DJ Bobby Bones Spent $13,000 Smearing Himself in a Bid for Sympathy
A lying, cheating, deceptive, narcissistic, self-centered buffoon. That is about the only conclusion one can come to when reading the news that pop country über DJ Bobby Bones spent $13,000 of his own money on a smear campaign against himself when he first showed up to Nashville to helm iHeartMedia’s flagship country music morning show.
The four “Go Away Bobby Bones” billboards that popped up in Nashville in February of 2014, paid for by an anonymous source simply called “Anti Bobby Bones” at $2,150 a pop, were actually the work of Bobby Bones himself. And get this, they were sprung for not as just a publicity stunt, but so that he could gain sympathy from the public and hopefully get into the good graces of the Nashville and the nationally-syndicated population.
This revelation comes in a new memoir the DJ has written, and was first revealed by Emily Yahr of The Washington Post.
“Everyone who considered himself a real defender of country music hated me,” Bones says about when he first started in country. “My attitude was, ‘This is how it’s going to work. I’m playing whatever I want to play. I’m doing the bits I want to do. I don’t wear cowboy boots or hats or belt buckles. I am not you; I am me … My attitude wasn’t winning me any friends — or listeners. I needed to get people to like me, or at least feel sorry for me … I launched a massive negative PR campaign against myself to garner sympathy.”
When the billboards were first revealed, many conspiracy theorists thought they might be the work of Bobby Bones himself, but even Bones seemed to not be one to stoop that low. Wacky morning radio show DJ’s pull publicity stunts for ratings all the time. Bobby Bones isn’t the first, and he certainly won’t be the last. But it is the self-centeredness and incessant need for attention by Bones that makes the revelation so revealing.
Though some are trying to couch the news as a good thing that Bones is finally coming clean, it continues to call into question Bobby’s credibility. From his feuds with Kacey Musgraves and Chris Young, from accusing Aaron Watson of being disrespectful towards women, to all kinds of other buffoonery and the way he throws grenades at people and then hides behind Cancer charity like he’s bulletproof and beyond reproach, it’s all just beyond the pale. Were the FCC emergency signals that caused widespread panic after they were broadcast on his show part of a publicity stunt as well?
Bobby Bones had been mostly keeping his nose clean recently. Since iHeartMedia is saddled with so much debt, and Bones’ show—though still quite powerful due to it’s massively syndicated audience—is still getting beat out occasionally by the NASH Icon affiliate in Nashville, it’s questionable just what kind of threat he really is anymore. Radio is on the wane, and Bobby Bones is with it.
But many had come to respect or at least tolerate Bones, not from the quality of his show, but for sticking to being himself and finding success. But how do you know what is real anymore? From Bobby Bones’ publicity stunts, to Kane Brown’s sales numbers, to the Auto-tune and electronic drums of today’s mainstream country music, it all just seems like a facade for a genre that is supposed to be sewed from authenticity.
If it was Bobby Bones who was behind the anti Bobby Bones movement, how can we be sure who exactly is for him?
May 14, 2016 @ 8:05 am
The dudes radio show sucks and he is a twat.
May 14, 2016 @ 8:17 am
I don’t like the guy at all. But as far as “stunting” for a new Morning Show is concerned… This billboard was brilliant.
May 14, 2016 @ 8:34 am
Stunting for ratings is one thing. Doing it in a manner that will hopefully result in the public “sympathizing” with you, because you’re a public figure who needs attention, and needs people to coddle you and stroke your ego is downright diseased.
I also am severely speculative that these Billboard has ANY role in Bobby Bones’ ascent. I think he was headed to the top anyway, because iHeartMedia (then Clear Channel) was looking to pay one DJ instead of many, no matter who that was. Bones had already been chosen as their golden boy.
May 14, 2016 @ 8:22 am
The work he has done since then to make the world a better place makes up for this youthful indiscretion. Pimping Joy is a worth cause and message and when I listen to his show occasionally I am often impressed at how he finds the good in everything and seems to be very encouraging to his friends and his listeners who are all looking for something to make their morning a little brighter. I did not like him at first but I must admit that now he is trying to make the world a better place and for that I applaud him even if I do not always agree with his choices or his taste in music. He supports artists though in a way that his corporate crony ol bosses do not. For that I also applaud him.
May 14, 2016 @ 8:47 am
“He supports artists though in a way that his corporate crony ol bosses do not.”
Oh, you mean the “suits” he’s always referring to on his program? These mythical beings that he can always blame for everything while making himself out as a victim? Just like he did with these billboards so you feel sympathy for him, and believe he’s fighting the system? It’s all smoke and mirrors man. Bobby Bones is the most mainstream and safe thing you can find on the radio.
I’m not saying Bobby Bones is an evil dude, and believe it or not, I still have some respect for him just from the fact that’s gotten where he is. And I appreciate that he gives to charity. But he also uses his charity as a shield to hide behind to make personal attacks on people.
May 16, 2016 @ 11:01 am
Speaking of which, is he still butthurt about Kacey Musgraves or has that blown over?
May 16, 2016 @ 11:05 am
I don’t know. I don’t listen to his show ever, and try to steer clear of his drama for the most part because all it does is feed his incessant need for attention.
May 14, 2016 @ 8:34 am
“But how do you know what is real anymore? From Bobby Bones’ publicity stunts, to Kane Brown’s sales numbers, to the Auto-tune and electronic drums of today’s mainstream country music, it all just seems like a facade for a genre that is supposed to be sewed from authenticity.”
That quote right there might be my favorite thing you’ve ever written.
I think you make a good point when you call out his other blunders like the Aaron Watson situation and the FCC thing. It goes without saying but they aren’t funny and further shock me as to how far this genre is slipping.
May 14, 2016 @ 8:36 am
I could call this guy a worthless shitbag. But that would be insulting to both shit and bags!!!
May 14, 2016 @ 10:16 am
That’s good stuff Mike!
May 14, 2016 @ 10:22 am
What a tool
May 14, 2016 @ 11:21 am
Bobby Bones and Chris Young got into it? Over what, which one of them is the safest, most vanilla example of boring in country music?
On an unrelated note, Blake Shelton’s “Friends” is the most country sounding song he’s had in about ten years…and it’s on the damn Angy Birds movie soundtrack. What a strange world we live in…
May 14, 2016 @ 12:34 pm
and he actually wrote it himself (with Jesse Alexander) and it didn’t have much to do with warner & it’s not trying to be a radio single…and hey all those things might be related to why it actually sounds like a (kiddy) country song. Blake knows what country music is, and he knows what gets played on the radio, and he decided years ago to cut songs with the latter in mind & not the former.
May 14, 2016 @ 12:35 pm
Bobby Bones is a total narcissist. On the other hand I appreciate that he does spend some time promoting artists who aren’t yet big names, and the occasional female artist. And that he doesn’t spend his entire show talking about drinking and nascar.
May 16, 2016 @ 10:56 am
I’m starting to think he only promotes small names that have songs that scream “RADIO!!!” but don’t have the clout to get the airplay they need yet, just so he can be the one to say he “discovered” them and did it first.
May 14, 2016 @ 12:37 pm
I’m glad he hates himself too. You can tell by his appearance and behavior that he is a true fan of country music and what country music stands for…
With douchedicks like this, no wonder country music is a genreless bowl of diarrhea made by aging frat boys, twatty bros, and faux gangster trailer trash.
May 14, 2016 @ 1:28 pm
He’s a douche, but he was pretty smart. I wouldn’t get riled up that much about it. He’ll be out of a job in a year or so anyway.
August 17, 2024 @ 8:22 am
Yea, he will be out of a job in a year?!! LOL. Right. He’s at the unemployment office right now you joker.
May 14, 2016 @ 3:26 pm
I tolerated the guy at first but in the past year have chosen just to ignore him, but for some reason he keeps popping up all over the place. I have always found many of his interviews with music artists to almost be insulting at times. Half the time he doesn’t seem prepared and then he cuts them off in mid sentence. He just seems more interested in promoting his comical takes on their music. What I don’t get is why so many of the well known artists put up with some of his antics, but I guess that they want their music played so they do. The artists that seem less interested in stroking his ego are the ones that he seems to stir up these stupid “highschoolish” feuds with.
I respect anyone who volunteers or gives their time to help others and yes, the guy seems to be heavily involved with different charities. But I have to question his motives on this…….a lot of the money raised for these charities comes from his shows. Yes he is making money but he is also self promoting, which as we now know is his top priority. I mean, if he really was trying to raise money and help out, how do you justify spending $13,000 only to be more likable? I’m sure that $13,000 would have been put to better use if given to the Haiti charity that he supposedly supports?
Really I don’t know what sounds more pathetic…..a grown man spending $13,000 so people will feel sorry for him and like him or people (his fans) who are actually congratulating and praising him for what he did to get where he is. Yes, I forced myself to check out his twitter page and was really not surprised to see that he was retweeting all these praises. The one recent tweet that caught my eye was from a 2nd grade teacher, apparently he spent some time with the class, and she had the hashtag “positive role model”. It gave me the dry heaves, I mean really, if this guy is considered a positive role model then our society needs a good kick in the ass.
Go away Bobby Bones!
May 14, 2016 @ 3:39 pm
If you look up “douchebag” in a dictionary, that picture of Bobby Bones shows up.
May 14, 2016 @ 4:37 pm
Bobby is very talented! But I hear too much about the Raging Idiots, and too much about artists outside of the genre. But I love the uniqueness of the show, his co-hosts, etc. If you want the same old morning show crap, you’ll find it all over radio. I’m happy there are no ‘Bubba’s on Bobby’s show. Don’t go away, but don’t mention the book every hour, or your band. If you believe the ‘sympathy vote’ worked, be careful. Love turns to hate so fast.
May 14, 2016 @ 5:06 pm
Thank you for commenting on this Trigger. This guy makes me sick. He has such a terrible attitude, and when I read that article in the Washington post, I couldn’t believe it. How he got the position he is in, with a major syndicated country radio show, is too much. He sucks, Iheartmedia sucks, and the whole sinking ship needs to go down.
May 14, 2016 @ 6:06 pm
Bobby Bones is nothing but a tool!
May 14, 2016 @ 6:19 pm
Love Bobby Bones! Great show and great music. Who needs tear in my beer shit anyway?! Give me some FGL anyday.
May 14, 2016 @ 7:16 pm
Studley Dudley is that you?
May 15, 2016 @ 4:16 am
Oh what have we here? The sophomoric moron by the name of Studley Dudley and 50 other names has decided to show his presence here. Studley, or whatever the hell you want to call yourself this week, you ain’t fooling anyone here on this site. So go crotch start a chainsaw.
May 15, 2016 @ 1:16 pm
Studley Dudley outed himself a few weeks ago as someone who was just fucking with Trigger and was really a friend of his who actually shared his taste in music.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/saving-country-musics-2016-acm-awards-live-blog/#comment-728908
And Bobby Bones is a shithead. Who knew, amirite?
May 15, 2016 @ 1:19 pm
If Studley Dudley’s my “friend,” I sure don’t know which one he is.
May 15, 2016 @ 6:09 pm
You’re cute Mike.
May 14, 2016 @ 9:45 pm
His guy is a full of himself jerk. Yes he does charities but so does every DJ. Corporate 101 to get in w/ the local scene. The fact that so many main stream country stars basically suck up to him to get on his good side is ridiculous. Also the “suits” are just fine w/ him playing artists that “they had already picked” as good up and comers or just artists that need an extra push. Labels are already consulted w/ before it happens & yet Bobby ALWAYS pretends that he is doing it & going to get in trouble. Just ridiculous! Can’t wait ’til this medium goes belly up.
May 14, 2016 @ 10:11 pm
is there really a co-host on his show named Lunchbox?
May 14, 2016 @ 10:43 pm
Yes. Here he is doing a report on the billboards, fully knowing at the time that it was bullshit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKz2TD4Fjek
May 15, 2016 @ 6:41 pm
sigh
well im not switching
May 15, 2016 @ 10:44 am
“A lying, cheating, deceptive, narcissistic, self-centered buffoon.”
At first glance I assumed this story was about Donald Trump!
May 15, 2016 @ 4:56 pm
“A lying, cheating, deceptive, narcissistic, self-centered buffoon.”
At first glance I assumed this story was about Hillary Clinton!”
I fixed that for ya… better watch that autocorrect.
May 16, 2016 @ 4:52 am
get em Fuzz!
May 16, 2016 @ 10:59 am
I think we can close the books on this one and just openly agree that it applies to both of them. The only difference is which party they’ve branded on their docket.
May 15, 2016 @ 4:30 pm
I could not help thinking of Todd Snider and his Garth Brookes story.I love Todd, but that was pretty low, and Garth went out of his way to be kind to him, and never once tried to defend himself or call him out. Maybe completely different.That was my first thought.
May 16, 2016 @ 6:33 am
Are you talking about the excerpt from his book where he told the Chris Gaines story to an audience and made it seem like he knew it would bomb and sort of ridiculed Garth in the process? If so, then I think there are some differences. Not much of anyone really knew about it before he confessed to it in his book. Also, he showed genuine remorse and seemed ashamed of himself. He admits he was a dick to someone who he admits was nothing but decent to him.
May 16, 2016 @ 9:23 am
It’s a really good story. Wrote about it here:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/what-todd-snider-really-thinks-about-garth-brooks/
May 16, 2016 @ 9:56 am
The beer run story, that he came out and said was untrue.
May 16, 2016 @ 10:21 am
Ah, OK. I thought you might be talking about this.
http://americansongwriter.com/2014/05/todd-snider-met-garth-brooks-read-excerpt/2/
I had heard some of this particular story about Alright Guy and Chris Gaines before in the Rednecks and Bluenecks book by Chris Willman, but nothing really negative about it with respect to Snyder. Then, I read page 2 of this American Songwriter article today and thought that’s you might have meant.
I
May 15, 2016 @ 6:17 pm
You know what’s better than Sam Hunt and Bobby Bones? Sam Hunt on the Bobby Bones show!!! Booyah. Now that’s good shit.
Trigger secretly wants them to doubleteam him but they don’t swing that way sadly. He still can fantasize I guess.
May 16, 2016 @ 4:08 am
“Radio Runs Country” is what every antiquated person working on Music Row will tell you and they will keep shoving the cock and balls of every program director as they send them gifts and “artists” for free shows in their conference rooms or parking lots for spins until something changes.
May 16, 2016 @ 6:54 am
He must of heard about this article or read it. He was squawking about it this morning.
Rationalizing it.
Saying it was what he needed to do.
You can hate him if you want, etc. etc.
I’ll tell you, this guy can spin anything.
I only listened to him for three minutes this morning, and it was what he was talking about.
I decided on Hank III for the rest of the ride in.
May 16, 2016 @ 7:21 am
Yes. He needed to make it seem like some traditional country fans or maybe fans of the displaced local DJ were so mean that they would go to such extreme measures to hurt him. Those types of people needed to be marginalized and he had the money to try and do it.
May 16, 2016 @ 10:29 am
Once his cohorts started thanking him for doing it, I’d had enough. All in three minutes.
May 17, 2016 @ 3:59 am
I hope that revelation backfires on him. I knew there was a reason I couldn’t stand him. He looks like a monkey, and that’s truly an insult to monkeys! I find him lewd and disgusting. I listened to some stupid contest they had, and Amy lost…that’s as far as I’ll go. Needless to say her “punishment” was absolutely disgusting! I haven’t listened for more than five minutes, since.
May 18, 2016 @ 4:15 pm
Was working out this morning, listening to Steve Martin on Howard Stern…looked up and Bones was on the Today Show. Ugh.
May 19, 2016 @ 1:30 pm
Sick of hearing about his Raging Idiots band that only are selling everything out due to his endless self promotions. People suck.