COVER

After decades in tiie music and motion picture industry, Aaron Russo found his calling as a full-time activist for freedom.

by William Norman Grigg was played on real grass in ballparks that I've had a good life with very few regrets weren't named after corporations. And — but passing up a chance to playwith the One of Aaron Russo's "few re most of the big stars stayed with their Yankees...." As his voice trailed off, it was grets" in life, he confided dur teams for their entire careers, rather than easy to imagine Russo, as a wiseand expe ing a lengthy interview with becoming free agent mercenaries and rienced 63-year-old,offeringa smile and a The New American, was his impetuous playing for the highest bidder. Like every shrug as he thinks of the foolish priorities decision not to pursue a career in Major other boy my age, I dreamed of being a that governed him at age 18. League Baseball. Big League ballplayer — but I actually Born in in 1943 and raised, "I was drafted by the Yankees right out had a shot." largely by grandparents, in Long Island, of highschool," herecalls. "I wasa catcher If he had the shot so many coveted, why Russo has fond memories of an Ameri in our Babe Ruth league on Long Island, didn't he take it? ca most people living today know only and my last yearI had a battingaverage of "Well, as a testosterone-fueled teenager, through the movies. In fact, Russo has .489. Baseball was something I loved as I had the athletic skills, but no discipline," crafted depictions of his memories in a kid. Back in the 1950s, New York was he replied, wry amusement coloring his film, leaving a mark as a producer and the center of the baseball universe. You husky voice. "For me at the time, spring director. had Willie Mays playing with the Giants, time wasn't for Spring Training — it was "We were taught the value of a dol Duke Snider with the Dodgers, and Mick for fast convertibles. I was more inter lar and the importance of hard work," he ey Mantle with theYankees. It was a time ested in hot cars and hot girls than I was recalls. "I remember being told over and of great rivalries." in the daily grind of a baseball career. So over again by my grandparents, 'neither "Back then," he continued, "baseball 1 passed on the opportunity of a lifetime. a borrower nor a lender be.' My friends

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Russo recounted to The New Ameri can. "This was during the first Bush administration, when I became aware that something was seriously wrong with our country, although I couldn't really put into words what it was. We came back in 1991 and I spent quite a whileju.st traveling acrossthecoun try with my kids. Max and Sam. It was a wonderful experience. Wegot to know our country very well, and I became aware for the first time that there were millions of Americans whosharedmysensethat something is terribly wrong, andwhowereeager to do something about it." Russo's misgivings about our country's direction were fortified in 1993 by the "utterly horrible atroci- riescommitted by the government at Ruby Ridge and Waco," as well as scores of similar outrages against in Old friends; While at the Cannes Film Festival to screen America: From Freedom to Fascism for the dividual rights — such as property international press. Aaron Russo spoke briefly with actor Nick Nolte, who starred inthe 1984Russo seizures, businesses beingdriven into produced film Teachers. bankruptcy byfederal regulators, the attackon our sovereignty throughthe and I loved our old neighborhood, but we Aykroyd, and directed the 1989 comedy UN and trade pacts like NAFTA, and wanted to make something of ourselves on Rude Awakening. escalating attackson privacy and the right the larger stage." In examining the plotlines of those two to keep and bear arms. films, one is tempted to see a foreshadow That growing sense of outrage co Music and Movies ing of Russo's own political awakening. alesced into Aaron Russo's Mad as Hell, In the late 1960s,following a brief stint as involves a cruel, whimsi a 1995 pilot for a proposed television talk a college student and member of the Coast cal scheme by two elitist money manag show. Russo relates thatalthough hispilot Guard Reserve, Russo became owner and ers who conspire to destroy the career of a didn't sell, his potential impacton the na manager ofthe , a Chi rising blue-blooded commodities trader tional scene wasrecognized bysomevery cago psychedelic music club that hosted (Aykroyd) and engineer his replacement important people. concerts by now-legendary acts, includ by a streetwise huckster (Murphy). Rude "Shortly afterI made thepilot, I wasap ing Jefferson Airplane, , and Led Awakening chronicles the experiences of proached by one of the younger members Zeppelin. At the time, he recounts, "I was two 1960s-era hippies who return to the of the Rockefeller family," he told The aware of the Vietnam War protest move U.S.A. in the late 1980s after two decades New American. "He seemed to think that ment, and I was involved in a very modest in Central Americanexile.They are aston I had some potential and was offering to way. But I was too busy building a career ished by the gusto with which veterans of mentor me. He even discussed with me the to be really involved in politics." the hippiecounterculturetookto the"greed possibility of arranging an invitation for In the 1970s, Russo branched out into is good" ethic of yuppie materialism. me to join the Council on Foreign Rela record production and talent manage Russo, an ardent practitioner and de tions. And he seemedto be veryinterested ment, helping to create the vocal jazz fender of free-market capitalism, has never in my views about a numberof subjects I group Manhattan Transfer in 1972 and used the medium of film to denigrate hon hadn't really given much thought to." One managing singer/actress . He est entrepreneurship. He is an outspoken specific subject of interest was the femi produced an Emmy-winning television enemy of both materialistic hypocrisy and nist movement. special for Midler in 1978, and began yet of the type of elitism that manifests itself "[The Rockefeller family member] another phase of his entertainment career in government control over the economy asked me what I thought of the 'women's by producing her feature film The Rose. for the corrupt enrichment of powerful movement,' and I told him that I support (He was awarded a Gold Record for pro corporate and political interests. equal opportunity," Russo continues. "He ducing the film's soundtrack album.) He looked at me and said, 'You know, you're went on to produce several other films, in Into the Political Arena such an idiot in some ways. We' — mean cludingthe 1982standout comedy Trading After directing RudeAwakening, "I left the ing the people he works with — 'created Places featuring and Dan U.S.A. for a little while and livedin Tahiti," the women's movement, and we promote

18 THENEWAMERICAN • JUNE 12. 2006 it. And it's not about equal opportuniiy. as a political maverick. A It's designed to get both parents out of 1998 bid for the Republican Russo believes that "too many have been the home and into the workforce, where gubernatorial nomination in they will pay taxes. And then we can de yielded 26 percent intimidated into silence because of a lack cide how the children will be raised and of the convention vote in a of faith — both in God and their own God- educated.' That's how they control society four-way race. Two years — by removing the parents from the home ago he briefly considered a given potential. I hope my film will help and then raising the children as the elitists presidential run as an inde them ... find the strength I know is there, see fit." pendent, and then mounted Russo recalls conversations in 2000 an unsuccessful campaign and inspire them to take action — now with his Rockefeller acquaintance that, in for the Libertarian Party — to save our priceless gift of freedom." hindsight, seemed to portend 9/11 and its nomination. (After Michael aftermath. Badnarik got the Libertarian "About a year before 9/11, this guy was Party's nod, Russo offered to produce tele collectivism, he has exercised his abili telling me that there would be 'an event' vision ads for the candidate.) ties as a filmmaker. In both undertakings, in this country that would change it dra prayer has played a central role. matically," declares Russo. "He was pre Challenges to Body and Spirit "I believe deeply in God," Russo ex dicting a war in Afghanistan and in the For the past several years, amid his cam plains. "This has been the real source of Middle East to control the region's energy paigns to promote the cause of individual my strength in fighting cancer — the hope reserves, and at some points he was actu liberty, Russo has been battling cancer, that comes from understanding that God ally laughing about it." both of the bladder and the stomach. In made me for a purpose, and the joy that "I know how evil these people are," both struggles, he has found strength in his comes in doing what I believe God made Russo said grimly. maturing spiritual convictions. To wage me to do, which is to fight for freedom. I Although he was intermittently in touch his so-far successful battle against cancer, know that someday we'll all cast off these with his "friend" from the Rockefeller Russo has turned to holistic and nutritional shells we live in, but that we will continue family, Russo continued his new career therapy. In combating the social cancer of to live. I've come to understand that each of us was made by God with talents and abilities that we are supposed to use in the struggle to promote what is good and right and true. And it's just as clear to me that we have a capacity for evil, and that evil is organized as well — which means that those of us who recognize what God has given us have to organize to defeat evil." "I just wish the American people had more faith in them selves, and in God" Russo continues. "The top layers of our government and society support the idea of world gov ernment and the destruction of our freedom, but that's not true of most Americans. Too many have been intimidated into si lence because of a lack of faith — both in God and their own God-given potential. I hope my film will help them look within themselves and find the strength I know is there, and in spire them to take action — now Inthe arena: Aaron Russo (left) joins othercontenders forthe 2004Libertarian Party presidential — to save our priceless gift of nomination at a debate in Los Angeles. freedom." •

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