What happened to the hog

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem talks about political power plays, threats from animal rights activists and what really got him in trouble.

By TOM ZUCCO

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 27, 2001

[Times photo: Thomas M. Goethe] Bubba the Love Sponge Clem turns himself in at the Hillsborough County Jail in March. He was charged with felony animal cruelty after a wild hog was castrated and killed in the parking lot of the radio station while Clem was on the air.

TIERRA VERDE -- He's said a lot of things on the air that have offended and infuriated people.

But it was something more than words that landed him in serious trouble.

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, a disc jockey at WXTB-FM 97.9, has been charged with felony animal cruelty in connection with the castration and slaughter of a wild boar in WXTB's parking lot on Feb. 27. The incident happened during Clem's popular morning show after he encouraged listeners to bring roadkill to the parking lot for a barbecue.

One listener restrained the boar while another castrated it, then slit its throat with a 6-inch hunting knife. A producer described the action while Clem, in the studio, played recorded pig squeals. The listeners and the producer also have been charged in the incident.

Clem, 35, has pleaded not guilty, and the case is pending. On Wednesday, prosecutors will seek guidance from a judge on whether to release a videotape of the slaughter to the media.

Last week, in the den of his new four-bedroom, $1-million home near Tierra Verde, a slimmer (265 pounds), blonder Bubba talked about who he is, what he does and what happened in the parking lot that day.

Do you regret being involved in the stunt?

I don't think I did anything illegal. I probably didn't use my best judgment. But I don't regret it. I think it was just so blown out of proportion. It took on a whole life of its own. It was a feeding frenzy.

Did you anticipate any of the reaction?

No. Absolutely not.

Why do you think the public got so upset?

I think people who may have heard the broadcast understood it. The one thing I want to emphasize is that we used sound effects. I took the detectives to my sound effects library and showed them the exact button I used. There's birds and cats and dogs, and the pig sound effect. That's what I used. You can clearly hear it's a pack of pigs. Not one pig.

Will this hurt your career?

No, because most of the public knows this whole thing is a joke. It's a little like the woman who was arrested for that overdue library book.

I think the case will get thrown out.

You were suspended for two weeks without pay. How did that effect you?

It hurt my pocketbook. It hurt the station's pocketbook.

Why do you think you're being prosecuted?

Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, left, runs a media gantlet at the Hillsborough County Jail in March. With him is Dean Rivett, an investigator. Clem says of the publicity, "No amount of press I got from this was positive. And you know what? I don't need the press anymore."

I think it was a political power play between me and the Hillsborough state attorney. I've been critical of Mark Ober. And the animal rights activists started a letter-writing campaign to the tune of about 2,500 e-mails, of which almost half came from out of state.

I broadcast what they say is a third-degree felony over the radio. What's the difference between that and Fox 13 going out and videotaping a bank robbery?

Because, as far as I know, Fox 13 doesn't create the settings for bank robberies, and then cheer the robbers on.

I understand it's a different circumstance. But what about that woman with the four cats that she left alone and (that) ate each other? She would have been better off to just let them loose.

That's just it. I love animals. I've had dogs and cats all my life. I would never, ever be cruel to an animal. But I'm being spun as this animal killer.

At my Bubba's Ale House in New Port Richey, they spray-painted PIG KILLER on my whole building.

Has your family taken any heat for this?

My sister, who lives in Tampa, has gotten threats, and they (animal rights activists) tracked my mom down in Indiana. My show never caused her to worry. But they called my mom at work and would say, "Hey, Jane. We know (where) you live . . . and we've been watching you because your son did this. And you'll pay for it."

Nobody did anything about it.

I got 10 letters at my home, threatening my life. . . . Even though we reported it, the Tampa PD did nothing.

But boy, the state attorney was so quick to charge me with a third-degree felony, which is unheard of. They originally asked for a $1-million bond.

Let's get to the bare facts about what this is all about. It's not about threatening my family or my home or a crime I've been charged with that I'll beat. It's about all this grandstanding and political bulls--.

But this incident also caused something else -- it got you and your show a lot of attention.

But no amount of press I got from this was positive. And you know what? I don't need the press anymore. Not to be arrogant, but I've established myself. . . . I'm one of the most recognized names in this market, even if you include athletes.

You said on the air you were leaving.

I'm very serious about that. What else is there left for me to do in this town? I've been to Chicago and done real well up there. I don't want to be the king of Tampa all my life. I want to be the king of America.

Are you going to change your style, your format?

Oh, no. If you're a cynical smarta- like me, I think there's always going to be men that appreciate what you're doing. The chemistry of men won't ever change. We all have a cynical, sports-leaning, loving chicks, beer-guzzling type of mentality.

I appeal to the common man; that's who my show is geared for. And I get a bad rap for being real. I think there are a lot of men out there who act just like me, who do the same thing I do. Who bust their a- at work and are real.

Well, there's more to it than that. You insult women, blacks, Hispanics, gay people . . . just about every group imaginable.

But I walk a fine line in controversy. I make fun of all races, including whites. I refer to myself as white trash. I probably make fun of Caucasians more than anybody -- my own race. I'm not afraid to tell it like it is and take on anybody of authority.

But that can be a double-edged sword. Being controversial gets you ratings, which gets you this house and the Benz. But it also gets death threats to yourself and your family.

It does. But this circumstance is different because of the politics involved.

So was it worth it?

No. Because I didn't do anything wrong. If I got convicted of drug trafficking or grand theft, I would say I messed up. But I didn't. I feel as if I'm a patsy -- a political punching bag. I'm a nice, huge-a- target. Nothing would be a better feather in a politician's hat than to take down Bubba the Love Sponge.

Is this a sign that people have had enough of shock jocks -- that raunchy morning radio shows like yours and Howard Stern's have become passe?

No. Because this wasn't premeditated or planned. I had no intention of doing this. The guy rode up with the hog that morning that he caught it, and we just kind of rolled with it. He was a professional hunter and did what a professional hunter does.

Has Clear Channel stood behind you throughout this?

I absolutely could not ask for a better company to stand behind me. I would have been fired by a lot of other companies.

If you had to do it over again, would you?

I would have done Bubba's Roadkill Bar-B-Que without the hog. Dead squirrels and rat milkshakes. Not the hog.

You know what got me in the most trouble?

Those damned sound effects.

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