Over the weekend, WFTS-TV in Tampa Bay, Florida did a story about radio personality, former TNA interviewer, and former best friend of Hulk Hogan, Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. Primarily, the story dealt with the release of the police report about the theft of various homemade sex videos from his office, including those of his ex-wife and Hulk Hogan. They’ve also posted the entire interview, which is embedded at the top of this article.
The key points from the short form news story are that Bubba:
* Asserts that the act at the center of the controversy were between three consenting adults, although that doesn’t apply to Hogan’s role in the video and audio recording.
* Believes that nobody is being charged because Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober has it in for him. In the past, Ober unsuccessfully prosecuted him for animal cruelty stemming from a radio stunt where Bubba had a hog humanely killed while playing animal sound effects. Ober also testified against him in a defamation trial brought against him by rival radio personality Todd “M.J.” Schnitt. Ober’s office denied all of this.
* Is contemplating retirement and stepping out of the public eye as a result of all of this.
I'm so thankful/blessed/humbled by all the bubbaArmy's comments/support Bubba
— Bubba Clem (@BTLSRadio) November 23, 2015
In the unedited interview, Bubba elaborates on various points, including that he:
* Admits that he did do something illegal (presumably recording Hogan without his consent) and that he’d be in jail if the statute of limitations on the crime hadn’t expired.
* First became aware of the theft when screenshots of his ex-wife with Hogan showed up on TheDirty. He first suspected Matt Loyd of stealing the DVDs when the clip showed up on Gawker because Loyd is “vindictive.” For what it’s worth, the police report, depending on your point of view, either strongly implies or outright says that Loyd wasn’t the Gawker leak.
* Thinks fellow radio personality Mike “Cowhead” Calta, who had some role in the DVD being sent to Gawker (he claims that, via his agent, he got Gawker’s information for an anonymous listener who called in), was actively involved. Why? Bubba thinks Calta did it to get him fired and take his morning drive time slot.
* Had never had anything stolen from his office before. He thinks someone either found them and figured out what they were
* Has nothing against the police who ran the investigation, as they pursued the truth and it’s only the prosecutors who have decided not to act. Being that it’s the first high-profile “celebrity sex tape” in Florida, he thinks a successful prosecution could become precedent-setting caselaw if it went to court.
* Will sue Loyd and his wife if he has to, since he thinks a civil lawsuit will be a slam dunk.
* Has not seen Hogan outside of depositions since this all went down three years ago. “If that’s what I deserved, then I understand.[..] Maybe I’m not worthy of him forgiving me, and I certainly wouldn’t blame him for that.”
