Biography for
Jesse Ventura

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Date of Birth

15 July 1951, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Birth Name

James George Janos

Nickname

"The Mind"
"The Body"

Height

6' 4" (1.93 m)

Mini Biography

In November 1990, professional wrestler turned actor Jesse Ventura was elected to a four-year term as mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis with a population of around 56,000. Jesse served one year term and did not run for a second term. He made appearances on After his mayoral term, he purchased a small hobby farm in nearby Maple Grove, Minnesota and moved from Brooklyn Park. In November 1998, Ventura, as a member of the Reform Party, was elected Governor of Minnesota.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Joseph Sexton (sextonjt@peganet.com)

Spouse

Theresa Larson Masters

(18 July 1975 - present) 2 children

Trade Mark

Unique voice and cunning wit

Trivia

Did color commentary for the Minnesota Vikings radio network

Former mayor of Brooklyn Park, MN. Elected Governor of the state of Minnesota on the Reform Party ticket for the 1999 to 2003 term.

A volunteer football coach at Park High School in Champlin, Minnesota.

A 1969 graduate of Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis,

Took the name "Ventura" from the California city of that name which, in turn, is named after San Buenaventura.

The about-to-merge towns of St. Augusta and Luxembourg, Minnesota, are considering naming themselves Ventura. [2000]

Jesse's son, Tyrel, is an aspiring film director.

Announces he will not run for re-election as governor of Minnesota, and will step down after current term (18 June 2002)

Son Tyrel (b. 1980).

Daughter Jade (b. 1984).

Last WWF appearance as a color commentator was WrestleMania VI (1990) (V).

Served as color commentator alongside play-by-play broadcaster Gorilla Monsoon (aka Robert Marella for the first six WrestleManias.

In a 1999 interview for Playboy magazine, he declared organized religion "a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers." In response to the subsequent criticism over that statement, he later clarified that it only applies to "some" organized religions.

Will be paid $2 million to host his new MSNBC show (2003). UPDATE: The network announced cancellation of the show (late December 2003).

Vietnam veteran.

WWE Hall of Famer.

Signed on to color commentate XFL games for the one season that it existed.

In 1984, just before a scheduled Madison Square Garden main event with Hulk Hogan, Jesse was rushed to the hospital in San Diego with a pulmonary embolism. Treatment of the blood clot required blood thinners, any bleeding in the ring would have been dangerous. He claimed it was due to being exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Right around the time Hulk Hogan entered WCW, he left the company.

A week before he had his embolism, Bobby Heenan was scheduled to be his new manager. With Jesse out, Bobby began managing Big John Studd.

During the 2000 Minnesota State Fair, at the Jesse Ventura booth, T-shirts were being sold by donation that read "Got Underwear"

He doesn't wear underwear.

Wrote his autobiography a couple of years back when he was still governor of Minnesota. The title of his book was "I Ain't Got Time to Bleed", which was also one of his memorable lines in Predator (1987).

Partially attributed for birth of the term "smart growth", but only because he said he didn't want any "dumb growth." His staff turned the term to the positive and it's now called "smart growth."

Has made four movies together with Sven-Ole Thorsen (The Running Man (1987), Predator (1987), Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe (1991) and Batman & Robin (1997)).

Prior to being elected governors, he and Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared together in three films: Predator (1987), The Running Man (1987), and Batman & Robin (1997).

During the filming of the movie Predator (1987) became close friends with star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

While a professional wrestler in the 1980s he began lobbying his fellow wrestlers to form a labor union. Once news of this reached Ventura's then friend Hulk Hogan, Hogan informed World Wrestling Entertainement owner Vince McMahon, who immediately put a stop to the proceedings. Hogan never bothered to tell Ventura what he did. Ventura eventually learned for himself in the 1990s, at which point he ceased to consider Hogan a friend.

Optioned not to go for a second term as Minnesota governor, citing lack of privacy and being in the public eye so much. He said he made this decision solely based on the fact that at the time he was elected, many political figures were under scrutiny for their past histories and were having their personal lives thrust into the spotlight. Ventura said he did not want his family put into that position.

Was a Navy SEAL during the Vietnam War.

Spends most of his time living with his wife in Mexico.

Personal Quotes

[what he says his motto was as a wrestler (not as a politician)] Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.

[interview in Minnesapolis Star-Tribune] You need to hunt something that can shoot back at you to really classify yourself as a hunter. You need to understand the feeling of what it's like to go into the field and know your opposition can take you out. Not just go out there and shoot Bambi.

[on the possibility of running for US President] I'm a great believer in destiny, and if I'm destined to be there, it will happen. If I'm not, it won't.

I think, in 2008, we need a pro wrestler in the White House.

[on the state of religion and politics in the US as of 2008] If Jesus came back today, I think he'd throw up.

Where Are They Now

(6 February 2003) Announced plans to host a new political show on MSNBC

(February 2004) Teaching a seminar on third-party politics for the Spring 2004 term at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government

(1999) Release of his book, "The Wit and Wisdom of Jesse 'The Body--The Mind' Ventura".

(1999) Release of his book, "I Ain't Got Time to Bleed: Reworking the Body Politic From the Bottom Up".

(2000) Release of his book, "Do I Stand Alone?: Going to the Mat Against Political Pawns and Media Jackals" by Jesse with Julie Mooney.

(2002) Release of his book, "Jesse Ventura Tells It Likes It Is: Anerica's Most Outspoken Governor Speaks Out About Government" by Jesse with Heron Marquez.

(April 2008) Release of his book, "Don't Start the Revolution Without Me" by Jesse with Dick Russell.

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