Jesse Ventura
Appearances
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Straight up.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, thanks, Bill. It's great to be here. And the ironic thing is that we're holding this event in the very building that we held the very first one. Way back in the 80s.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I don't know. Nassau Coliseum, wherever. The one out in Long Island. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's where we held it back then. And so they're going to hold this very first one of the new NBC Saturday Night's main event. And what's exciting about it, and I got the word on this, the whole show is going to be a throwback. What does that mean? Well, that means it's going to look like it did before. Really?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah. The graphics, everything? Yes. The wrestlers are not coming down that ramp. They're not coming with all the lights and spectacular. They're coming in through the crowd. Wow. Like the old days. That's why they brought me back.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Wow, you should be back anyway. We're going back in a time capsule, only it's going to be four times a year.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I'll get to them, but I need to make more of an introduction here.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Hell has frozen over. Why? because I never dreamed I would be back in the WWE, now WWF, until hell froze over. I had a friend, Glenn Frey, of the Eagles. And I remember when the Eagles broke up, they thought, oh, it's over. We'll never hear another Eagles song. The differences are too much. They'll never be able to mend fences. And lo and behold, Glenn got together with Don Henley.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And away they go. They came back and they cut that phenomenal album when hell freezes over. And I kind of feel that way that hell has frozen over for me because I never believed in my wildest dreams I would be back doing wrestling again.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, because for me, it's a full circle of my career. I can't go back in the United States Navy where I spent my first six years after I graduated from high school. I was in the Navy, United States Navy for six years. I can't do that because there's age limits. My friend Rudy Bosch stayed as long as you could. He had 44 years in when they threw Rudy out.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
But anyway, that aside, but this this is ironic because it means my career has gone full circle. Right. Because and here's the part that I don't understand. They couldn't control me before. Why do they believe they can now? Oh, I like this.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I was thrown out. I was uncontrollable. Jesse, the body Ventura. Number one, I tried to unionize. Right. Number two, I wouldn't allow them to market me without negotiating it. That's what ultimately got me thrown out of the WWF, WWE. Then I went to WCW. Here's the behind the scenes story. I went to WCW. They went into turmoil. The guy who hired me got fired. They brought in Bill Watts.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
who was an old school relic, who didn't understand the business had changed. It had gone to television now, not to putting seats in the stands. The money was now gonna be in TV. He didn't get that. So he comes in and then he gets fired and I busted my butt behind the scenes to get Eric Bischoff into the position. And here's where it got interesting. Eric Bischoff then got the head job at WCW.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And then behind my back, he went out and got Hogan because Hogan was leaving the WWF or getting booted or whatever was happening with his career. They gave Hogan total artistic control. He came in, got me immediately fired because he took over my look. He put the shades on, he put the do-rag on, and he became a villain. He couldn't have Jesse Ventura be there and become Jesse Ventura.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
So he got me fired. And in essence, my wrestling career was over. I had worked for the two major. I wasn't going into one of these little outlaw ones in your own hometown. That wasn't about to happen. I looked to other things. What did I do? I went to the dirtiest business on the planet, got myself elected mayor.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
mayor and went on and got myself defeated the Democrats and Republicans at the same time and got myself elected governor of Minnesota and did this. I only raised $300,000 to do it. You want to know who could have been president if he wanted to be? You're talking to him.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Oh, I beat Hubert Humphrey's son. I beat Senator Norm Coleman. Well, on the Democratic side at that time, we called it my three sons. You had the sons of Hubert Humphrey, Orville Freeman, and Mondale. So it was my three sons on the Democratic side.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Okay, here's the story. Yeah. I knew this was the perfect time. And then, of course, we had to get with the Charlotte guys and have them walk out also. If we could have got us and Charlotte, it was perfect timing. All the publicity was out there. He couldn't change nothing. There wasn't time for it.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
It's two weeks before the show. All we had to do was, in mass, walk out, go to the media, and say we refuse to wrestle unless federal negotiators for union are brought in. It's federal law. He couldn't stop it. It's federal law. And we refuse to perform until we're allowed to unionize. or collective bargain and bring these people in. And I made that passion speech.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And when I was done, I went home and the next day Vince calls me immediately. Well, I found out he apparently called all the wrestlers and threatened them all and all of this stuff, I guess. I didn't know about that, but he called me and I stood up to him. I said, Vince, I said, this isn't just to fight you. I said, this is about the fact right now, and this was mid 80s.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I said, right now I'm paying $5,000 a year for health insurance for me and my family. I said, if we- Out of your own pocket. Out of my pocket. If we had a union, there's strength in numbers. Maybe I'd only have to pay $2,000 a year instead of $5,000. I said, Vince, I've seen hundreds of guys give 20 years of their life to this business.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And in the end, they ain't got a pot to piss in, a window to throw it out of. I said, we're wrestlers. We're not financial planners. And I said, if we had a union, maybe a guy could retire on 500 bucks a month and get something for the 20, 30 years you give to this business. I said, it isn't just about fighting you. I said, sure.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And we'd like working conditions to where if you go on the road three days in a row, you're then given so many days off.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I'll tell you how bad it was when I got injured with pulmonary emboli, blood clots in the lungs. Yeah. That was caused by flying. Really? Yes. They've determined it today that you're very more susceptible. That's why you need to exercise on planes. And they don't say nothing now because the airline people are well aware of it. I get up on every plane and do toll raises for 10 minutes.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
The flight attendant won't say a word to you. They know exactly what you're doing. Interesting. But the point is, here's how bad it was. The month that I had the pulmonary emboli blood clots, do you know how many days that month I flew? 28.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yes.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
You're talking 30 days in a month and 28 of them when I was on an airplane. Let's get back to, that's what I wanted the union for. I wanted the union. And for Hogan to then make a statement, well, I didn't want to get paid like everybody else. He makes it sound like unionizing is socialism and communism. Does Pat Mahomes make the same money as everybody else in the NFL? Of course not.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
He makes way more. And they have a union. Does LeBron James make more than everybody in the NBA? Yes, of course he does. And they have a union. Hogan would have still made more. That's a lame excuse. You want to know how bad it was? It came out in my court case. My court case against Vince, we have the numbers from WrestleMania 3, right? The big one. Pontiac Silverdome. Hogan against Andre.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And then the greatest match that I ever saw, Ricky Steamboat against Macho. the greatest match I'd ever broadcast or ever seen, that match. But that aside, We got the numbers in my court case. Hulk Hogan made more that night than all of the rest of us combined, including Andre.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Now, you know, I don't know why he didn't. You want to know why he'd lay his life down to stop a union?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Of course he did. And here's why. And here's why. If you come from the business during my era of the old territory days, the worst thing you can be accused of being is an office stooge.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
That's somebody who rides around with the boys, pretends he's one of them, but all the while he's listening to the gossip and he's reporting it back to the promoters, taking care of himself and being, quote, an office stooge. That in my day of wrestling was the worst thing you could ever be. Well, it's interesting. And that's what Hogan was.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
It didn't come out until my trial that I had. And it only came out because I told my attorney the story. And when you depose someone, you can ask anything. in a deposition. So I told my attorney the story and my attorney was great. They beat Vince. And my attorney, I said, if you can find out who ratted me, I would really love to know who was the rat in the dressing room that ratted me out.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And so during the deposition, I can't say anything. I'm sitting there and my attorney asked Vince, he said, Mr. McMahon, he said, has there ever been a union in wrestling? And Vince said, no. And my attorney said, has anyone ever tried to form a union in wrestling? And Vince thought a moment and he said, yeah. He said, I think Jesse Ventura might've spouted his mouth.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I remember he used the term spouted his mouth off about it one time, a number of years ago. And my attorney said, oh really? He said, did you hear Mr. Ventura talk about unionizing? And Vince went, no. And my attorney said, well, then how were you aware of it? With no hesitation, Vince went, Hulk Hogan told me. I almost fell out of my chair. Now, I had to sit there. I can't show no emotion.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I can't, you know, it's a deposition. I can't talk. I can't nothing. I can only sit there and confer with my attorney. It was as rough as getting hit in the face with a hard left jab because Hulk Hogan had, I thought, been my friend.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
That's why I wanted to find out. I wanted to know who was the rat in the dressing room because I made sure there was nobody from the office. when I made the speech, because I made sure of it. Pat Patterson wasn't there, Strongbow wasn't in there, none of the agents were there.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
No, no. Hogan came into the AWA when I was there.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And then Vern wouldn't give him the title. And Vern wouldn't let him market himself. And so Hogan made the smart move. He jumped right away to Vince, who let him do all that. And, you know, financially, I don't begrudge Hogan that. I'd have did the same thing, too.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
You know, but him ratting us, that was low. But anyway, you know, that was the nature of the business. Everyone's out for themselves. You know, it's always been that nature of the business. That's how the business survived, was backstabbing.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Who the heck would know? It's a good sliding doors though, right? Then it would have been a hell of a lot more challenging for Vince to go across the country like he did. Right. Because Vince needed Hogan. just as Hogan needed him. They needed each other.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
You know, that was a mutual deal. And don't begrudge either one of them. You know, what they accomplished was remarkable, and I was happy to be part of it.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah, and it worked out great for me because, you know, unfortunately, my career ended right before I was due to wrestle Hogan, the night before. I was due to wrestle Hogan in LA. My first match with him in the WWF. And I'm seven days critical in San Diego hospital. So bad. My wife had to fly out to San Diego. I didn't know if I'd ever wrestle again. And ironically, you know who came to my rescue?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Who? And she don't even know it. I bet today. I bet if you asked her, she wouldn't even truly know it. Cindy Lauper. Really? Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, Cindy Lauper did me a favor that ended up creating my entire broadcasting career. Which was what? I went home facing the end of my wrestling career. What do I do now? Am I going to go down to General Mills and sign on as a VP and put down past experience, pro wrestler? You're not going to get no job.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And like all pro athletes in its own weird way, nobody ever thinks about it till it's over. And then when it's over, you got to face it. And I had to face it prematurely. I did come back in the ring. but I never came back to the extent of what I was doing. And a friend of mine said, here's the lopper story. A friend of mine said, you should be a broadcaster. You can talk.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
So I went down to channel 11, Tom Ryther. He just passed away a few months ago, my friend Tom Ryther. And I told Tom my situation. He was the head of sports down there. So he introduced me to the head guy of the station. And he gave me a producer cameraman who was Emmy Award winning. And he said, okay. He said, go out and do something for me. Right? Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
So it was right during the Cyndi Lauper rock and wrestling crap. You know, when Cyndi was all involved with Wendy Richter and it was going big and all that. Cyndi was doing a concert here in Minneapolis. Yeah. So I called up David Wolf, our manager, and I said, could I come down and interview Cindy before the show? He said, of course. And so I came down with my guy.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
We got together with Cindy and it was during that punk era. So we decided to have Cindy dye my hair. So Cindy Lauper dyed my hair like six different colors because that was in then. And that night at her concert, she brought me out in front of the crowd to show the crowd what we had did that afternoon. And Vince got a hold of that tape.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And it was like two days later, he calls me and he says, Jesse, do you think you could do color commentating? And I said, I know I could. And he said, I got an idea. I said, what is it? He said, there's never been a villain on the mic before. You're going to be the first one.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, like I said, and that's so I, oh, Cindy, I bet don't even know. That the piece she did with me spurred McMahon to have the light. And I give Vince credit. He's P.T. Barnum of the generation, man. The light bulb went out in Vince's head and he thought, there's never been a villain on the mic. Let's put a villain on the mic.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And then I was fortunate because who did they put me on with but Gorilla Monsoon? Right. One of the great teams. Oh, I mean, Gino was a dream. To work with. You know, you couldn't have asked for an easier, better tandem. I don't think Gino and I ever had a misunderstanding, ever. I can't think of one.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, I think I was at my best right before I was going to go against Hogan.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Earlier 30s. Right. Yeah, but I'm right where I ought to be for it. Right, and you could have been one of the big heels. I'm as big as I'm ever going to be, and right there, and all of a sudden, I'm flat on my back in critical condition in San Diego, California, not knowing if I'm going to live or die.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, I always view it as, and I tell people this when I give speeches and stuff, I always tell people, remember, out of adversity, great things can happen. When you think adversity struck you and that everything has gone to shit, It's amazing how, look what I fell into then. I got more famous being on the mic than I probably ever would have been in the ring.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
They couldn't control me then. What makes them think they can now? Yeah. Well, you were the first announcer that made people mad. Exactly. Do they have any idea the power I have now? Do they have any idea the guy that's going to be on that mic sat down face to face with Fidel Castro? Right. Do they have any idea that the guy on that mic had a dinner in his honor at Tiananmen Square in China? Wow.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
So you've seen it all. And I did all this after wrestling.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I had no relationship with him. Nothing? Nothing.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, when I got inducted into the Hall of Fame... They asked me what I felt my biggest contribution was to pro wrestling. And I think I shocked everyone. And I know I irritated Vince and Linda. But I said, I believe my biggest contribution to wrestling was the fact that I was the first wrestler in history who made Vince McMahon deal with a manager or an agent. Is that true? Yes. Hogan never did.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Hogan dealt with Vince. It's him and Vince. Hogan had a Hollywood agent. I was the first one. And that resulted because of Predator. Right. Which he didn't want you to do. He told me I couldn't do it. So I quit. And I went and did Predator. And while I was doing Predator, Arnold said, In September, I'm going to do the running man. There's a part you're perfect for. Would you like to do it?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And I said, hell yeah. And so I negotiated running man first. Then I went back to Vince. And you know why that was? That gives you FU money in your pocket. Right. Where if he doesn't do what I'm satisfied with, I tell him flake off. I'm doing the running man in the fall. I'm okay. I got another major movie with Arnold that's going to come up in the fall.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
That ain't what it's about with him. With people like him and power people with money like that, it's control. It ain't got nothing to do with doing deals and doing the right thing and promoting the correct way. It's all about control. I was the horse that got out of the corral. I wouldn't let him market me. That's the final straw. I was going to do my own video game.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And Vince said, you can't do it. I said, I own my rights. I'm registered with the government. Jesse, the body Ventura, I own the copyright with the government. How can you tell me I can't do it? And that was the final straw. That's when he fired me. And then I think he, because I never did get the video game. So I think some hanky-pank went on there, too. Oh, no. I don't know. I have no evidence.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I never signed the contract.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, I sued them over videotape royalties. And not that he had to pay me, but all the time that I was working for Vince, I would ask him, Vince, how come everything I do in Hollywood, when they replay it, I get royalties and everything I do for you, I get nothing. I said, how does that work? It was just he and I. I'd be there with him alone. I'd say, tell me how that works.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
How come I get royalties in Hollywood and I don't with you? And he'd give me these phony excuses of why. So what I did, every time I or at that time, my agent was Barry Bloom. Every time I or Barry would negotiate with the WWF, we would bring up videotape royalties. And every time we were told the same thing, I don't pay videotape royalties. Well, we won in court on what's called quantum merit.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And with that, Vince didn't have to pay royalties. There's no law that says he does. Yeah. But here's how I beat him. When you sit down to negotiate, you expect the other side to be telling you the truth. We were constantly lied to by being told he didn't pay royalties. Well, when we sued and got into discovery, we found out Hulk Hogan was getting royalties. Mr. T was getting royalties.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Cindy Lauper was getting royalties. Hollywood, we're all getting royalties. It was us wrestlers who weren't. Well, he lied during those negotiations and said, I don't pay royalties. That's called quantum merit. That's where he broke the law. He has to tell the truth during negotiations. You expect that. He can't lie. And the truth was, yes, he paid royalties.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And when I got on the stand, my attorney asked me, Jesse Ventura, had you known other people were receiving royalties, would you have agreed to work for what you did? I said, absolutely not. I said, if I found out other people were getting royalties, I would have demanded them too.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And the jury found for me... Fitz didn't probably like that, I'm guessing. Oh, he hated it. He took it all the way to the Supreme Court for cripes sake. Wow. And then he calls me on the phone and screams into my ear when it's all over, that's my money. And I very calmly said to him, Vince, I said... The jury said it was my money. The federal judge said it was my money.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
The United States Court of Appeals said it was my money. And the Supreme Court says it's my money. I said, Vince, I think you're a minority opinion. And that's that.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, I'll tell you this. Vince was successful because as bad as he was, all the other promoters were worse. No, I'm serious. No, I believe you. I'm laughing because you're right. Vince was like the savior. Yeah. I knew when I went to Vince that final time, I was going to quit the business. This was it. I'm going to do this last hurrah with Vince. If it fails, I'm done.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
If it succeeds, we'll take it to wherever it goes. And fortunately, we succeeded. I was in pretty much, I knew I was going to do it well before I did it because there's another story behind that, but I won't go into it today. But it's a long one. But Vince actually did me a great favor. Along the way. And that's why I had loyalty to him. Okay. And I'll just leave it at that.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Uh, early eighties to mid eighties when the jump happened. Right. Well, I'll tell you the final straw of why I jumped from the AWA to Vince. Want to hear that?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I was with Saito then, Mr. Torture. Yeah. And we were, of course, the Far East-West connection. And me and Torch were wrestling tag team then in the AWA, and Vince was just starting to make his big move. And they ran lacrosse Wisconsin. And we went down there and we did an angle for a cage match, right? Yeah. And so three weeks later, we got the payoff. It was okay.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Three weeks later, we came back to lacrosse, me and Saito, for the cage match. And Vern and Greg were on their yearly Aspen vacation. The Ganesh. Yeah. Where they go up to Aspen and ski and have fun. That's what they were doing then when we had the rematch in lacrosse and it was in the cage and the house jumped, I think, $20,000 to $25,000 in business. And I got my paycheck and I got less money.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And this was at a time when Hogan had just jumped. And the house went up, and I got paid less. And Ganyas were on their vacation. Well, I knew who was paying for the vacation. We were. And so I came up to Wally Carbo, and I said, Wally, what the hell is this? I said, the house jumps $25,000, and I get less money? I said, well, the next time, I hope nobody's there. I'll get more money.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I said, what kind of bullshit is this?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And this is at a time he should have been taking care of his wrestlers, not cheating them. So that was that. And that's what happened. And that was the final straw for me. I said, I'll jump into Vince.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Say that again?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I don't know who the best was, but the guy I liked to wrestle and work with the most was Tito Santana. Really? Why? Because Tito and I go back to the AWA, and we were on the same wavelength. He understood my style and he adapted completely to me and he had total confidence that when it was his time, I would always give it to him. And I never had a bad match ever with Tito Santana.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I would say right with him would be Jimmy Snuka. You know?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Jimmy Snuka, Tito Santana.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
He was doing everything. And everyone was saying, Jimmy, why are you wasting it here? Get to New York.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
There had to have been 10 to 15 people that told Jimmy Snuka to get to New York. And I was one of them because I wanted him there because I knew I wouldn't be far behind. And if he wasn't a villain out there, I knew I'd get to work with him.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
What's the most memorable match I ever did was Macho and Steamboat. That's the greatest match in WrestleMania 3.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I vaguely remember it now. That was a good one. Yeah, the Hebner brothers. That was a good one. See, you're reminding me of this stuff. I don't have memory of a lot of it.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And I'll tell you why. When Hogan got me bumped out of WCW, That was it. I stopped watching. I didn't pay attention. I vaguely only remember the rock against Stone Cold. Yeah. I know that was huge, but I wasn't watching it. It had nothing to do with me. And I moved on. Put it this way. I moved on with my life. You moved on, moved forward. I wasn't going to let wrestling define me.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
No, certain films have lines that define them. And if you go to Predator, my line is the defining line of the movie. I ain't got time to bleed. I can't argue with that. Okay, just as in Terminator, Arnold's I'll be back.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
No. Why would I do that? That's all up to, that's all, there's no one that can say it was or wasn't. That's all up to the discretion of anybody. I'm just saying 20th Century Fox printed it on a T-shirt. And, you know, I feel great because every film usually has one line that defines it.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And I had a supporting role. In fact, the biggest complaint that I receive on Predator is that I died too soon. Well, that's my biggest complaint. But see, then I have to inform you it had to be that way.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Why?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
No. No. It had to be that way. You know why? Why? I was the toughest guy. And you noticed I was the only one that had a funeral. Right. Yeah. Okay. And here's the biggest thing. When I died is when the platoon went to shit.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Blaine was dead. Blaine doesn't die. Blaine doesn't die. This guy is the closest thing to Superman. Yeah. He's been through all these wars, all these incursions, walked out of every one of them. How can Blaine be dead? What could kill Blaine? That's why I had to die. Remember when Sonny Landham turns and says, we're all going to die. Because why? Blaine was dead.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah. I was there when John came down. So, so when he became a star later, were you like that guy? No, not at all. John had Jean-Claude had talent. Jean-Claude, uh, he was living out of his trunk at the time. when I met him. And that was the first job he ever got.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And I think he didn't understand that he thought he was going to be running through the jungle and all the girls were going to see his handsome pretty face. And I think when he got down there, he realized nobody was going to see his pretty face. He was going to be inside of some type of suit. And they hired him because they thought he'd be agile with his karate stuff. Well, he wasn't.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Not in that suit. No. And they fired him. And they got Kevin Peter Hall, a seven foot one black man. And Kevin filled out the suit a lot better. How much? I don't know. I never saw the predator. Ever. What do you mean? Until a screening in Chicago. Wow. And what's good about that, I'm not supposed to see it. It's invisible, isn't it?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
It was invisible. That's why I couldn't see it in the first place. I only saw it for the first time at a screening in Chicago. We had to pretend it was killing us. We couldn't see it. I never saw what it was going to look like. You were just acting. Yes. I never saw the Predator until they created it long after we were done shooting.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
In Running Man? Yeah, you had a whole workout video in that. Complete Freedom. Like my name. Do you want to hear the backstory?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Oh, it's a great one. Running Man. So I'm the retired stalker who now has this physical fitness show on TV, right? Yeah. That's what I do now, as well as color commentate the running man game.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And so I have my workout thing in the day. So what occurred was this. When they needed to do that, she wasn't famous yet for singing. That was due to happen in like a year or two. But they sent me over to this nice little beautiful young woman by the name of Paula Abdul. And they sent me over to her dance studio, because Paula's one of the, at the time, one of the top choreographers in Hollywood.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And I'll never forget, she knew what she had to do. I knew basically what I was there for. And I remember Paula Abdul, she got famous singing a couple years later. But she came up to me that day and it was hilarious. I'm 260 pounds, this hulking big monster. And she's this bitsy little tiny girl, athletic as hell, can do all this, got these skinny girls that can do all this dancing in Hollywood.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And she looks at me and she goes, looks at me and smiles and she says, what can you do? What was the answer? And I looked at her and at the time at home, I had started taking aerobics. And I had done aerobics. I challenged myself. I had gotten up to level three, an hour and a half with David Gray, the Crystal Light National Aerobics Champion.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
He was my instructor in Minneapolis, the Crystal Light National Aerobics Champion. So I looked at Paula Abdul. I said, well, I said, for the last few months, I'm getting ready for this. I've been doing aerobics. She looked at me a big smile. She says, great. She goes, you do aerobics. We'll dance around you. I went, okay. And that's what we did.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I went out and went through aerobic routines and Paula choreographed all the girls to dance around my routines and make it work. And there you have Captain Freedom's workout.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, okay, that was late 90s. And they also cut their fight scene completely.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I was bigger than him in the 90s, too. Well, that's the thing. I forgot. I don't have to lean in the mic.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, the great thing about Arnold is he's not insecure. Yeah. When you've won Mr. Olympia seven times, come on. That's the best built man in the world.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And he won it seven times. Arnold doesn't have insecurities. Arnold doesn't care that I'm two or three inches taller than him. That doesn't bother him.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Oh, I think that really got blown out of proportion. We did more, I don't know. The thing about doing a Schwarzenegger film is you're going to have fun.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
That's the fun part about it. Arnold never takes himself too seriously only when he has to. You know, I was also in the trailer with him sitting right there when these guys came up to him. We weren't even finished doing Predator.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And these guys were approaching him about the sequel. Predator 2. Which they did without him. Wait, I won't say the money because it's no one's business.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
But I sat right there and they offered Arnold, and this was 1985, 86. They offered him so much money to do Predator 2 and he turned them down flat. When they left, I looked at him and I said, Arnold, it's just him and I. I said, how in the hell do you turn down? And I said the figure. Arnold looked at me and smiled. You know what he said to me? Jesse, the time is not right. And it was right.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
The Predator sequel was a bomb. People know. Look at what he did on Terminator. He made them wait seven years. He made the public want the sequel.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
If you come out with a sequel immediately after the film, everybody knows it's just a money ripoff.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
They're capitalizing on the... Arnold wouldn't fall victim to that. The money he turned down, you would have been astounded. And he turned... I won't say it because it's no one's business. But in fact, I said, hey, Blaine's twin brother, he'll do it for half. I said, you can resurrect me. Blaine has a brother. Oh, my God. There he is. Blaine's twin brother. There he is. He'll do it for half.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Arnold and I never discussed politics once. During my campaign or during his? He lives in California. I live in Minnesota. Why am I going to campaign for him in California? What the hell is he going to say in Minnesota?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
He didn't need it and neither did I. We both won, didn't we? So we must have did it right, didn't we?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And steal some of your playbook. He took all of it. He's still riding it and they won't admit it. They won't. And he took all of it. Took my playbook. I didn't raise money. I held rallies. You know how much money I raised to become governor?
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah, that's all I raised. If I ran for, I'll tell you what, I, I could have beat either one. I could have won the presidency. If I had, if Mark Cuban would have backed me financially, like, uh, who do you call it? Back Trump. I'd have beat both of them if I don't want to do what year 2016 right now. And Trump knows that you want to know why he knows it. He's in the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
He knows damn well I'm the greatest talker there's ever been in wrestling. He knows damn well he couldn't hold a candle to me if I had a debate with him. The best thing he could do would be sit in the chair, keep his mouth shut, and let me talk.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Oh, not a bit. Donald Trump knows deep in his heart, and Jesse Ventura's never lost an election. I would have been the biggest threat he'd ever had out there because I'd have beat him. And you know why else I'd have beat him? I ain't a criminal.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah. Yes, he was, though, in a way, because he didn't talk straight. Well, I'm just saying non-politicians. He took it beyond that. He took it to wrestling, lied about everything.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, no, no. And I mean, lied about everything. He just say whatever he wanted to say. I'll be interested now and I'll leave it at this. Let's watch in the next four years how much of that stuff gets implemented.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
No, I wasn't necessarily. I don't support Democrats or Republicans. He joined the Republican Party and he even did worse. He joined the ultra conservative evangelical right. Pretty hard for an agnostic atheist to support that.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Multiple reasons. Personal. More to do in life. I could have won easily. I remember when I had the highest approval ratings in Minnesota history at 73%, 72%. And I remember right before re-election was due to happen, I had fallen to 49%. And the media immediately challenged me and said, oh, my God, for the first time, you're under 50%.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I looked at the media and I said, are you guys really that stupid? I said, you must consider something. It's a three-person race. If I'm at 49%, that means I'm up 12. I won with 37. Right. So if I'm now at 49, I'm up 12. It's a landslide. People forget in a three-person race, the dynamics change.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Mainly because they attacked my children. They couldn't attack nothing else. So they had to go after my son. They had to go after my kids.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
One of the reasons. The other was money. You know how much I was being governor for? Let's get it on the board. All right. When I was governor, I got paid $120,000 a year. You know how much the football coach at the University of Minnesota makes? $4 to $5 million a year. So I guess coaching football has more responsibility than being governor. I can only assume that by how our society pays.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
The governor makes, now he makes 150, but at my time it was 120, and the football coach makes 4 million, 5 million. Okay, out of the 120,000, I had to pay taxes. Yeah. Right? Out of the 120,000, I also had to pay for my car that drove me around. They deduct the mileage to and from the Capitol. They only let you have it during the workday.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
So I said to them, okay, I'll drive my private car to the Capitol. Then I'll take the governor's car so I don't get charged money. Oh, public safety come in and said, you can't do that. Why? We need you in the governor's car because it's got the weapons and the safety and the radios. So it's a catch-22. They stick, make you use the car and then charge you for it. It comes out of your paycheck.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
It don't end there. You know what else I had to pay for? Every meal that me and my family ate at the governor's residence is deducted out of my pay.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, I was being governor of Minnesota in the end. I'd say for 40 grand a year.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah. There you go.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And I'm in charge of a $16 billion budget. Huh. Uh, what do you think I'd be making if I was the CEO in the private sector of a $16 billion company? If I was the CEO, 120 a year.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Yeah, it pays a lot better. I might, I might even win more, but anyway, no, that was a reason I didn't run again. Being honest, the money. Oh, I guess I could have made more money if I wanted to become corrupt. You know, if I'd have wanted to sell my soul to rock and roll and take some payola, I suppose there was money to be made. Jesse was just too naive, and Jesse's just too honest.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I don't do that. That's called public service. I did 14 years of it. Six in the Navy, four as a governor, and four as a mayor.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Probably that I speak first before I think. That I'll react and say something that I'll then they'll I'll have to make amends for it because you're in the political arena. That's what's wonderful now about coming back to wrestling. Yeah. You don't have to worry about that. Right. Handcuffs are off. I can say anything I want about anyone. Sounds like you're excited about this. I am.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I'm very excited about it. I mean, well, I don't discuss finances, but it's acceptable. And I'll be doing four a year.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
I'm back. And for me, it's concluding a career that probably never should have finished. Right. And maybe now there'll be closure. Yeah. Jesse can broadcast till he dies and then they can have my WWE funeral.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Wrestling changed then from becoming... a live spectator sport drawing the money. Territorial live. The big money then became television. Like it is in all sports. I remember when I broadcast football for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I did two years of Buccaneer football down in Tampa. And I remember that Hugh Culverhouse paid off. He was the owner of the Bucs.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
He paid all his bills, including all the players, everything with his TV contract. So that people in the seats, that was all his profit. All the people that sold out Tampa Stadium every week to see the Bucs play, that was pure Hughes money. Because the TV contract paid for all the rest.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
We're still part of the two-party dictatorship. I like to steal that term from my friend Ralph Nader. Ralph used that, the two-party dictatorship, because that's what it is. It's a two-party dictatorship. The only problem, you want to know where I'm at? It's simple. It's real simple. I took an oath over 50 years ago. And I took this oath before I married my wife.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And this summer, my wife and I are going to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, I'd like to proudly say, name me any other couple in wrestling who can now say they're going to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Well, but I took this oath before I took an oath to her. And I honor my oaths. Obviously to her for 50 years now. And the oath I took before that was the oath to the Constitution of the United States of America. I took an oath to that Constitution.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
And unfortunately, January 6th, in my opinion, and I don't give a shit what anyone else says, I watched it. Our Constitution was attacked and violated, and there was an attempted coup d'etat, and the people that did it, in my opinion, committed treason, and they should have been convicted for their treasonous activity of overrunning our Capitol and carrying a Confederate flag.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
through my capital of the United States of America, they carried a Confederate flag, the Republicans, and they have not apologized for it, not one of them, and they still today have not apologized for it. And what did they do? They didn't get convicted for it, so they rallied up and they now have taken the power and the control.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
So as far as I'm concerned, this country doesn't have a constitution anymore because the people in charge don't care about a constitution. They violated it already, and they'll violate it again as soon as they need to.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, please correct me if I'm wrong. I didn't say you were wrong. No, I'm just saying that. And people may say, I've sure got a narrow... Yeah, I do. Because I took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America, and I failed. And I don't like to fail. And let's remember something. I believe it was Ben Franklin said to us, we've given you a republic if you can keep it.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, I believe we lost it this year.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Aggro Lions, the Sleeper-ish Hawks, Million-Dollar Picks, and Jesse Ventura on His Surprise WWE Return
Well, what you got today is just a sample. I can't wait.