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could call Aaron Russo a typical Hollywood hotshot turned politician --
except that he was never a typical Hollywood hotshot. And he was anything
but a typical politician.
Born in Brooklyn in 1943, Russo got his start in the entertainment business
by booking rock-'n'-roll shows at local theaters while he was still
in high school. When we was 24, he opened the Kinetic Playground nightclub
in Chicago, where he showcased up-and-coming bands like Led Zeppelin,
The Who, and Jefferson Airplane.
From 1972 to 1979, he managed Bette Midler and helped turn the flamboyant
singer into a recording and movie star. He produced Midler's Tony award-winning
Clams on the Half-Shell Revue Broadway show in 1975. Over the
years, Russo also managed the Manhattan Transfer, actor David Keith,
and actress Susan Sarandon.
In the late 1970s, Russo turned to movies. He produced the romantic
musical drama The Rose (1979), starring Bette Midler, and the
blockbuster Trading Places (1983), starring Eddie Murphy and
Dan Aykroyd. Both movies were nominated for Golden Globe awards. He
also produced Partners (1982), Teachers (1984),
Wise Guys (1986), Off and Running (1996), and Missing
Pieces (1996). His one foray into directing was 1989's Rude
Awakening. In all, his films were nominated for six Academy Awards.
In 1994, the political side of Russo came to the forefront. Inspired
by the success of independent presidential candidate Ross Perot, he
announced the formation of the Constitution Party, with a limited-government
platform similar to that of the Libertarian Party. The party never ran
any candidates, and Russo shut it down after 18 months. (In 1999, the
U.S. Taxpayers Party renamed itself the Constitution Party, but that
organization was unrelated to Russo's effort.)
In 1994, Russo created a one-hour, politically themed TV show entitled
Aaron Russo's Mad as Hell. The program, part stand-up comedy
monologue and part slash-and-burn political rant, offered Russo's libertarian
views on the IRS, Social Security, NAFTA, and the federal budget. When
he was unable to find a syndicator for the show, Russo sold it as a
video.
Russo made his first run for political office in 1998, seeking the Republican
nomination for governor of Nevada. He came in second in the primary,
winning 25.9% of the vote in a four-way race.
Russo joined the Libertarian Party in 1999, saying it was his "true
political home." In 2000, he delivered a fiery speech at the Libertarian
National Convention, calling Libertarians the "last, best hope
for freedom in America."
In 2004, Russo announced he was seeking the Libertarian Party's presidential
nomination. Russo told LP News (February 2004) he was running
because the United States is "heading to totalitarianism. I have
a sincere belief [in] the Constitution and Bill of Rights as envisioned
by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Ben Franklin. Unfortunately,
neither political party respects the vision of our Founding Fathers,
and these documents have been relegated to the dustbin. I want to dust
them off and restore them to their proper role in our lives."
If elected president, Russo said, "I will bring our troops home
from every corner of the globe. I'll revoke the Patriot Act. I'll cut
taxes, cut spending. I'll cut the size of government. I'll stop corporate
welfare. I'll engage all nations in trade and commerce. I'll protect
our air and water, and I'll protect our borders, but most importantly,
I will protect our Constitution and Bill of Rights." At the party's
2004 presidential nominating convention, Russo finished second to Michael
Badnarik.
In 2006, Russo wrote, produced, directed, and starred in a documentary
feature film entitled America...From Freedom To Fascism.
The film questions the legality of the income tax, attacks the "growing
authoritarianism" in American life, and challenges viewers to
participate in civil disobedience to preserve liberty.
Whether through the medium of libertarian films, videos, or political
campaigns, Russo says his goal is to "try and get the word out
to the public about what's happening to America -- and give them an
opportunity to try to change things." In November of 1999, he
told the Las Vegas Sun that he wanted the headstone on his grave
to read, "Freedom Fighter."
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