Bubba the Love Sponge
| Bubba the Love Sponge | |
|---|---|
Bubba the Love Sponge's 2013 Promotional Image
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| Born |
Todd Alan Clem April 23, 1966 Warsaw, Indiana |
| Occupation | Radio personality, producer, actor |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouse(s) | Heather Cole (2007–2011) |
| Website |
http://www.btls.com http://www.bubbaarmy.com |
Bubba the Love Sponge Clem (born Todd Alan Clem, April 23, 1966) is the host of The Bubba the Love Sponge Show.
Clem, a native of Warsaw, Indiana, began his radio career on Indiana State University's WISU-FM. Following school, one of his first paying radio jobs was at WGRD radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On December 20, 1988, a 13-year-old girl listening to the show called Clem, who made sexual references about Danny Czekalinski (his crosstown competitor) to the girl. Clem was fired the next day. Clem then worked for a brief period WLUM-FM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1999, Clem legally changed his name to "Bubba the Love Sponge".
On January 27, 2004, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a Notice of Apparent Liability (a precursor to a fine) of $755,000 against four stations owned by Clear Channel Communications (including its parent station, WXTB) for airing segments of "Bubba the Love Sponge" which included graphic discussions about sex and drugs. The FCC alleged the material was "designed to pander to, titillate and shock listeners". One segment featured the cartoon characters Alvin and the Chipmunks, George Jetson and Scooby-Doo discussing sexual activities. The Commission issued a maximum fine of $27,500 for each of the 26 broadcasts of the segment, and added a $40,000 penalty for record-keeping violations. Clem was fired from Clear Channel on February 23, 2004. At the time he had the top ranked show in the 18 to 54 year old demo in Tampa.
In August 2013 an audiotape was released on YouTube of Clem voicing a commercial for Vermont Teddy Bear. In this commercial Clem is heard making racist remarks; he denied being racist and said: "I never said the word in that manner, ever." He believed that 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. Clem's company, Bubba Radio Network, ordered the removal of the video from YouTube, although it is now hosted on TMZ.
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