Jesse Ventura was born in Minneapolis, MN to working class parents who both served honorably in World War II.  While in High School, Ventura was a multi sport letter winner and captain of the swim team.  Upon graduation in 1969 he enlisted in the US Navy and was accepted into the elite UDT/SEALs special forces group.  After graduating their rigorous training regiment Ventura served two tours overseas, stationed at legendary Subic Bay in the Philippines, during the Vietnam war.  He was honorably discharged in 1975 and lived, for a short time, in the San Diego bay area during which time he rode with the outlaw motorcycle club the Mongols, achieving the rank of Sargent Of Arms.  Ventura then moved back home to Minnesota and attended the North Hennepin Community College where he fell in love with the theatre and body building. It was only natural that he then developed a love for professional wrestling.

 

During his ten year career as a professional wrestler Ventura won numerous tag-team and singles championships as the villain fans loved to hate.  Ventura’s charisma and verbal skills during interviews sparked the mind of Vince McMahon who approached Ventura with the innovative idea to put his character behind the mic as wrestling’s first heel color commentator.  Around 1986 Ventura officially retired from the ring and moved to the announcer’s table full time.  His brand of color commentating would eventually land him jobs for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Minnesota Vikings, as well as hosting highly rated talk radio shows in his home state of Minnesota.  During the mid-eighties Ventura began his acting career with roles on hit television shows, commercials, and in 1986 was cast opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in the now iconic film Predator which would kick off a successful three decades long film career.

 

In 1990 Ventura ran for mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, at that time the states sixth largest city.  Running on an anti-corruption and environmental platform, Ventura, beat the city’s 18-year incumbent mayor.  After serving one term Ventura went back to the private sector until 1998 when he ran for Governor of Minnesota.  Campaigning with just three hundred thousand dollars, the independent, fiscally conservative, socially liberal candidate Ventura, beat both the millionaire lobbyist funded Democratic and Republican parties in the three way race.  After serving his term in office Ventura went on to teach at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, penned four New York Times best sellers and currently hosts the television series Conspiracy Theory w/Jesse Ventura.