Aaron Russo

Infobox Person
name = Aaron Russo

---

caption = Russo promoting his film ""
birth_date = February 14, 1943
birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, USA
death_date = Death date and age|2007|8|24|1943|2|14
death_place = Los Angeles, California, USA
other_names =
known_for = Film producer, libertarian politician and activist
occupation =
religion = Judaism

Aaron Russo (February 14, 1943 – August 24, 2007) was an American entertainment businessman, film maker, and political activist.

Early life

Born in Brooklyn into a Sephardic Jewish family originally from Italy, Russo was raised on Long Island. He began promoting rock and roll shows at local theaters while still a high school student. He then worked for his family's undergarment business.

Entertainment career

Five years later the twenty-four-year-old entrepreneur opened his own nightclub in Chicago called the Kinetic Playground. The club became a driving force in the music business, where Aaron helped create the careers of many legendary performers, such as Led Zeppelin. He also promoted some of the Sixties' most successful rock acts, including The Who, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane [ [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5420753830426590918&hl=en Historic Interview with Aaron Russo, Fighting Cancer and the New World Order] on Google Video, an interview by Alex Jones on January 2007 about Aaron's past and current events accessed at August 2007] .

In 1972, Russo began his seven-year partnership with Bette Midler, who became a superstar during his management of her career. In 1975 he produced the Tony award-winning "Clams on the Half-Shell Revue", which starred Bette Midler and Lionel Hampton. At the time it was the most successful ten-week Broadway revue in history, grossing more than $1.8 million. While serving as Midler's manager, Russo created and managed The Manhattan Transfer. Later his roster would include such personalities as David Keith, Frederic Forrest, Susan Sarandon and other notable clients.

When Russo turned to producing feature films, his production of "The Rose", introduced Bette Midler to motion picture audiences. Midler received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. "The Rose" is considered by many to be the classic rock 'n' roll film. Russo also produced "Trading Places", starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd, which has become a Christmas classic, and "Teachers", starring Nick Nolte, Morgan Freeman, and Ralph Macchio.

Russo received numerous awards for his achievements. They include a Grammy, a Tony, an Emmy (for producing the best television special of 1977, "Ol' Red Hair is Back", starring Bette Midler, Dustin Hoffman, and Emmett Kelly), plus many gold and platinum records. His films were nominated for six Academy Awards, as well as seven Golden Globes. His films have won three Golden Globes, as well as the Image Award.

In the 1990s he ran into trouble with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and eventually found himself with $2 million dollars in liens against him. Years later in 2005, he wrote, produced, and directed a feature film/documentary titled "", billed as an exposé of the IRS. He also took to describing himself as a "freedom fighter."

Political career

Russo became involved in politics in the early 1990s. 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". [ [http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=-1584595362217609102&q=Aaron+Russo%27s+Mad+as+Hell Video: Aaron Russo's Mad as Hell] ] The program, part stand-up comedy monologue and part slash-and-burn political rant, offered Russo's views where he criticized NAFTA, The War on Drugs, the concept of a National Identity Card, IRS, Social Security, 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, when he ran in the Republican party primary for the Governor of Nevada. He came in second in the primary, winning 25.9% of the vote in a four-way race. He then endorsed the Democratic candidate, Las Vegas mayor, Jan Laverty Jones, who lost to Republican Kenny Guinn. Russo then 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." Russo subsequently planned to run for governor in 2002 as a Libertarian, but he was temporarily sidelined by cancer.

On February 15, 2004, Aaron Russo endorsed the Free State Project (FSP). [cite web |url=http://freestateproject.org/images/russo.gif|title= Aaron Russo's endorsement of the Free State Project|accessdate=2008-08-30 |work= |publisher= |date= ]

In January 2004, Russo announced he was seeking the Libertarian Party's nomination to run for the President of the United States. 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." At the Libertarian National Convention in May 2004, Russo received 258 votes, as opposed to 256 for Michael Badnarik and 246 for Gary Nolan, a majority being required to receive the presidential nomination. Russo went on to be defeated on the third and final ballot by nominee Badnarik by a vote of 423-344. While some questioned his style, [Thomas M. Sipos, Managing Editor, [http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2004/lpcon1.htm Libertarian Convention Ends in Unity Despite Controversies] , Hollywoodinvestigator.com, June 24, 2004.] others argued his media experience would enable him to pose a serious threat to incumbent President George W. Bush, pulling enough votes from otherwise likely Bush voters to affect the outcome in battleground states, in the same way that Ralph Nader was considered to be in relation to Democrat John Kerry. [cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/21/politics/main619019.shtml|title=Bush's Third-Party Threat|accessdate=2007-08-24|publisher=CBS News|date=2004-05-21|author=Kuhn, David Paul]

In 2006, Russo wrote, produced, directed, and starred in a documentary feature film entitled "America: From Freedom To Fascism". The film questioned the legality of the income tax and attacked the "growing authoritarianism" in American life. The film was made after Russo had over $2 million of tax liens filed against him by the Internal Revenue Service, the state of California, and the state of New York for unpaid taxes. In an interview with the "New York Times", however, Russo refused to discuss the liens, saying they were not relevant to his film. [cite news |last=Johnston |first=David Cay |title=Facts Refute Filmmaker’s Assertions on Income Tax in ‘America’ |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/31/movies/31russ.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1 | publisher=The New York Times |date=2006-07-31 |accessdate=2006-08-03 ]

In early 2007, an interview with the radio talk show host Alex Jones saw Russo discuss his friendship and conversations with a Nicholas Rockefeller, whom he said was a member of the famous Rockefeller banking dynasty. In it he describes how Nicholas Rockefeller had revealed to him 11 months previous to the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, that "an event" would happen that would lead to an invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, and would lead to the unwinnable "War on Terror". Russo also said that Rockefeller was part of a ruling elite whose end goal, as stated by Rockefeller himself, is "to create a one world government, where everybody has an RFID chip implanted in them". [The Rockefeller interview is reproduced at [http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=5420753830426590918&hl=en&fs=true] .]

On January 14, 2007, Russo announced his full support for U.S. Congressman Ron Paul's 2008 presidential bid. [cite web|url=http://www.rense.com/general75/arrp.htm|title=Aaron Russo Announces Full Support Of Ron Paul|accessdate=2007-08-24|publisher=Rense.com|date=2007-01-14|author=Russo, Aaron] [cite web|url=http://www.freemarketnews.com/Analysis/134/6746/high%20alert.asp?nid=6746&wid=134&pv=1|title=Ron Paul for Pres-"Today's" High Alert|accessdate=2007-08-24|publisher=Free Market News Network|date=2007-01-15|author=Wile, Anthony] Russo also joined the advisory board of Jews for Ron Paul 2008. [ [http://www.jews4ronpaul.org/advisors.html www.jews4ronpaul.org - Jews for Ron Paul 2008 ] ]

Death

Russo died of bladder cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California on August 24, 2007, at age 64, [ [http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_6720004?nclick_check=1 Former Bette Midler manager and film producer dies at 64] "San Jose Mercury News". 25 August 2007.] [ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070825/ap_en_mo/obit_russo;_ylt=AlKyzv3EcEKtp2tx2FTZRndxFb8C Music manager, film producer dies at 64] "Associated Press (Yahoo Entertainment News)", Aug. 25, 2007] following a six year battle with the disease. [http://www.newsday.com/news/obituaries/ny-russo275348146aug27,0,6529514.story] Shortly before his passing, in 2007, Russo founded RestoreTheRepublic.com [http://RestoreTheRepublic.com] to fulfill the political ambitions laid out in his final film. He publicly passed the torch to Gary S. Franchi Jr., founder of the Lone Lantern Society of America to lead this new organization and to carry on his fight. [ [http://www.art2013.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=147&Itemid=57 AARON RUSSO 1943-2007 - Art2013 ] ] Russo said his goal was 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." Regarding an epitaph for his headstone after his death, he told the Las Vegas Sun (November 4, 1999), "I want it to say, 'Freedom Fighter.' "

On February 14th, 2008 Aaron's organization produced a gold and silver commemorative piece to immortalize their founder. On the front side of each piece, the words "Freedom Fighter" were embossed.

References

External links

*View [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173&ei=Ad23SJH7N6eyqAPx19jDDA&freedom+to+fascism/ America: Freedom to Fascism]
*imdb name|id=0751567|name=Aaron Russo
*ibdb name|id=21043|name=Aaron Russo
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173 America: Freedom to Fascism - Director's Authorized Version]
* Downloadable audio interview with Scott Horton: [http://www.philipdru.com/audio/russo.mp3]
* Downloadable audio interview with George Noory on "Coast to Coast AM": [http://www.freedomtofascism.com/interviews/audio/Coast%20Hour%20Two.mp3 Part I] , [http://www.freedomtofascism.com/interviews/audio/Coast%20Hour%20Three.mp3 II] , [http://www.freedomtofascism.com/interviews/audio/Coast%20Hour%20Four.mp3 III]
* Downloadable audio interview with Charles Goyette: [http://www.ernesthancock.com/archive/media/2006-09-26-bonus-p1.mp3 Part I] , [http://www.ernesthancock.com/archive/media/2006-09-26-bonus-p2.mp3 II]
* [http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/members/arusso.htm Video interview on ConsciousMediaNetwork.com]
* [http://podcast.acitizensvoice.com/ Podcast Interview with Fred Flannigan from WKRS 1220AM WKRS.com]
* [http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=3218585954111617501 Interview With Alex Jones] - Google Video
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1263677258215075609&q=Aaron+Russo+Nick+Rockefeller&hl=en Aaron Russo talks about Nick Rockefeller, 9/11 and population control] - Google Video
* [http://www.financialsense.com/Experts/2006/Russo.html] 2006 Interview with Jim Puplava
* Visit [http://defendindependence.org/ARM/AaronRussoMemorial.HTML Aaron Russo's Virtual Memorial]
*Lifetime|1943|2007|Russo, Aaron

Persondata
NAME=Russo, Aaron
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Film producer
DATE OF BIRTH=February 14, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH=Brooklyn, New York, United States
DATE OF DEATH=August 24, 2007
PLACE OF DEATH=Los Angeles, California, United States