Taking on Jesse "The Body" Ventura
Jake Tapper '91 almost made it to 30 without watching, a complete match of professional wrestling. Almost.
The Washington correspondent for SalonMagazine (whose work has appeared in such diverse venues as The New York Times Magazine and 'netzinesuck.com) can now add "biographer," to his already impressive list of credentials with the release of Body Slam: The Jesse Ventura Story.
The book covers nearly all of Ventura's life, focusing on the bizarre twists and turns that took him from the U.S. Navy SEALs to motorcycle gangs, professional wrestling, Hollywood, and now politics. In addition to talking with Ventura's friends, teachers, fellow soldiers, opponents (in both wrestling and politics) and other reporters, Tapper made the great personal sacrifice of watching every film in which Ventura appeared.
But even more daunting than sitting through Abraxas.Guardian of the Universe, was approaching the project without Ventura's cooperation. Jesse, having signed a six-figure deal to write his Own autobiography, declined requests for interviews.
"When you interview presidential candidates, senators and actors," says Tapper, "you feel better when getting their side of the story."
Although his research uncovered Ventura's political hypocrisy and hyperbolic self-aggrandizement, Tapper says he tried to "give him the benefit of the doubt.I didn't want this to be a hatchet job."
While the book is far from a massacre, Tapper does land a few punches on Ventura:
On his acclaim as a wrestling commentator: "It can be argued that being one of the wittiest announcers in pro wrestling isn't entirely unlike being one of the bestlooking members of a leper colony."
On his film highlights: "The viewing... may make you embarrassed on behalf of all multi-celled organisms."
On his attempts to appear gubernatorial: "The result was often that he sounded like an uneducated man throwing out a phrase he'd caught on PBS while channelsurfing to Jerry Springer. "
KEVIN' GOLDMAN '99
Other authors and editors to curl up with:
Harold Kaplan '3O, author of the satirical novel Crumble City Junior College (Xlibris)
Bob Asher '31, co-author of A Family of Artists: Bonnie Harris, Eleanor Harris, andMarilee Harris Shapiro (Pogo Press), which describes the lives and careers of three women, including Asher's wife,Marilee.
Bob Young '57, editor of Notesfrom Millennium Beach (New Paradigm Books), an illustrated collection of essays, including one by Keith Nolan '57.
Majid Tehranian '59, author of Global Communication and World Politics: Domination, Development, and Discourse (Lynne Rienner Publishers). Tehranian is professor of international communication at the University of Hawaii and director of the Toda Institute of Global Peace and Policy Research.
Melvin Small '60, author of In The Presidency of Richard' Nixon (University Press of Kansas), which draws on the latest archival releases to take a fresh look at Nixon and place his administration in historical perspective.
Daniel Hedges '68, author of Trial, part of the West Group's Texas Practice Guide Series.
