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Radio Shock Jock Bubba Returning To Bay Area FM

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

Katy Hennig / News Channel 8

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

Updated: 12/11/2007 11:44 pm

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 Monday, Clem 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," Clem 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 Clem and a subsequent 10-second delay in the hands of Cox to keep inappropriate remarks from reaching listeners, he said.

The new show will be broadcast beginning Jan. 8 on WHPT, 102.5 FM, "The Bone," in Tampa, and on WFYV, 104.5 FM, in Jacksonville. Clem 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 Clem 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 prostitutes 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 - 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, 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," Calta said Monday. "Show me something not tame.

"There is no one doing a ridiculously crazy show."

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

Cox is No. 3 with that target audience, company officials said Monday.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

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