Jesse Ventura

[[File:Jesse Ventura (53514439524) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|165px|Ventura campaigning for [[Robert F. Kennedy Jr.]] in 2024.]]
{{conspiracy|1}}
'''Jesse "The Body" Ventura''', born '''James Janos''', {{lived|1951|}} 
"I ain't got time to bleed"
 was a {{wpl|Underwater Demolition Team|UDT Operator}} once, contrary to his claims of being a SEAL. He was also a professional wrestler for the World Wrestling Federation,<ref>[http://www.obsessedwithwrestling.com/profiles/j/jesse-ventura.php Wrestling stats]</ref> [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]'s co-star in ''Predator'' as well as the  B-movie ''The Running Man'',<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093894/ The Running Man (1987) - IMDb], the films (both from 1987) with the highest concentration of future state governors.</ref> an [[Fun:American football|XFL]] commentator, Mayor of Brooklyn Park, [[Minnesota]] and, from 1999 to 2003, the first of the two crazy governors of Minnesota (the [[Tim Pawlenty|other one]] having an irrational hatred of the [[poor]] and middle class). However, unlike Pawlenty, Ventura balanced his crazy with flashes of what seemed to be [[intelligence]], taking stances against [[torture]], for the legalization of soft [[drug]]s, and against [[neoconservative]] policies. Ventura has also been a critic of the American healthcare system and strongly advocates the adoption of [[universal healthcare]] and advocates overturning {{wpl|Citizens United v. FEC}}. He and his wife, Terry, also came out against an attempt to amend the Minnesota constitution to outlaw [[gay marriage]] during the 2012 election.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6SRCRxYa_k Real Minnesotans Voting No]</ref> In 2021, he advocated for a [[maximum wage]] and said "the older I get the more flaws I see in [[capitalism]], and the more good things I see in [[socialism]]".<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/jesse-ventura-should-no-billionaires-calls-maximum-wage-1565701 Jesse Ventura Says There Should Be No Billionaires, Calls for 'Maximum Wage'], Dan Cancian, ''Newsweek'' 1 February 2021</ref>

More recently, however, Jesse Ventura donned a [[tinfoil hat]] in his pursuit of proving [[conspiracy theories]], especially [[9/11 conspiracy theories]]. He also had a show on [[RT]] called ''The World According to Jesse''.<ref>https://www.rt.com/shows/the-world-according-to-jesse/</ref>

==Professional Wrestling==
Jesse Ventura's first foray into politics was actually long before he became Mayor or Governor. Actually, Jesse was the driving force behind the abortive attempt to form a labor union for professional wrestlers working in the WWF (now WWE).<ref>[https://www.thesportster.com/wwe-hulk-hogan-killed-jesse-ventura-plan-pro-wrestling-union-vince-mcmahon/ How Hulk Hogan Killed Jesse Ventura's Plans For A Pro Wrestling Union], Marc Callow, ''The Sportster'' 7 November 2024)</ref> His failure to do so after being ratted out by someone whom he stated he thought of as a friend ([[Hulk Hogan]]) and having spent so many years working in a business populated entirely by carnies at the time probably didn't do wonders for his ability to trust people.

==As governor of Minnesota==
Running as a [[Reform Party]] candidate, Jesse inched out a win against both the [[Democratic Party|DFL]] and [[Republican]] opponents in an upset.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070630031834/http://projects.ldc.upenn.edu/TDT2000/topics/completed-research/ventura.html Jesse "The Body" Ventura Wins Minnesota Governorship], UPenn</ref> In the beginning, he was well-liked because of his brash, up-front style. However, this brashness would make for great fodder for the press when he started saying things that could be used against him such as "organized [[religion]] is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers,"<ref>[http://thinkexist.com/quotation/organized_religion_is_a_sham_and_a_crutch_for/210461.html "Organized religion is a sham and a crutch" quote]</ref> "Congratulations, you have a sense of humor. And to those who didn't: Go stick your head in the mud," and "And I'll just tell you this: Until you've hunted man, you haven't hunted yet."<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93626&page=1 Jesse Ventura Hunting Remarks Draw Fire], ABC News</ref> The result was Ventura announcing he would not seek a second term.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=121151&page=1 Ventura Won't Seek Re-election], ABC News</ref>

==Post-governor conspiracy theorist==
Since being governor, he has gone on to promote conspiracy theories of all types (especially joining the [[9/11 truthers]]). He has co-authored several books on conspiracy theories with Dick Russell and had his own TV show, ''Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura''<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpwYzvSj9c4 ''Just'' crazy enough to not get on the History Channel.]</ref> from 2009 to 2012, which was dedicated to "investigating" conspiracy theories, but usually only if you want to believe that the conspiracy theory is true;<ref>[http://www.trutv.com/shows/conspiracy_theory/index.html The show's site]</ref> the show, and presumably mister Ventura, have no problems whatsoever cutting and splicing the footage in such a way that climatologist Ben Santer appears to be [[Global warming conspiracy theory|confessing to manipulating or cutting inconvenient data]], when in fact he says no such thing.<Ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07NMglQX6gE TV tricks of the trade &mdash; Quotes and cutaways], [[Potholer54]]</ref> Ventura, however, has stated that he accepts [[global warming]] as a fact and is critical of [[politician]]s who reject it.

Somehow, Ventura has maintained a strong friendship with the unpleasant [[Alex Jones]] despite their many ideological differences.<ref group=note>He seems to be less irrational, condescending and [[paranoid]] than him, but then again, we're comparing conspiracy theorists.</ref>

==Chris Kyle controversy==
In ''[[American Sniper]]'', a best-selling book,<ref>{{cite book
 | last11 = Kyle
 | first1 = Chris
 | last2 = McEwan
 | first2 = Scott
 | authorlink =
 | title = American Sniper
 | publisher = Harper
 | date = 2013
 | location =
 | pages = 448
 | isbn = 978-0062238863
}}</ref> Chris Kyle claimed to have decked Ventura during a bar brawl in Coronado in 2006. He wrote that Ventura had said he hated America, thought the U.S. military was killing innocent civilians in [[Iraq]] and that the SEALs "deserve to lose a few."

Ventura sued. Before Chris Kyle's death at a Texas gun range in 2013, Ventura claims that both met and offered to drop the lawsuit if Kyle came clean during a press conference, Kyle declined.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS94kfNwye4&list=UUjeYqGx0STkSM6iWknsDl3w</ref> Ventura allowed the lawsuit to go forward after Kyle's death, and in June 2014 &mdash; in a split 8-2 decision &mdash; was awarded $1,845,000. Kyle's widow, though not responsible for the remuneration of damages (the publisher's insurance company ultimately being liable) took further legal action and was ultimately successful in getting the verdict vacated by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeal on 13 June 2016. Ventura appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court but his appeal was denied. On 10 January 2017 the Court, without comment, confirmed the prior verdict.

Although one can understand Ventura's position, the whole issue is a [[Catch-22]]. Ventura's reputation &mdash; most particularly in the eyes of Navy SEALs &mdash; has suffered as a result.<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/jesse-ventura-awarded-1-8-million-suit-american-sniper-chris-kyle-article-1.1884330 ''Jesse Ventura awarded $1.8 million in suit against ‘American Sniper’ Chris Kyle'' &mdash; NY Daily News 29 July 2014]</ref>

==Presidential aspirations==
In 2013, Jesse Ventura announced that he and Howard Stern were interested in running for [[President]] at the [[2016 US Presidential Election|2016 election]],<ref>[http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/instrumental-to-a-jesse-ventura-2016-bid-howard-stern-for-vp-98345.html Instrumental to a Jesse Venture '16 bid: Howard Stern for VP], ''Politico''</ref> but this fell off the rails at ''some'' point.

During an interview with [[George Noory]] on the woo-woo radio in August 2014, Ventura again addressed the issue of his interest in the Presidency. He said he would only run if he was guaranteed participation in the Presidential Debates, and was assured of pressure groups in all 50 states who would raise holy hell if he was excluded. Under current rules, a presidential candidate is eligible for inclusion in the debates if 15% or more of opinion poll respondents vote for him or her.

In [[2020 U.S. presidential election|2020]], despite him not having any interest in running, the [[Alaska]] [[Green Party]] ran him as their presidential nominee over the national nominee of {{wpl|Howie Hawkins||.}}<ref>[https://www.elections.alaska.gov/election/2020/General/Janos-McKinney_Pres-VP_WEB.pdf James G. “Jesse Ventura” Janos – United States President – Green Party Nominee], Alaska Division of Elections</ref> He ultimately received 0.7% of the vote there.<ref>[https://www.elections.alaska.gov/results/20GENR/Map/ 2020 GENERAL OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS], Alaska Division of Elections</ref>

==Russia Today==
{{cquote|I am working for the enemy of [[mainstream media]] now.|||"The Body"<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/06/08/jesse-venturas-new-russian-state-tv-show-i-am-working-for-the-enemy-of-mainstream-media-now/ Jesse Ventura’s new Russian state TV show: ‘I am working for the enemy of mainstream media now’] by Katie Mettler (June 8, 2017 at 6:22 a.m. EDT) ''The Washington Post''.</ref>}}
In 2017, Ventura decided that the next best thing to being [[Donald Trump|POTUS]] was to be a reality TV star on his own show on [[RT]], [[Russian]] [[propaganda]] television.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/06/08/jesse-venturas-new-russian-state-tv-show-i-am-working-for-the-enemy-of-mainstream-media-now/ Jesse Ventura's new Russian state TV show: 'I am working for the enemy of mainstream media now'] by Katie Mettler (June 8, 2017 at 6:22 AM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> To his credit though, he did at least oppose the invasion of [[Ukraine]] on his [[Twitter]] account.<ref>https://mobile.twitter.com/GovJVentura/status/1499085984822185985?cxt=HHwWgsC-0dew6c0pAAAA</ref> His show would end shortly afterward due to the collapse of RT America as a result of the invasion.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ventura. Jesse}}
[[Category:2020 US Presidential candidates]]
[[Category:9/11 truthers]]
[[Category:Actors]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Entertainers]]
[[Category:Former mayors]]
[[Category:Former United States Governors]]
[[Category:Internet kooks]]
[[Category:Libertarians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Political activists]]
[[Category:Political pundits]]
[[Category:Radio]]
[[Category:Rightists who turned left with age]]
[[Category:Russian media]]
[[Category:Socialists]]

Categories: 2020 US Presidential candidates, 9/11 truthers, Actors, Atheists, Authors, Conspiracy theorists, Entertainers, Former mayors, Former United States Governors, Internet kooks, Libertarians, Living people, Military, Political activists, Political pundits, Radio, Rightists who turned left with age, Russian media, Socialists