ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A long-simmering feud between a pair of Tampa Bay radio personalities is headed to court.
A lawsuit was filed Wednesday on behalf of ‘Bubba the Love Sponge,’ Clem in Pinellas County. Clem is seeking unspecified damages from his former employer, Cox Media Group, and two of his former employees.
Mike ‘Cowhead,’ Calta is the current morning show host on Cox station WHPT, 102.5 The Bone and Matthew ‘Spice Boy,’ Lloyd, a former Cox employee and a former member of Clem’s crew; Calta also worked with Clem early in his career.
The complaint alleges Cox engineered a scheme that led to Clem’s termination from a competing radio company – Beasley Media Group.
PINELLAS COUNTY NEWS | The latest headlines from Pinellas County
“As our complaint alleges, Cox Media has engaged in improper, anti-competitive acts that no major media company should ever employ,” said Clem’s attorney Jeffrey E. Nusinov in a statement issued to ABC Action News. “Cox Media set out to destroy Bubba Clem – not through honest competition, but through dishonest and illegal means.”
RECOMMENDED | WWE WrestleMania 36 coming to Tampa Bay in 2020
Clem’s show is currently heard on WHBO 1040 AM in Pinellas Park. Last year the former top-rated shock jock in Tampa Bay reached a settlement with consumer research company Nielsen over a ‘ratings tampering,’ lawsuit.
The terms of the settlement between Clem and Nielsen were not disclosed.
In Wednesday’s filing, Clem’s lawyers claim Calta and Lloyd played a major role in leaking footage of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan having sex with Clem’s wife to Gawker.
Gawker and Hogan settled their lawsuit in November 2016.
FLORIDA NEWS | Top headlines across the state
Hulk Hogan is also suing Calta, Lloyd and Cox Media group over the leak in Pinellas County.
Calta had no comment when asked about the lawsuit.
