‘It’s only a 96-minute movie,” huffed the Burbank-based NBC publicist.
And, because “The Jesse Ventura Story,” tonight on NBC, is only a 96-minute movie, there’s no room to hint, let alone mention, that the fame and fortune that helped elect Ventura governor of Minnesota very well may have been rooted in drug use, specifically steroids.
Ventura may be the only governor whose political ascension was nurtured by non-medical drug use. But because the national media thinks that the notion of a pro wrestler being elected governor is kinda neat, certain significant parts of Ventura’s celebrated past are never even broached.
One would think, given the media’s propensity for scandal – especially among high-profile politicians – that the governor of a state, before and after his election, would have his feet held to the fire on an issue such as personal drug use. But it’s never mentioned. Why spoil the fun?
Imagine a more form-fitting politician escaping such inspection. I can’t. Neither can you.
But in an America dominated by pop culture, wildly inconsistent standards and TV ratings, Jesse Ventura, admitted steroid user, is issued a free pass and a hearty slap on the back.
NBC’s “World Premiere Movie” about Ventura’s life can’t paint an accurate picture unless the endemic practices of the pro-wrestling industry during Ventura’s tenure are revealed. During those years, the ’70s and 80’s, the clear understanding among pro wrestlers was that muscle mass was what the business was selling and if you weren’t using steroids you’d better start.
To that end, Ventura used steroids. They made him bigger, more ripped. They helped drive his celebrity and career, the kind that would help him become governor of Minnesota.
Ventura knew then and he knows now why pro wrestlers have a highly under-publicized habit of dropping dead before 40. He knows that his former profession was and is lousy with illegal drug abuse.
Ventura has the first-hand knowledge and now commands the kind of attention where in one press conference he could bring the kind of heat on the pro-wrestling industry that would prevent the deaths of performers. He knows that illegal drug use is part of the unwritten terms of engagement with greedy, twisted promoters. But he doesn’t say a word.
If Ventura held any active regard for the laws of his land – laws he has sworn to uphold – he’d make it very difficult for pro wrestlers to perform in his state. He’d do what’s done in Oregon, a state that pro wrestling assiduously avoids because of its no-nonsense drug testing of pro wrestlers.
Beyond that, there’s ample evidence that the governor of Minnesota ignored many other forms of institutionalized criminal activity while attaining pro-wrestling stardom. No one who rose to Ventura’s level did so without knowing the score.
Then again, maybe the pro-wrestling people know as much about the governor of Minnesota as he knows about them.
Meanwhile, notions have become far more powerful in this country than realities. And the notion of a pro wrestler being elected governor of Minnesota is far too much fun to mess with.
Thus the tale of Jesse Ventura, continuing tonight on NBC, is fed to the nation as a fresh and fanciful only-in-America success story. No room for the other stuff. Hey, it’s only a 96-minute movie.
But if the media were ever to ask the same questions of Ventura that they do of other politicians; if they had ever investigated Ventura’s past as they do more standardized candidates, there’s a good chance that NBC would not be airing a movie tonight about Jesse (The Body) Ventura, unsuccessful candidate for the office of governor of Minnesota. *
Tuesday, during Knicks-Hawks Game 1, MSG’s Al Trautwig, offered this tip: “If you’re looking for the Yanks-Red Sox, you can find it onMetro Guide.”
But Trautwig had to know that tens of thousands of MSG subscribers are in the hands of non-Cablevision systems that don’t carry the new Cablevision-owned Metro channels. For them, because Cablevision is leveraging Metro, there was no Yankee telecast.
Where Cablevision, in concert with all area cable systems, once facilitated channel space for conflict games, those games have been placed on Metro in order to generate demand for another Cablevision-owned channel on non-Cablevison systems. This is one of the hideous abuses foisted on the public by cable entities that are allowed to own both programming and systems.
Tuesday, Cablevision’s long history of abusing sports fans in service to its own ends was particularly galling. Not only were the Yanks playing the Red Sox for first place, the game, removed from view to thousands, saw the return of Joe Torre. *
John (The Count) Montefusco, blithe spirit, Jersey guy and ex-Yankee, Brave and Giant pitcher, is now 19 months in the Monmouth County jail in Freehold, N.J. Charged with violating a restraining order and assaulting his wife, Montefusco, insisting that he’s innocent, refuses to plea bargain. Broke, hehas yet to stand trial. None is scheduled.
Slo-Mo Madness, Continued: John Olerud knocks down a hard one-hopper Monday, inspiring a discussion between Fran Healy and Howie Rose as to whether it should be scored a hit or an error. A replay appears, but in slow motion, thus there’s no way viewers can judge. In slo-mo, it’s an error.
Rose, by the way, placed himself at great professional risk during Tuesday’s Brewers-Mets telecast when he quoted Tim McCarver by name … NBA playoff lookalikes: Jeff Hornacek of the Jazz and Stan Laurel. Jim McCloskey of Bay Ridge submits Lakers’ VP Jerry West and Secretary of Defense William Cohen.
TNT pairs two fellas with Knick roots, Marv Albert and Hubie Brown, on tonight’s Pacers-Sixers … The fifth and final game of Kings-Jazz, lost by the Kings in OT, saw three Kings – Jason Williams, Corliss Williamson and Chris Webber – hit with technicals during regulation for poor behavior. But such me-first behavior is now expected, even during playoff games, thus it’s never a post-game issue.
