Jesse Ventura Shocks the World

Jesse Ventura is many things, but boring is never one of them. A quarter century after the former pro wrestler shocked the world when elected as Governor of the State of Minnesota, it’s high time to explore the people, values, and experiences that shaped him. Follow his implausible career path, from a California biker gang to Minnesota’s highest office. Witness his wild term in office, embroiled in chaos and controversy. Discover his deep commitment to democracy, forever infused with a deep distrust of government, which made an intoxicating libertarian cocktail that breathed excitement into discontented voters in the late 1990s. Unearth his surprising simultaneous love of guns, grass, and gay rights—three very unlikely policy bedfellows that confused and flustered his political opponents. And uncover his early support of both the women’s liberation movement and Donald Trump. This film leverages Jesse Ventura’s long career in the public eye, from his years as the bad guy in the wrestling ring to his tumultuous stint as the big guy in the rotunda of the state capitol. Leading this expedition into Ventura’s past is veteran Twin Cities PBS political reporter Mary Lahammer. Her career is intertwined with his: Lahammer was a cub reporter fresh on the Twin Cities political beat when Ventura launched his campaign for governor. She has also captured more interviews with him over the decades than any other single journalist. Twin Cities PBS makes good use of its extensive archives to tell a story only it could tell, as the local media outlet that took Ventura most seriously during his campaign and through his term as governor and beyond. Playful 8-bit animations bring some of his more colorful moments to life. The full view of Jesse Ventura can be seen in high relief in this film, from his most bombastic and cantankerous public outbursts to his most emotional and vulnerable private moments. Revisiting the outcomes of his unusual and then-controversial third-party politics reveals a surprising legacy for a state with a long progressive history. It’s a civics lesson for the ages, reminding viewers—and voters—old and new—of the power of the people when energized by populist movements and charismatic characters, a lesson that can cut both ways. As personality politics looms large in the United States and beyond, this film explores how Ventura and his team captivated voters, how they taught Donald Trump their secrets, and how they feel about that now. You can call Ventura almost anything: complex, unpredictable, astute, insufferable, hilarious, egregious, human. You can call Ventura “larger than life,” but it’s an understatement. Whatever you do, don’t call him boring.