Some time ago, local shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem told me about a possible job he was dying to get: serving as the announcer for pal Hulk Hogan's new NBC show American Gladiators.

Well, that gig never materialized. But it seems Clem and the Hulkster never gave up on their dream, announcing Tuesday that the shock jock will act as announcer and play-by-play man for Hogan's new show for CMT, Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling.

Besides uniting two powerful brands appealing to young men, the show offers a chance for Clem and Hogan to turn their friendship into a profitable enterprise (Hogan was in Clem's wedding party last year and Clem has been supportive of the former wrestler during his painfully public divorce).

From what I hear, the episodes have already been recorded, and Clem is climbing into a sound booth in Tampa for a hour or so after his afternoon satellite radio show ends each day, recording sounds for a few episodes at a time. The CMT show is scheduled to debut Oct. 18 with a cast including ex-Partridge Family star and frequent Clem guest Danny Bonaduce; former NBA star and Celebrity Mole: Yucatan champ Dennis Rodman; former Saved by the Bell actor Celebrity Fit Club participant Dustin "Screech" Diamond and former Diff'rent Strokes actor Todd Bridges.

Over the course of eight episodes, the 10 participants are divided into teams of two and compete for the top title. With two of Florida's biggest working-class heroes involved, expects things to get real bizarre in a real hurry... 

Click below to read the press release

*

RADIO STAR BUBBA THE LOVE SPONGE® TO BE ANNOUNCER FOR NEW REALITY TV SHOW, HULK HOGAN’S CELEBRITY CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING TAMPA, FLORIDA –September 9, 2008 –

Radio star Bubba the Love Sponge® will be the voice of Hulk Hogan’s new reality television competition program, Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling, when it debuts on the CMT cable TV channel later this fall.

Bubba will be the show’s announcer and provide play-by-play for the program that stars professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, and which will feature ten celebrities being trained to become professional wrestlers, Hogan is one of the World Wrestling Entertainment’s biggest stars and was the subject of the VH1 TV series Hogan Knows Best, which ran for four seasons.

He has developed Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling with former World Championship Wrestling executive Eric Bischoff and producer Jason Hervey.

Hogan, a close friend of Bubba’s who served as best man for Bubba’s 2007 wedding to Heather Cole, is a frequent guest on Bubba’s Sirius Satellite Radio and terrestrial radio programs. Bubba was recently interviewed on CNN Headline News’ Showbiz Tonight and E! True Hollywood Story programs about Hogan, and has previously been quoted in People magazine and other outlets regarding his friend.

Hogan said, “Bubba has been one of my closest friends for well over ten years, and has dabbled in the wrestling biz with me for about as long. When asked if I had anyone in mind to be the announcer, my eyes lit up and I yelled out loud, ‘BUBBA!’”

“I am so honored to be a part of this project,” said Bubba. “With wrestling legends like Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff heading it, Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling is sure to be something that all of America will want to see, and to be a part of it is a dream come true for me.”

After almost 20 years of dominating terrestrial radio, Bubba the Love Sponge® (his legal and trademarked name) was recruited by Howard Stern to host a national, uncensored, weekday afternoon talk show on Sirius Satellite Radio that launched in January 2006 that has become one of satellite radio’s most popular programs.

Since January, Bubba has also been hosting the top-rated live morning program on radio stations WHPT-FM/Tampa, FL and WFYV-FM/Jacksonville, FL - making him the first in the industry to host two separate, full-length, live daily radio programs on both satellite and terrestrial radio. Both are broadcast from Bubba’s own custom-built, multimedia studio in Tampa, Florida, which is regularly visited by stars from the worlds of sports, comedy, music, TV and adult film/video.

In July, the new Bubba Raw® DVDs were released by IVD/International Video Distributors, featuring uncut and uncensored behind-the-scenes video footage culled from thousands of hours of Bubba the Love Sponge® Show antics.