Jesse Ventura
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (born James George Janos) is an American politician, actor, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in WWE, he served as the 38th governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. He was elected governor with the Reform Party and is the party's only candidate to win a major government office. Ventura was a member of the United States Navy Underwater Demolition Team during the Vietnam War. After leaving the military, he embarked on a professional wrestling career as a heel from 1975 to 1986, taking the ring name "Jesse 'the Body' Ventura." He had a lengthy tenure in WWE as a performer and color commentator and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004. In addition to wrestling, Ventura pursued an acting career, appearing in films such as Predator and The Running Man. Ventura entered politics in 1991 when he was elected mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a position he held until 1995. He was the Reform Party candidate in the 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial election, running a low-budget campaign centered on grassroots events and unusual advertising that urged citizens not to "vote for politics as usual". In a major upset, Ventura defeated both the Democratic and Republican nominees. Amid internal fights for control over the party, Ventura left the Reform Party a year after taking office and served the remainder of his term as a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. Since holding public office, Ventura has referred to himself as a "statesman" instead of a politician. As governor, Ventura oversaw reforms of Minnesota's property tax as well as the state's first sales tax rebate. Other initiatives he took included construction of the METRO Blue Line light rail in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area and income tax cuts. Ventura did not run for reelection. After leaving office in 2003, he became a visiting fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has since hosted a number of political television shows on RT America and Ora TV, and written several books. Ventura has been a prominent figure in third-party politics, having repeatedly floated the idea of running for President of the United States as an independent candidate. In late April 2020, Ventura endorsed the Green Party in the 2020 presidential election and showed interest in running for its nomination. He officially joined the Green Party of Minnesota on May 2. On May 7, he confirmed he would not run. The Alaskan division of the Green Party nominated Ventura without his involvement, causing the national party to disown it for abandoning its nominee, Howie Hawkins. Early life
Filmography
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Jesse Ventura Shocks the World
as Self
Jesse Ventura Shocks the World
as Self
Biography: Wrestlemania I
as Self (archival footage)
Biography: Wrestlemania I
as Self (archival footage)
The Claw
as Himself
The Claw
as Himself
Trump: Anatomy of a Man
as Self (archive footage)
Trump: Anatomy of a Man
as Self (archive footage)
Andre the Giant
as Self (archive footage)
Andre the Giant
as Self (archive footage)
This Was the XFL
as Himself
This Was the XFL
as Himself
The Making of Trump
as Self (archive footage)
The Making of Trump
as Self (archive footage)
The Drunk
as Governor Littleton
The Drunk
as Governor Littleton
WWE Hall of Fame: Jesse Ventura
as Himself
WWE Hall of Fame: Jesse Ventura
as Himself
9/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up
as Self
9/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up
as Self
Woodshop
as Mr. Madson
Woodshop
as Mr. Madson
The Obama Deception
as Self
The Obama Deception
as Self
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
as Himself
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
as Himself
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
as Jesse Ventura
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
as Jesse Ventura
WWE: The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA
as Self
WWE: The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA
as Self
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
as Self
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
as Self
Stuck on You
as Jesse Ventura (uncredited)
Stuck on You
as Jesse Ventura (uncredited)
The Master of Disguise
as Self (uncredited)
The Master of Disguise
as Self (uncredited)
Joe Somebody
as Himself
Joe Somebody
as Himself
Predator: Old Painless
as Self
Predator: Old Painless
as Self
If It Bleeds We Can Kill It: The Making of 'Predator'
as Self
If It Bleeds We Can Kill It: The Making of 'Predator'
as Self
WWF: It's Our Time
as Jesse Ventura
WWF: It's Our Time
as Jesse Ventura
Beyond the Mat
as Self
Beyond the Mat
as Self
WWE SummerSlam 1999
as Referee
WWE SummerSlam 1999
as Referee
WWF Summer Flashback!
WWF Summer Flashback!
Batman & Robin
as Arkham Asylum Guard
Batman & Robin
as Arkham Asylum Guard
Major League II
as White Lightning
Major League II
as White Lightning
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Color Commentary)
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Color Commentary)
Demolition Man
as CryoCon
Demolition Man
as CryoCon
WCW SuperBrawl III
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Color Commentator)
WCW SuperBrawl III
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Color Commentator)
Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun
as DMV Testee
Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun
as DMV Testee
WCW Beach Blast
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
WCW Beach Blast
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
WrestleMania: The Greatest Hits
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WrestleMania: The Greatest Hits
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Hulkamania 6
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura - Commentator
Hulkamania 6
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura - Commentator
Ricochet
as Chewalski
Ricochet
as Chewalski
Tagteam
as Bobby Youngblood
Tagteam
as Bobby Youngblood
Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe
as Abraxas
Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe
as Abraxas
Wrestling Tough Guys
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling Tough Guys
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Repossessed
as Himself
Repossessed
as Himself
Wrestling Superheroes
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling Superheroes
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE SuperTape: Volume 1
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE SuperTape: Volume 1
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Hulkamania 4
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Hulkamania 4
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Thunderground
as The Man
Thunderground
as The Man
WWE SummerSlam 1989
as Jesse Ventura
WWE SummerSlam 1989
as Jesse Ventura
Demolition: Witness the Power
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Demolition: Witness the Power
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Ultimate Warrior
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Ultimate Warrior
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
No Holds Barred
as Commentator #1
No Holds Barred
as Commentator #1
The Brains Behind the Brawn
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Brains Behind the Brawn
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Hulk Hogan: Real American
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Hulk Hogan: Real American
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
as Baseball Announcer (uncredited)
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
as Baseball Announcer (uncredited)
Macho Madness
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Macho Madness
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE SummerSlam 1988
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Referee)
WWE SummerSlam 1988
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Referee)
Hulkamania 3
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Hulkamania 3
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Women of the WWF
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Women of the WWF
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Running Man
as Captain Freedom
The Running Man
as Captain Freedom
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 13
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Ken Patera Story
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Ken Patera Story
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
as Self
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
as Self
Predator
as Blain Cooper
Predator
as Blain Cooper
WWF Hulkamania 2
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
WWF Hulkamania 2
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The British Bulldogs
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The British Bulldogs
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino
Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino
Villains of the Squared Circle
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Villains of the Squared Circle
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WrestleMania II
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
WrestleMania II
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
WWE Grudge Match
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE Grudge Match
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Tag Team Champions
as Jesse Ventura
Tag Team Champions
as Jesse Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
The WWF's Amazing Managers
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
The WWF's Amazing Managers
as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '85
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '85
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (archive footage)
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (archive footage)
Best of the WWF Volume 1
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Ringside)
Best of the WWF Volume 1
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Ringside)
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Most Unusual Matches
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Most Unusual Matches
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
AWA Christmas Night 1983
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
AWA Christmas Night 1983
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
AWA Christmas Show 1983
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
AWA Christmas Show 1983
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
AWA Super Sunday
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
AWA Super Sunday
as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Savage
as himself
Savage
as himself