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New film looks at legacy of Jesse Ventura’s venture into politics
The film, based on insights from TPT reporter Mary Lahammer’s coverage of Ventura, will be released on the 25th anniversary of Ventura’s taking office.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — It’s been 25 years now since Jesse “the Body” ventura took office as Minnesota’s governor.
His election shocked the political world, and now a new documentary sheds new light on the professional wrestler-turned politician and the impact he made in our state.
At the time Jesse “the Body” Ventura took office as Minnesota governor in January 1999, Mary Lahammer was the youngest member of the Capitol press corps at age 24.
“I had endless energy and enthusiasm and optimism, so I got along with him. Figured it out,” she said. “And keeping it to policy. Working for PBS we really didn’t cover the latest controversy – because there was always controversy – but we kind of geeked out and nerded out on the policy and he came to really respect that. And ultimately granted me more interviews than any reporter in America, he says.”
With insight from those countless interviews, Lahammer and other colleagues have put together a documentary called “Jesse Ventura Shocks the World” — premiering Tuesday night on TPT.
“Every single person who’s seen it, even those of us who were political reporters who lived through it, said they learned something,” Lahammer said.
The film covers Ventura’s life and colorful history from birth through his career as professional wrestler and actor and ascent into politics.
Lahammer says there are a lot of revelations in the film as well — including Ventura’s influence on former President Donald Trump.
“And what we reveal in the documentary is that Trump studied Ventura’s playbook. And very much used some of the same techniques to get elected,” Lahammer said. “He’s not happy about helping Trump.”
While others like Trump have made similar atypical journeys to elected office, in the late 90s Ventura’s election did shock the political world.
“That’s kind of the thesis of the film. We have a quote from him at the very beginning saying, ‘I’m Jesse Ventura; I’m ahead of my time.'”
Lahammer said Ventura and his family still live in Minnesota for part of the year. His son Tyrell attended the premiere screening last week by the MSP Film Society.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
