TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Love Sponge Heralds Return To Local Radio Airwaves

Katy Hennig / News Channel 8

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, left, announced his return to local radio today.

ADVERTISEMENT

By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 11, 2007

Updated: 12/11/2007 02:13 pm

Photo Gallery | Press Conference Video

Previous Coverage:
1/17/06: The Two Sides Of Bubba
2/25/04: Bubba's Firing Called Pre-Emptive Maneuver

ST. PETERSBURG - Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, a radio personality whose stunts led to his departure from Clear Channel Communications three years ago, is returning to the FM airwaves next month on Cox Radio.

Expect the new show to be tamer than the old.

At a news conference today, Bubba acknowledged he might interview porn stars as he has done in the past, but they will be clothed, no props will be brought in during the interview, and they won't be asked to moan into the microphone.

He's more likely now to ask them about motherhood.

"I know what I can and cannot do," Bubba said. He and Cox have reviewed company policies and Federal Communications Commission regulations, he said.

"I was probably guilty back in the day of going way too far," Clem said. "I don't have to go that far now."

There will be a 10-second broadcast delay controlled by Bubba and a subsequent 10-second delay in the hands of Cox to keep inappropriate remarks from reaching listeners, he said.

The new live show will be broadcast on WHTP, 102.5 FM, "The Bone," in Tampa and on WFYV, 104.5 FM, in Jacksonville beginning Jan. 8. Bubba also has an afternoon show with Sirius Satellite Radio that doesn't have the restrictions of the morning show.

In February 2004, Clear Channel fired Bubba after the FCC fined him $755,000 for 26 on-air incidents it deemed indecent. Among them was a skit featuring cartoon stars Scooby-Doo and George Jetson picking up hookers and smoking marijuana.

Clem is still irate about his unceremonious termination from Clear Channel – he was never able to say goodbye to his fans, he said, never able to acquire closure – and he seemed to relish an imminent competition with the MJ Morning Show on WFLZ, 93.3 FM, which is owned by Clear Channel.

For his new morning show on WHPT, Clem is resurrecting his crew from days of old – Brent Hatley, Ned, Manson, Spice and 25 Cent. Another member of his old crew – Mike Calta, the radio personality known as Cowhead – was fired from Clear Channel several years before Clem but emerged to do a morning show for Cox last year. He will take an afternoon slot now that Clem is slated for the new morning show.

"It's kind of gotta be tame," said Calta this morning. "Show me something not tame."

"There is no one doing a ridiculously crazy show," Calta said.

In 2004 when Clem was fired, the "Bubba the Love Sponge Show" was No. 1 in its time slot with listeners ages 18 to 34 and No. 1 with its target audience: men 25 to 54.

Cox now is No. 3 with its target demographic, company officials said Monday.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 415-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT