIO, an Internet radio service of which his agent Thomas Bean was CEO.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2008–2019: Return to terrestrial radio

Clem began broadcasting a live morning show from Tampa radio station WHPT 102.5 "The Bone" on January 8, 2008, which was simulcast on the Jacksonville radio station WFYV-FM 104.5 "Rock 105".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During the second quarter of 2008, Bubba's show received a number one rating<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> in the Tampa market; in 2015, the show's ratings came under investigation for possible Nielsen Ratings tampering. In December 2016 his show was canceled on his local Tampa station, WBRN.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In July 2019, it was announced that JVC Broadcasting would acquire WORL 660 AM in Greater Orlando (and its FM translator) for $900,000. As previous owner Salem is retaining rights to the WORL call letters; the WDYZ (AM) calls from a sister station were swapped to WORL. JVC announced that it planned to launch a new hot talk format on the station, Florida Man Radio, featuring Bubba the Love Sponge in the morning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Programming is also heard on a 250-watt FM translator, W288CJ at 105.5 FM.

2011–present: Bubba Army Radio

Template:Infobox radio show Clem announced on January 3, 2011, he would have an internet show on RadioIO and feature several programming features throughout the day starting on January 10, 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 3 January 2012 he has renewed his contract with Cox Media Group (CMG) Tampa's 102.5 FM.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In August 2013 an audiotape was released on YouTube of Clem voicing a commercial for Vermont Teddy Bear. In the commercial Clem makes racist remarks; he denied being racist, saying, "I never said the word in that manner, ever." He believed the audio was leaked from "someone who had access to [his] world" and that audio bits were taken from recordings when he worked at Clear Channel.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Clem's company, Bubba Radio Network, ordered the removal of the video from YouTube. It is now hosted on TMZ.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On February 13, 2017, WWBA became the new flagship station of Bubba the Love Sponge Show after WBRN dropped the show.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The show also airs live on Twitch<ref name=HAPPENED2018 /> and on sister station WHBO.

In July 2019, co-host Mike "Manson" Waters, who also did the voice of Ned, left the show.Template:Citation needed

On August 23, 2019, Janessa Brazil joined the show as the new co-host. She left for family reasons on December 13, 2019.Template:Citation needed

At the start of 2020, Seth Kushner joined The Bubba The Love Sponge Show as a daily co-host, while 'Babyface' Brian Motroni, aka "Coronavirus Virus survivor", Dan Diaco, Jay Diaco and Steve Diaco make regular appearances throughout the week. Longtime contributor Lummox also makes daily appearances.Template:Citation needed

In February 2021, co-host Seth Kushner left the show.Template:Citation needed

Other ventures

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

On January 3, 2010, Bubba announced on his Twitter account that he had signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as a backstage interviewer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On January 16, 2010, Clem tweeted about the 2010 Haiti earthquake, saying he had tired of hearing about relief efforts for the people of Haiti, writing, "Fuck Haiti", and calling the ensuing deaths of Haitians a "cleanse." He later apologized, but TNA management nonetheless temporarily removed him from the air.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On January 19, 2010, Clem claimed that he had been blindsided and physically assaulted by Awesome Kong while backstage for the taping of TNA Impact! the previous day.<ref name=pwtorch>Template:Cite web</ref> According to all three, the altercation was because of Clem's tweets about Haiti.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On February 25, news broke that Awesome Kong had filed a lawsuit against Clem for an alleged threatening phone call.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On The Cowhead Show, Clem confronted Kong.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Clem returned to TNA television as the personal interviewer of wrestling stable The Band, in late March,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> only to be fired from the company on April 30, 2010, as a result of the Cowhead Show incident.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Motorsports

In 2011, Clem and an investor group bought the 3/8 dirt oval Ocala Speedway, which they renamed Bubba Raceway Park.<ref>Bubba the Love Sponge buys Ocala Speedway - Carlos E. Medina, Ocala.com, 15 April 2011</ref>

Legal issues

Lawsuits

In October 2006, Clem was sued by pornographic film actress Hope Miller, known professionally as Brooke Skye. She alleged that while performing on a radio program together with porn actress Melissa Harrington, Harrington penetrated her with an oversized sex toy against her will at Clem's urging.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2007, a judge turned down a request by Clem's attorneys to dismiss the lawsuit, indicating that there was enough evidence that Miller had a legitimate claim.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The case was eventually voluntarily dismissed with prejudice.<ref name=docket>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2007, Clem was sued for defamation by competitor disc jockey Todd Schnitt over on-air remarks Clem made about Schnitt's family. A court ruled in Clem's favor, and Schnitt vowed to appeal. In March 2013, after 13 hours of negotiations, Clem settled with Schnitt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October 2015, Nielsen sued Clem for $1 million over allegations of tampering with the ratings system by offering to pay several Nielsen panelists to manipulate the ratings by saying they listened to his show more than they did. Clem admitted to paying one person to manipulate the ratings, but Nielsen claimed he influenced several. Clem's lawyer filed a motion asking that Nielsen's lawsuit be dismissed, but it was denied by a judge.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After years of trial delays, Clem and Nielsen settled out of court on July 6, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Hulk Hogan sex tape

Template:Main In early 2012, it was reported that Clem had secretly filmed his wife Heather Clem and Hulk Hogan having sex in his bedroom. On October 4, 2012, Gawker released a short clip of the video.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the clip, Clem can be heard saying that the couple can "do their thing" and he will be in his office. At the end of the video, Clem can be heard telling Heather, "If we ever need to retire, here is our ticket".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hogan filed a lawsuit against the Clems for invading his privacy on October 15, 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Clem settled the suit on October 29, 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Following the settlement, Clem publicly apologized to Hogan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hogan sued Gawker Media for publishing the tape, and a jury of six awarded Hogan more than $140 million in March 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Gawker announced it would appeal as it was "disappointed" that the jury was unable to hear Clem's testimony,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but ultimately settled with Hogan for $31 million in November 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

In October 1998, Clem legally changed his name to Bubba the Love Sponge Clem.<ref name=SPTIMES20040324>Template:Cite web</ref> That year, he lost 148 pounds, going from 488 to 340. Clem does not smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs.<ref name=TBT19990512/><ref name=HAPPENED2018/><ref name=ORLANDO91/>

Clem has been married twice; his first marriage lasted 91 days.<ref name=HAPPENED2018/> He said "things got sticky" after he wanted to make it in radio and had to develop in different cities and his wife preferred to stay in Terre Haute.<ref name=TAMPA93/> In January 2007, Clem married model Heather Cole at the First Baptist Church of St. Petersburg, Florida. Hulk Hogan was Clem's best man, and Howard Stern, and many of his staff members attended.<ref name=HAPPENED2018/><ref name=TB2011>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The couple agreed to separate in March 2011, and Clem filed for divorce that September.<ref name=TB2011/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Clem has a son from a previous relationship; Hogan is his godfather.<ref name=TB2011/><ref name=HAPPENED2018/>

In 2012, Clem started a four-year relationship with Nicole L'Ange. In February 2017, she requested an order of protection against Clem, claiming he had abused her "emotionally and physically".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Clem denied the allegations, and the case was settled out of court that March.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In June 2017, Clem put his St. Petersburg home up for sale.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>