Gov. Jesse Ventura as Football Commentator

St. Paul, Minn. Nov. 16, 2000 -- For the record, Jesse Ventura’s new boss

promises to be understanding if the governor has to skip football

games to attend to state business.

Ventura announced Thursday that he will spend several Saturdaynights next year in the NBC booth as a commentator for the upstartXFL, a joint venture between the network and the World WrestlingFederation.

Critics SquawkThe one-year contract, for which monetary terms were notdisclosed, allows Ventura to call in sick if state emergenciesarise. But that wasn’t enough to quiet detractors of Ventura’smoonlighting.

“He’s clearly using the prestige and the name of his office toenrich himself financially,” said Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville.“And even if that’s not illegal, I find it very troubling.”

Despite similar criticism in the past, Ventura’s approval ratingremains high—more than 70 percent at last count. And some peopleshrugged off Thursday’s announcement as vintage Ventura.

“People need to lighten up a little bit,” said Kevin Smith,41, a Two Harbors trash collector. “I think the constraints put onsome people are a little too tight these days.”

Said Carolyn Carlson, 58, of Willmar: “It’s fine as long as itdoesn’t interfere with what he’s doing as governor. ... Thegovernorship comes first.”

Priorities, PrioritiesVentura said his role as governor will take priority, but somestate lawmakers are worried anyway. Ventura heads into the 2001session with an overflowing agenda, and some legislators saythere’s no room for a second job.

“The governor has got to understand that he was elected to do a24-hour-a-day job,” said Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe.“That’s what being governor of the state is. You don’t know whenthe tornadoes are going to sweep through. They don’t stay away fromSaturday nights.”

House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty, R-Eagan, said Ventura hasbeen “kind of an absentee landlord” the last two years.

“My hope is that he does so well that he replaces Dennis Milleron Monday Night Football full-time, and we can transition him outof the state of Minnesota,” Pawlenty said.

Moe, who has rolled his eyes but held his tongue at Ventura’spast extracurricular activities, also worries about Ventura beingassociated with a league that emphasizes scantily clad women andtalk of bone-jarring plays in league promotions.

“Is that what we want our governor, the governor of Minnesotaengaged in?” he asked rhetorically.

Many asked the same question in 1999, when Ventura appeared as aguest referee at a rowdy WWF SummerSlam event.

David Bradley Olsen, his personal attorney, said the XFLcontract gives Ventura some discretion over content.

Ventura is trying to avoid other controversies this time. Whenhe toured the country to promote his first book, some complained ofhis state-paid security. Olsen said the XFL will pick up thesecurity tab, and Ventura will be shuttled to primetime games inthe league’s eight cities in a XFL-chartered jet.

Ventura promised to sit out games played on Sundays. But hedefiantly questioned those upset with his weekend work habits.

“State offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays anyway,”Ventura said. “No one complains when I coach high schoolfootball.”