Rick & Bubba Show

The Rick & Bubba Show is a nationally syndicated morning radio show based in Birmingham. Hosted by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey, the show is heard daily in six states and is locally broadcast on WZZK FM 104.7.

The show originally began in Gadsden in the 1980s on WQEN. In 1998, the show moved to Birmingham as WQEN moved into that market. In 1999, the show was moved to WYSF FM 94.5 after a lengthy contractual battle. In 2003, the show was resigned to WYSF for 5 years for a city radio record of reportedly $6 million. On January 3, 2007, they became the morning hosts on crosstown station WZZK after signing a new 5 year contract with Cox Radio after another battle between WYSF owners Citadel, Cox and Clear Channel. Prior to leaving WYSF, their show was heard each weekday morning on 29 radio stations in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and West Virginia. Two hours of their four-hour program were televised live on the Turner South network until April 28, 2006, as Turner South had been sold to Fox Sports. The pair calls themselves "The Two Sexiest Fat Men Alive." Their jokes about their weight problems were also evidenced in their annual "Big Fat Lotto" cash giveaway contests sponsored by WYSF.

Their first book, Rick & Bubba's Expert Guide to God, Country, Family & Anything Else We Can Think Of, (ISBN 0-8499-0992-9), was published in March 2006, and quickly became a best-seller at Amazon.com and Books-A-Million.

History

Both Rick and Bubba grew up in Alabama and were active in athletics at their respective high schools. It was at high school sporting events that they knew of each other. At Jacksonville State University, they became friends by working together at the college's radio station.

After college, Bill got a job as engineer for WQEN, a radio station in Gadsden, and recommended Rick for the station's morning show personality. The two began to work together to come up with ideas for the show. One of the ideas was to have Bill read Shakespeare in his deep Southern accent. Rick proclaimed that Bill sounded like his Uncle Bubba. The "Bubba" nickname stuck for Bill. Bubba worked more and more with Rick and eventually became a regular part of Rick's show. The show was renamed "Rick and Bubba."

They often refer to their Christian faith and beliefs on air and have been regarded as a family-safe alternative to "shock jocks" often associated with morning radio. Among their recurring themes are the "greatness" of Fred Dalton Thompson and Robert Horry.

Other ventures

The duo provided play-by-play commentary for the radio network of the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the XFL in 2001, and owned a short-lived fast food restaurant in Bussey's hometown of Pelham in 2002.

The duo also lent their likenesses and voices to a 1990s series of animated television commercials for Jack's, a Birmingham-area fast food chain. In the ads, they were tormented by "Jumping Jack Chicken", a Mick Jagger-styled rooster.

References

• Rick and Bubba. (2007, January 3). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:29, January 3, 2007 [1]

External links

• Official Site
• IMDb Entry