[MEDIA] Minneapolis Star Tribune 11.12.03 Ventura's residence manager writes book about home life with 'The Body'

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1384/4207197.html

Ventura's residence manager writes book about home life with 'The
Body'

Patricia Lopez and Dane Smith, Star Tribune 
  
Published November 12, 2003 CREE12 

A new book about former Gov. Jesse Ventura, written by the residence
manager he fired during his last year in office, paints a portrait of
a gloomy recluse who often was rude to others and who spent much of
his time at the governor's residence on St. Paul's Summit Avenue
watching TV.

But Ventura also is a master storyteller who exudes charisma, adores
his wife and seldom drinks, writes author Dan Creed.

The book offers a few titillating new glimpses into the Venturas'
private lives, including details about son Tyrel's use of the
gubernatorial bedroom, First Lady Terry Ventura's demanding demeanor
and personal photos of Ventura in a pink grass hula skirt.

"Governor Ventura 'The Body' Exposed. The Man. The Mansion. The
Meltdown," a 170-page paperback published by Hunter-Halverson Press in
Madison, Wis., is not the lurid tell-all some might have expected.

Creed, who managed the residence for much of Ventura's term, praises
family members and details what he calls "a unique period in
Minnesota's political history."

Upon meeting First Lady Terry Ventura, Creed was "taken by her beauty,
grace and charm." She is more politically savvy than her husband,
Creed wrote. He describes her as a compassionate strategist who spent
much of her time nudging Ventura to do the right thing. Daughter Jade,
then 15, exuded "strength and stamina . . . disguised by a Grace Kelly
graciousness." Son Tyrel, 18 when Ventura took office, is funny,
smart, independent and was so enamoured of late-night hours and
all-black garb that security dubbed him "the vampire."

Ventura not pleased 

Ventura is not commenting on the book, said spokesperson John Wodele,
but it's clear the Venturas are not happy about it. The book's
official release today comes just before Thursday's unveiling of the
official Ventura portrait in the State Capitol.

"I spoke with the [former] First Lady and she is obviously very
disappointed and sad that Dan would betray the family's confidence,"
Wodele said.

The Venturas are particularly distressed that the book uses snapshots
taken at private family functions, Wodele said. One picture shows
Ventura at his 50th birthday party dressed in a pink hula skirt and
flowered headdress. Another photo shows the Venturas' bedroom, painted
in bright pink, which Creed describes as "Pepto-Bismol walls, trimmed
in cough-syrup fuchsia."

Creed notes that the Venturas slept on a "1970s-throwback waterbed,"
and that Ventura sometimes left his pink feather boa on the bed, a
sight Creed said "still unnerves me for reasons I can't really put my
finger on."

That kind of detail from a person who was in a position of trust is
inappropriate and invasive, Wodele said.

Creed said it was the Venturas who betrayed the staff by firing them
and accusing staff members of disloyalty.

"I feel morally and ethically, from the beginning, that we were
totally loyal, dedicated and sacrificing," Creed said. "Then the
governor chose to close the residence without telling us, took our
livelihood away from us, turned our lives upside down and wrongly
accused us of being disloyal. That's when the rules changed."

For most of the first three years of Ventura's term, Creed said, "I
wanted him to do well. We all did."

Soon, however, Creed wrote that he found himself working for a man who
seldom acknowledged those who labored on his behalf.

Often a gregarious showman when in the limelight, Ventura out of the
spotlight reverted to "the reclusive, sullen, short-spoken and moody
man the residence staff knew all too well," Creed wrote.

The private Ventura was a loner who often shunned visitors, even to
the point of snubbing a group from Sweden that had come to present a
book to Minnesota's celebrity governor. "The governor wouldn't even
accept it as he walked past," until Creed implored him to acknowledge
the group.

Despite generally good reviews, Terry Ventura is described as somewhat
imperious at times. She made many extra demands of the residence
staff, Creed wrote. Meals were changed at a moment's notice and
residence chefs often were given last-minute instructions on Friday to
prepare a weekend's worth of food for guests expected at the Venturas'
Maple Grove ranch. "At the snap of her fingers, our chefs baked snacks
and meals and staff would rush to get ready so that I could drive the
food out there after work," Creed wrote.

Even more unsettling were the demands made by Terry Ventura's
assistant and best friend, Mari Reed, who created many problems for
the staff, Creed wrote. On two occasions, Reed requested that state
troopers escort the Venturas' vehicle with flashing lights so that she
and Terry Ventura could arrive at a Mall of America premiere on time.

Another time, Reed asked troopers to get a movie theater closed to the
public so that she and the Venturas could attend a private premiere.
All such requests were denied by the State Patrol, Creed wrote.

Meltdown 

Tyrel Ventura's activities in the residence, which when publicly
confirmed by fired staff members became a major factor in Ventura's
decision in midsummer 2002 not to seek reelection, are related in
detail.

Creed wrote that Tyrel frequently had parties there when his parents
were away and often invited young women he had just met and other
strangers to the residence. At times, Creed wrote, mothers pulled up
in the middle of the night and dropped off their daughters, whom they
said Tyrel had invited.

"More than once, we also found tell-tale signs that someone had
enjoyed a night of passion in the governor's bed. I began to wonder if
I was manager of the governor's mansion or the Playboy mansion," Creed
wrote.

Confidentiality 

Gov. Tim Pawlenty's communications director, Dan Wolters, said all
staff members have been required to sign a confidentiality agreement.

That type of contract apparently was never in place for Creed and
previous residence staff members.

He contends that he never would have written the book if the Venturas
had not tried to improperly close the residence, and then dismissed
the staff after a couple of staff members made some relatively
innocent observations about the Venturas to reporters.

"I felt compelled to set the record straight," Creed said.