Tampa Trial: Bubba Takes The Stand

'MJ', Wife (Times photo)

Todd 'MJ' Schnitt vs. 
Bubba The Love Sponge Clem

On Wednesday, Clem told jurors that the type of "radio war" he waged has a long history in Tampa.

The station he was originally hired at — Power Pig 93.3 — he said, was at war with the No. 1 station — Q105. The battle cries of that era were "Flip the Pig" and "Screw the Q." Clem said Power Pig prevailed, causing Q105 to switch to a country format.

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The Tampa Bay Times reports, Clem said he and Schnitt were themselves rivals during that time, though they both worked for the same company, Clear Channel.

Clem said the rivalry was revived after he ended a hiatus on satellite radio and returned to Tampa radio in 2008.

On Cox Radio's WHPT-FM 102.5 FM, Clem targeted Schnitt, the then-top-rated morning guy on his MJ Morning Show at WFLZ-FM 93.3 FM.

Almost immediately, he accused Schnitt of engaging in "plugola," the practice of accepting favors and gifts from businesses in exchange for plugs on the air.

He also accused Schnitt's wife, then an assistant state attorney, of conspiring with State Attorney Mark Ober to bring animal cruelty charges against him after an on-air stunt in 2001. In the much-publicized stunt, Clem presided over the slaughter and barbecue of a wild bore.

Clem was later acquitted of animal cruelty. But he vowed revenge against the Schnitts for being prosecuted.

On Wednesday, Clem said the accusations and name-calling were all theater, all aimed only at replacing Schnitt as the area's No. 1 morning show host, which he did.

The campaign, Clem's attorney, Joseph Diaco, told jurors, "was juvenile, offensive, maybe even disgusting," but wasn't personal.

He called it a collision of two giant egos.

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