Davie, Florida's wrestling mayor
Harry Venis moonlights as a wrestler to raise money

By JAIME HERNANDEZ -- Associated Press
DAVIE, Fla. -- He enters the arena to screams of "You stink!" and "Go home, Harry!" from beer-bellied fans sporting Hulk Hogan T-shirts.

Harry Venis is a wrestler. He's also the mayor of this town.

Venis, a robust five foot 11 and 235 pounds, woke up one day five years ago and decided to chase his childhood dream. He wanted to become a professional wrestler and help children at the same time.

"Kids think my wrestling is the biggest thing," says the 45-year-old mayor, an accountant by trade. "This makes more money for them than selling cookies."

He's raised more than $200,000 for public schools and charities through wrestling since 1995, the same year he was elected mayor.

During one match, a mean-faced Venis unleashes a fury of chest chops and back punches on the likes of J.R. James, The Perfect Creation and Duke the Dumpster. Outside the ring, during a tag-team match, Venis sticks his arm out to trip an opposing wrestler as the referee looks away.

His wife, Audrey, and two children, daughter Kathleen, 16, and 13-year-old son Harry Jr. know the wrestling is for a good cause, but they still worry.

"You never know when there will be an accident," Audrey Venis said.

"His mother, Sophia, who's normally very quiet and reserved, would sit in the front row sometimes and yell and scream at the wrestlers that were hurting Harry, occasionally even waving her cane at them."

The matches are held in high school gyms or a rodeo arena, with crowds ranging from 300 to 2,000 people paying $6 to $10 each for a chance to shower Venis with insults. Kids under 12 get in free. Venis says each match brings about $3,000.

"There is no blood or profanity like what people see on TV," Venis said. "We make it a good family event."

Venis usually starts his day at the town hall in Davie, a Fort Lauderdale suburb with an Old West flare. Davie developed in the early 1900s as an agricultural centre, surrounded by citrus groves and cattle ranches on the edge of the Everglades.

As late as the 1960s, its stores and bars had hitching posts outside. But now Davie, the headquarters of the Miami Dolphins, has become part of a familiar urban sprawl.

So far, Venis has had no political challengers. He cracks that his opponents know better.

The mayor spends much of the day in an office lined with public awards and photographs of him in wrestling tights.

"I think it's great," Coun. Richard Weiner said. "People like to joke about it sometimes, but whenever you can perform and raise money for charity, it's a wonderful thing."

Venis also has the support of Davie residents, like Mary Mans, a bartender in neighbouring Cooper City.

"I don't think it makes a mockery of his office at all," she said.

But Davie resident Victoria Orozco isn't sure she likes the way her mayor spend his off time. However, she's happy the profits go to children.

In Venis' corner is fan favourite Rocky Johnson, a wrestling veteran best known as the father of The Rock, Dwayne Johnson. He trains and manages Venis.

Venis wants to go one-on-one against another famous wrestling politician -- Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura.

"Jesse's out of shape, so I don't think he'd want to take on Harry right now," Johnson said.

Ventura spokesman John Wodele said the governor probably would decline.

"He hasn't wrestled in over 15 years," Wodele said.