Jesse Ventura
Birthday:
15 July 1951, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Birth Name:
James George Janos
Height:
193 cm
Jesse Ventura was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Bernice Martha (Lenz), a nurse who was of German descent, and George William Janos, a steam fitter of Slovak ancestry. 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...
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Jesse Ventura was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Bernice Martha (Lenz), a nurse who was of German descent, and George William Janos, a steam fitter of Slovak ancestry. 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. 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. Jesse served as governor from 1999 to 2003 and did not run for a second term. Show less «
[what he says his motto was as a wrestler (not as a politician)] Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.
[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 ...Show more »
[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. Show less «
[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 no...Show more »
[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. Show less «
I think, in 2008, we need a pro wrestler in the White House.
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.
[on the state of religion and politics in the US as of 2008] If Jesus came back today, I think he'd throw up.
Yes, I do, because it's so slanted toward the incumbent to win, it's ridiculous. In the Congress today, we don't even have competitive races...Show more »
Yes, I do, because it's so slanted toward the incumbent to win, it's ridiculous. In the Congress today, we don't even have competitive races in all but about 15 across the country, because they control the districting and they make the districts so well -- this is Democrat, this is Republican. They all work it out in the back room. So, yes, I think term limits would be terrific. I don't believe anyone should be allowed to serve one day longer at one job than what we let our president do, and that's two four-year terms. [on Larry King Live, July 2008; when asked if he thinks there should be congressional term limits] Show less «
[Regarding his views on religion]: I'd like to clarify (my comments published in Playboy) about religious people being weak-minded. I didn't...Show more »
[Regarding his views on religion]: I'd like to clarify (my comments published in Playboy) about religious people being weak-minded. I didn't mean all religious people. I don't have any problem with the vast majority of religious folks. I count myself among them, more or less. But I believe because it makes sense to me, not because I think it can be proven. There are lots of people out there who think they know the truth about God and religion, but does anybody really know for sure? That's why the founding fathers built freedom of religious belief into the structure of this nation, so that everybody could make up their minds for themselves. But I do have a problem with the people who think they have some right to try to impose their beliefs on others. I hate what the fundamentalist fanatics are doing to our country. It seems as though, if everybody doesn't accept their version of reality, that somehow invalidates it for them. Everybody must believe the same things they do. That's what I find weak and destructive. Show less «
[Ventura's advice to Arnold Schwarzenegger after the latter was elected Governor of California in a 2003 recall election] Think about what y...Show more »
[Ventura's advice to Arnold Schwarzenegger after the latter was elected Governor of California in a 2003 recall election] Think about what you want to say, and talk from your heart. Scripts are for actors. Show less «
[discussing the resignation of Sarah Palin as governor of Alaska] She's a quitter. Let me put it to you this way, and by not being sexist: S...Show more »
[discussing the resignation of Sarah Palin as governor of Alaska] She's a quitter. Let me put it to you this way, and by not being sexist: She could never make it as a frogman or a Navy SEAL. Because if you utter the words in BUDS training, or Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training, "I quit," you're gone. I don't remember one person in my class that quit. I remember every person that I graduated with. It offends me over the fact that she told the people of Alaska she wanted to be their governor, and that's a four-year commitment. And now right in the middle, she quits? Well, if she's got plans on running for higher office, I would never vote for her, because if it gets too hot in the kitchen she's liable to quit. I don't think she was put under any more scrutiny with the media than I was as an independent. My children were attacked in Minnesota. Everything I did was put under the microscope, but the point is you don't quit. When you make an obligation and you take an oath, doesn't that mean anything anymore? Show less «
I didn't need this job. I ran for governor to find out if the American dream still exists in anyone's heart other than mine. I'm living proo...Show more »
I didn't need this job. I ran for governor to find out if the American dream still exists in anyone's heart other than mine. I'm living proof that the myths aren't true. The candidate with the most money isn't always the one who wins. You don't have to be a career politician to serve in public office. You don't have to be well-connected. You don't even have to be a Democrat or a Republican. You can stand on your own two feet and speak your mind, because if people like where you're coming from, they will vote you in. The will of the people is still the most powerful force in our government. Show less «
Wasting your vote is not voting your heart and not voting your conscience. That's a wasted vote.
Wasting your vote is not voting your heart and not voting your conscience. That's a wasted vote.
[2005 interview] If America is changing because of the War on Terrorism, then the terrorists are winning. Because we may beating them on the...Show more »
[2005 interview] If America is changing because of the War on Terrorism, then the terrorists are winning. Because we may beating them on the battlefield, but if we're getting our freedoms taken away and America changes because of what terrorism does and the fear of terrorism and government there to 'protect' us, then in my opinion the terrorists are winning. Show less «
I live in Mexico for half of the year. You know, I live with those brown-skinned people that we're so afraid of that we're going to build wa...Show more »
I live in Mexico for half of the year. You know, I live with those brown-skinned people that we're so afraid of that we're going to build walls and barbed wire fences and all of this stuff and we're going to turn my country into East Berlin, because we fear these brown-skinned people who manage to come up here looking for economic advantage; looking to help their families the same way you want to help yours. And to me, when I look at the United States turning into East Berlin, it is not the country that I served when I was in the military. Show less «
[Ventura describing his views of both the Democratic and Republican parties] I view the traditional two parties as in some ways very evil. T...Show more »
[Ventura describing his views of both the Democratic and Republican parties] I view the traditional two parties as in some ways very evil. They've become monsters that are out of control. The two parties don't have in mind what's best for Minnesota. The only things that are important to them are their own agendas and their pork. Government's become just a battle of power between the two parties. But now that Minnesota has a governor who truly comes from the private sector, a lot of light's going to be shed on how the system is unfair to people outside the two parties. Show less «
[explaining his support for gay marriage] Love is by far bigger than the government can ever be.
[explaining his support for gay marriage] Love is by far bigger than the government can ever be.
Are we that selfish a nation where health care can be such a divisive issue? Where is mainstream America today? To me, the doctor issue us a...Show more »
Are we that selfish a nation where health care can be such a divisive issue? Where is mainstream America today? To me, the doctor issue us a human right. I don't care if you're an illegal alien or whatever, if you're sick you should be able to have treatment. It amazes me that we've got people out there holding signs and making our president look like a Nazi, because he supports a change in the system. Here's another point: If government-run health care is so bad, does that mean we've been screwing over our veterans for close to a hundred years? My father would go nowhere else but to the Veteran's Administration hospital. The one here in Minnesota is state-of-the-art, brand-new, and completely government-run, and I don't see anyone protesting about that! If it's good enough for the veterans, shouldn't it be the same for all of us? Show less «
There's a reason that they call me "The Body."
There's a reason that they call me "The Body."
[explaining how he adopted the name 'Jesse Ventura'] I got the good fortune of being able to name myself. When you go into the world of pro-...Show more »
[explaining how he adopted the name 'Jesse Ventura'] I got the good fortune of being able to name myself. When you go into the world of pro-wresting, especially as a villain, it's not always good to use your real name. And I always loved the name Jesse, I pulled out a map of California, and I started matching Jesse up and when I read 'Jesse Ventura' the light went off. Show less «
I remember sitting one time at a party and someone asked me my nationality and I said, "Well, I'm Czech," and my 85 year old aunt spun aroun...Show more »
I remember sitting one time at a party and someone asked me my nationality and I said, "Well, I'm Czech," and my 85 year old aunt spun around in the chair and her finger went up and said, "You're not Czech, you're Slovak!" Show less «
Jesse Ventura's Photos
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