Jesse Ventura On Why He Is Hosting Show On TV Network Funded By Russian Government

A show noted, WWE Hall of Famer Jesse "The Body" Ventura is bringing "The World According to Jesse" to a television network funded by the Russian government, according to The Associated Press and multiple reports.

MLive.com reports via the A.P. that Russian President Vladimir Putin has personally assured Ventura the show, which will air on RT (formerly Russia Today), will not be censored.

Ventura has had a difficult time finding a home for his television series since a federal jury awarded him $1.8 million for a defamation lawsuit against "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle. An award that was overturned in 2016, according to the A.P.

"I can't get a job in the U.S. No one will touch me," Ventura told A.P. "My United States union throws me in the dirt and who comes to the rescue?"

"Russia."

Ventura reportedly lost his health insurance from the Screen Actors Guild because he was not active enough in the industry. His contract for the series is for 32 shows, will be filmed in Minnesota and is set to premiere in the next month or so.

Ventura, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004, served as the governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003 as a member of the Reform Party. His professional wrestling career spanned 11 years from 1975 to 1986. Jesse also worked as a commentator and has made sporadic appearances for WWE, his last coming on the November 23, 2009 episode of Raw, in which he was guest host.