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Shock Jock Shares Messages Insulting Hogan On Radio Show

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 17, 2008

TAMPA - Radio shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem broadcast phone messages from a man insulting wrestler Hulk Hogan and his family, saying he wants his audience to know more about the people suing over an accident involving Hogan's son.

Clem said on his morning show Monday that the profanity-laced messages were left on Hogan's cell phone by a relative of John Graziano, 23, the Iraq war veteran who suffered severe brain damage in a crash blamed on Hogan's 17-year-old son, Nick Bollea.

Edward Graziano, John's father, confirmed today that the voice is that of Frank Caruso, John's 32-year-old half-brother. Edward Graziano said Caruso is from his estranged wife's first marriage.

Clem is a longtime friend of Hogan, but said on the air that he wasn't necessarily acting as an advocate for Hogan. Rather, he said, he wanted to "get the word out" about people in the Graziano family and singled out Caruso.

He also chastised radio personality MJ Kelli, whose real name is Todd Schnitt, for giving Caruso a platform recently on Schnitt's show. Since Bubba returned to the airwaves on WHPT, 102.5 FM, he has overtaken Schnitt in the Arbitron ratings in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater market. Schnitt has a show on WFLZ, 93.3 FM.

The playing of the recordings comes three days after Clearwater police confirmed they were investigating allegations that a member of the Graziano family had threatened Hogan and his family over the phone.

Clearwater public safety spokeswoman Elizabeth Daly-Watts would not elaborate on the investigation. No charges have been filed.

In a lawsuit, the guardian for John Graziano is seeking millions in damages from Bollea and his parents. Bollea was sentenced to eight months in jail after pleading no contest to reckless driving in the Aug. 26 wreck that injured passenger Graziano.

In the recordings played on Clem's show, the caller is heard insulting Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea; his estranged wife, Linda; the couple's daughter, Brooke; and Nick Bollea.

The caller speaks with bravado - "It's over," "You disrespected the wrong person," "You ain't nothing" - but no specific threats of violence are heard.

Clem said his show obtained the recordings from an official source. He mocked Caruso on the air as a man pretending to be a tough guy.

Editor Dennis Joyce contributed to this report. Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

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